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CHCCN305A: Provide care for babies

Provide an environment that provides security for babies/infants

Contents

Clearly communicate expectations to babies/ infants and apply consistently 3

Set up the physical environment to provide a relaxed and flexible atmosphere 4

Stable environments that promote infant security 4

A sense of belonging in the environment 8

Offering a stimulating environment 11

Set up the physical environment to accommodate individuality of the baby/infant 13

Create a safe and secure environment both in and out of doors with equipment of a suitable scale for babies/infants 14

Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCN305A: Reader LO 9207 © NSW DET 2010

Clearly communicate expectations to babies/ infants and apply consistently

We’ve looked at providing responsive caregiving and developing strategies and procedures for ensuring we respond in a timely and appropriate manner to infant’s needs. However, while doing this we need to make sure that the infants know what we are doing and that they are aware of our expectations.

We need to be telling infants what we are doing. If we need to change the infant’s nappy, instead of just picking them up and doing it, we need to let them know what’s about to happen and why. A responsive caregiver will inform the child that it is time for nappy change and explain that changing the nappy will make them more comfortable. Many of the physical care routines we perform in the care of infants are of an intimate and personal nature so we need to ensure our actions and words reflect this.

The use of positive language is especially important. We should always check that what we are about to say to infants is not only appropriate but phrased in positive terms. When we consider behaviour guidance for infants and toddlers one of the most crucial aspects is to ensure the child is made aware that it is the behaviour that is inappropriate and unwanted—not the child. If the child is made to feel that he or she is the problem and is unwanted, then we begin to have a negative effect on the child’s emotional wellbeing.

Infants and young children are better able to handle situations where it is clearly communicated to them that it is the behaviour that is the issue, not them. By giving clear expectations of what we prefer the infant or toddler to do, we begin to inform them about standards of behaviour and how to react or behave in particular situations.

As adults we like to know what is expected of us. For example, in this course, you are told the outcomes expected for each Learning topic, what will be covered in each Learning topic and how you are going to be assessed. This knowledge allows us to manage our learning and gives clear expectations for the unit and/or course. It is appropriate to consider the needs of infants in a similar fashion; they need to know what is happening and what is expected of them. It is our responsibility as caregivers to ensure this happens.

Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCN305A: Reader LO 9207© NSW DET 2010

Set up the physical environment to provide a relaxed and flexible atmosphere

Stable environments that promote infant securityIt’s interesting to note that when childcare workers begin to talk about environments many people automatically think of the physical layout of the rooms and yard and the equipment placed within it. This is true—these are part of the childcare centre environment. But there is also another important aspect: how the physical environment is used to provide security for infants and children and how it supports their emotional development and wellbeing.

As adults we create environments to live in and work in that make us feel comfortable, relaxed and allow us to develop feelings of belonging.

Think about your favourite room in your house. Why is it your favourite? How does it make you feel? Where do you retreat to when you’re feeling down or stressed? What particular thing is it about that room that makes you feel good and secure?

A favourite room is often one where we have been able to put our ‘mark’ and surround ourselves with our favourite belongings, colours and so on. It makes us feel comfortable and elicits a sense of ownership and belonging.

A comfortable, relaxed environment

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Infants and young children also need to experience these same feelings and need spaces and environments where they can be comfortable, secure, relaxed and feel that they belong. They also need to surround themselves with personal items and special belongings to aid and foster their emotional wellbeing.

In times of stress, it’s vital that infants are able to have a secure and personal space to retreat to so feelings of comfort and security can be used to displace the stress. The childcare environment needs to be established in consideration of this need.

Should we change the physical environment of the centre?We know that infants and young children need stimulation to aid their general development and learning. For a number of years, it was common practice to change the childcare environment around frequently to allow for this stimulation. It is true children need stimulation to develop skills, but is it supportive to constantly change the environment around?

We know that infants need to feel secure with caregivers and their environment in order to foster feelings of trust and then move along the developmental pathway. In many ways, the changing of furniture and the environment undermines this sense of security and trust.

One childcare worker described it as like shopping in a supermarket. We can go automatically to everything we need because it is always found in the same place. If the supermarket rearranges the aisles and shelves, we often complain because it is hard to find what we are looking for, the shopping takes longer to do and when we get home we discover items have been forgotten. If moving and changing things around in the supermarket can get adults unsettled and feeling flustered, then what does continually changing the childcare environment do? It creates feelings of unease, insecurity, anxiousness, stress and is detrimental to building a sense of belonging.

Other workers have related these feelings to their house. You may occasionally change things around but it’s not often and changes are minor. We know exactly where things are—where we last put down the TV remote or which cupboard the glasses are in. We can find what we are looking for and can continue on with our tasks.

Infants need to be able to do this in the childcare setting.

The environment in the infants’ room should stay the same if we are to promote feelings of security and a sense of belonging. Staff need to carefully consider the


best placement for equipment and play areas, and then set them up and leave them always in the same spot.

The dramatic play area of a childare centre

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The dramatic play area needs to stay in the same place and needs to have familiar resources. We can add resources throughout the year but should not take items away once they have been given to the infants. The same principle applies to other play areas.

Infants need to be able to find their favourite toy. If the jack-in-the-box was on the bottom shelf in the quiet area yesterday, it should also be there today and tomorrow. This allows a child who enjoys the toy to know where it is. If the infant needs to spend time looking for a toy he or she can lose interest or may even become unsettled or upset. Children’s play develops well when children are secure and attached to both caregivers and the childcare environment.

Play experiences that the children are working on should be left so that children can return to revisit or continue. Infants and young children have short attention spans and can become easily distracted and may move onto another experience but will often return.

If childcare workers are continually packing away, clearing up and moving children’s play items how will they find it? When play items and areas are left familiar and allow for a child to return and continue, we create feelings of trust. The infant trusts that he or she will be able to find what is needed or wanted.

By creating familiar and predictable environments, we are promoting the infant’s feelings of security and attachment.

Below are some key aspects of creating a secure environment.

• Create a warm, inviting, soft atmosphere in the caregiving rooms; we can do this by using sofas, large cushions, rugs and fabric draped from ceiling to create cosy canopies.

• Provide a variety of spaces available to be in; divide up spaces using mats, low barriers and shelving while still creating spaces that are easy to supervise.


• Provide ‘nooks and crannies’—areas of retreat away from busy activities for children who want to be quiet and reflective for a while.

• Aim for a non-institutional, home-like feel by using soft furniture, lamps, pictures, plants, curtains on the windows and so on.

• Provide a child-scale environment by using furniture appropriate to their size—eg, chairs low enough to enable them to touch the floor with their feet and tables to just below waist height.

• Provide spacious areas with lots of natural light and sunny spots for winter days.

• Choose colours carefully to add to a calm and appealing atmosphere; avoid unsettling combinations such as clashing strong colour.

• Consider touch (an important sense for infants) in the choice of fabrics, floor coverings and mats.

• Not too much clutter; keep things uncluttered to create a calm atmosphere and so that it is easy to see what is to be done.

• Make sure that lockers and shelving are at children’s level as this encourages autonomy and choice.

• Place shelving at children’s level.

• Provide comfortable and happy places for family members to stay awhile—to sit and play with children, to stay and breastfeed and to observe the room.

• Comfortable and happy places for family members

• Provide enough space for each child—and when babies become mobile and toddlers are on the move, you need more space per child than for older children. Remember their solitary play needs and their difficulty with sharing space.

• Consider the infant and toddler line of vision—where they are lying, crawling or walking and looking at the room and walls. Put pictures, mobiles, displays and mirrors down a t their level where they can enjoy them.

Here are some good examples:


Divide up spaces using mats, low barriers and shelving

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Provide spacious areas and spots for rainy days

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Provide nooks and crannies outside

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Provide nooks and crannies and child height

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A sense of belonging in the environmentAll people need to feel that they belong and are part of the group. This is especially important for infants. Feelings of belonging need to be created and supported through both the interactions of caregivers and the environment.

Activity 1

Activity 2

Mirrors and family photosAn important aspect of creating a feeling of belonging is that the children in care are able to see reflections and pictures of themselves and their family members, and people who look like them, in the centre. You can start by using mirrors and family photos in displays and in home-made story books.


It also means that you need to create a diverse atmosphere—where the people depicted in story books, posters, puzzles and displays and the dolls and block area figures come in all different shapes, sizes, ages, races and abilities, just like real people in a centre community and in the larger community.

An emotionally supportive environmentTo create an emotionally support environment, we need to foster feelings of trust, security, attachment and a sense of belonging.

Strategies include:

• Use soft furnishings to create feelings of softness and comfort, such as cushions in the book area and curtains on the windows.

• Provide adult-sized spaces so there are spots to sit and cuddle children as well as read a book, share a game and feed an infant a bottle.

• Create a ‘home-like’ appearance through the use of familiar items like clocks, cupboards, lamps, etc.

• Have photos of the children in the room displayed at a child level so infants can access them. Make some simple photo books so infants can look at themselves and their peers and recall past events.

• Use soft lighting rather than harsh institutional lighting.

• Provide infants with a personal space to store belongings and a place to keep photos of their family.

A safe and healthy environmentBabies and toddlers are not aware of safety issues—but this aspect of the environment is essential to their wellbeing while in care. Babies and toddlers are still very vulnerable to infection and their strong desire to explore the whole area and put all sorts of objects in their mouth can have serious consequences in an unsuitable environment.

Being able to explore freely without accidents is an important aspect of developing a sense of trust in self and trust in this caregiving environment.

A safe and healthy environment is one with the following conditions:

• Strict hygiene procedures are followed by all staff—especially when nappy changing, toileting children, assisting nose blowing, administering medicine and handling food.

• All staff use stringent hand washing procedures frequently and in the situations mentioned above


• Gloves are worn by staff when handling urine, faeces, and other body fluids.

• There are safe procedures for storing medications, chemicals, poisons, etc.

• All childcare areas are able to be seen and easily supervised by childcare staff.

• The health and development of each child is monitored carefully.

• Policies are in place to exclude children with infectious illness.

• Children are supervised closely and carefully at all times.

• Immunisation records are up to date.

• Sun safety is practices with sunscreen, sunhats, shade cloths and staying indoors in middle of day.

• All staff are aware of procedures for emergencies, situations of danger and evacuations.

• No small objects or choking hazards are within reach of children.

• Furniture and equipment is arranged so that infants and toddlers can explore freely without getting hurt.

• As falls from climbing are a major cause of accidental injury, check the whole environment for potential climbing (and falling) opportunities. Provide safe climbing experiences.

Provide safe standing and climbing opportunities

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• Outdoor areas are checked daily for health and safety hazards.

• The health and stress levels of staff are monitored by management and staff are immunised and have adequate breaks and leave provisions.

• Infants are put to sleep safely using guidelines by the National SIDS Council of Australia (http://www.sidsaustralia.org.au/).

• Rooms are well ventilated, light and have temperature control for extreme weather.


• The environment is clean, in good repair and uncluttered and children are offered clean materials and equipment.

• Provide infants with safe, clean materials and equipment.

• Health, hygiene and safety awareness is offered to children at an appropriate level for their age.

• The centre is adequately fenced, dangerous areas such as the kitchen are out of bounds for children, and all who enter the centre are monitored by staff.

The centre must be adequately fenced

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It is worth noting that hand washing is the most critical aspect of good hygiene in centres. Make sure that you are familiar with effective hand washing procedures and that you use these procedures consistently when working with children.

Guidelines for health and safety change as new information comes to light, so you need to take responsibility for keeping up to date with current practices.

Stay up-to-date with the Department of Health and Family Services’ publication, Staying Healthy in Child Care: Preventing Infectious Diseases in Child Care (3rd edn). This excellent resource is regularly updated and is available online from http://www.nhmrc.gov.au or can be bought from specialist bookshops.

Offering a stimulating environmentTo ensure you are meeting infants’ emotional needs, creating a happy environment and building close relationships between carers and infants, you need to offer a range of suitable play, music and language experiences. Sometimes these experiences will be planned after you have observed the children in your care; many times they will be quite spontaneous, inspired by the moment and what is happening in the room.

Here are some stimulating outdoor environments:


Stimulating outdoor environment 1

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Stimulating outdoor environment 2

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To be good at spontaneous experiences, you need to be tuned into the infants and toddlers in your care and you need to have a good repertoire of songs, lullabies, body games, nursery rhymes and stories to call on. You will find that collecting and making resources like puppets, soft toys, pictures, song tapes or CDs and finger puppets will be invaluable at moments like these.

Have fun yourself

Some of my most memorable and rewarding moments working with infants and toddlers have been while involved in spontaneous play with them. Infants and toddlers have a wonderful in-built capacity for fun, laughter and connection. So whatever you do, don’t forget to enjoy them!


Set up the physical environment to accommodate individuality of the baby/infant

Through observing the interests, strengths and emerging skills of the infants in our care, we can plan appropriate experiences to accommodate the individuality of each infant. We may then modify the physical environment by including particular materials and equipment to cater for individual preferences and developmental needs.

Case studyLaurel, a caregiver in the babies room, had observed that Kye, 18 months, was taking a ball to the top of the small slide and watching it roll down. She brought in a section of wide-diameter cardboard roll and taped it at an angle on the wall. She showed Kye how to put the ball at the high end and see it roll out the other end.

In this case study, Laurel has extended Kye’s interest by adding a simple resource to the physical environment.


Create a safe and secure environment both in and out of doors with equipment of a suitable scale for babies/infants

As discussed earlier in this topic, we always need to be mindful of safety when setting up the physical environment. Equipment needs to be of a suitable scale for babies/infants. Small A-frames (no higher than 50 cm) can be used with wide low-placed balance beams. These can be set up inside with foam mats underneath and surrounding, or outside on approved softfall. Many centres do not use swings because of the potential for injury, however, they are a wonderfully soothing activity for babies and can be beneficial for the development of balance. It is recommended that swings be set up above foam mats if inside, or above certified softfall if outside. Swings for babies and toddlers should be only 350 mm from ground level to minimise potential fall height. Adults need to kneel while pushing the swing. Only baby swings that meet Australian Standards should be used and have a harness for securing the child.

Any climbing, balancing or swinging equipment requires a high level of supervision with a staff member within physical reach at all times.

Activity 3


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