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CHCCN305A: Provide care for babies

Develop and maintain a nurturing relationship with babies/infants

Contents

Undertake both planned and spontaneous interactions with babies/infants 3

Use routines of physical care as opportunities to positively interact with babies/infants 3

Emotional needs and physical care routines 3

Meeting emotional needs during physical care routines 3

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) 3

Take time to get to know the baby/infant, their individual routines, rhythms, preferences and cues 3

Temperament and individual responses 3

Information about temperament types can be useful to caregivers of infants 3

Communication with infants and toddlers 3

Cues of babies and toddlers 3

Interpreting and responding to non-verbal cues 3

Responding to babies and toddlers 3

Fostering secure and nurturing relationships 3

Primary caregivers 3

Parents’ anxiety 3

Accommodate individual routines of daily care, rest and play for babies/infants whenever possible 3

Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCN305A: Reader LO 9206 © NSW DET 2010

Undertake both planned and spontaneous interactions with babies/infants

The best time to initiate planned interactions with babies/infants is when they are in an alert but relaxed state. Caregivers need to observe each infant and document their patterns of behaviour throughout the day, taking note of their non-verbal cues. An alert state is often signalled by an open, direct gaze with relaxed body posture—perhaps accompanied by gurgling or cooing.

If we are ‘tuned-in’ to the infant, we can also take advantage of their calm, receptive periods to initiate spontaneous interactions—these should involve the infants’ senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell) but not be over-stimulating. We can usually tell when the infant has had enough by signals such as turning or shaking the head, or starting to cry.

Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCN305A: Reader LO 9206© NSW DET 2010

Use routines of physical care as opportunities to positively interact with babies/infants

Emotional needs and physical care routines Routines are the ways that we care for the physical needs of infants and young children. They are not the daily timetable or schedule.

Common routines in the care of infants occur during these times:

• arrival and departure • nappy change• meal times, including snack times• dressing and undressing• sleep and rest • bath time.

We will look more closely at organising physical routines a little later. But first we are going to consider infants’ emotional needs during these routines.

Meeting emotional needs during physical care routinesIt’s easy to identify the physical needs of the infant—for example, we can tell when they are hungry, wet, tired or dirty. Most people working with small children can notice and deal with these needs.

A responsive caregiver not only recognises and meets these needs but is also able to identify the infant’s emotional needs and well-being at the same time.

The emotional needs of infants during physical care routines are for:

• security• trust


• attachment• personal value • respect.

Physical care is a personal and often intimate time with an infant. As caregivers, we need to ensure that the physical need is met and that we adhere to child protection procedures and issues. But we also need to ensure that this personal time allows for the infant to feel loved and respected.

A responsive caregiver will use physical care routines as a time for extending on their personal relationship with the infant and as a time for nurturing and positive interaction.

Read through the following scenario and take note of how Mick, the caregiver, treats Popi with warmth and respect while making him feel an active participant in the nappy change routine:

Mick picks up Popi, five months, and says, ‘Well, it feels like your nappy is pretty heavy. Would you like it changed?’ Popi giggles and laughs. ‘Well, come on over here and we’ll get you a nice, dry nappy.’

Mick takes Popi over to the nappy change area and places him down onto the change table. All the supplies are on the shelf overhead. Mick carefully takes off Popi’s nappy, talking gently to him throughout.

Mick slowly pulls Popi’s top up over his face and goes, ‘Peek-a-boo.’ Popi giggles and waves his arms around. Mick continues the game for a few minutes. Next he slowly places the top on Popi’s face and waits for him to attempt to pull it away, ready to go peek-a-boo as he does. This is one of Popi’s favourite games and Mick uses it to establish a responsive relationship.

When establishing trusting relationships, caregivers need to spend time to get to know the infant by:

• not rushing physical care tasks• using the time to play simple games• being aware of the infant’s personal preferences• using a caring voice • explaining what you are going to do and ‘talking through’ the routine• using physical contact and touch with young infants • using small and considerate movements to remove clothing instead of a

‘quick change’ approach• addressing the infant by name• establishing eye contact• being aware of infants’ responses and responding to these (you will need

to be flexible).


There are many more strategies that can be used. The main point to remember is to make the time personal and respectful to the infant. When bottle-feeding the infant, ensure that you are focused on the task and talk directly to that infant. During this intimate time, avoid yelling across the room to direct other children and staff.

Making the most of routines with infantsInfants spend much of their day engaged in routines—feeding, sleeping, nappy changing, washing hands, arriving and departing. It’s important to remember that routines should never be rushed through or carried out in a brisk, business-like manner. Routines are an opportunity to play, engage and interact and to have fun.

In order to meet infants’ emotional needs, create a happy environment and build close relationships between carers and infants, you need to inject all of your physical care routines with games, songs, rhymes and playfulness.

To be able to make the most of 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 such as puppets, mobiles, soft toys, pictures, song tapes and CDs and finger puppets will be invaluable at moments like this.

There are some excellent resources with ideas for both spontaneous and planned experiences for infants. Have a look at the Resources section for this unit.

Routines may take up a lot of the day, but remember that they provide you with the opportunity for relationship-building. They are the perfect opportunity to develop those vital secondary attachments in care. Let’s have a look more closely at some of these times in the day.

Rest and sleepRest is an important consideration when providing physical care for children. An important skill a childcare worker must develop is the ability to identify the signs of a tired child and respond to each individual child’s needs within the service’s programme. You need to understand individual children’s needs for rest and how to provide a secure and comforting rest environment.

What do we mean by rest? Must children sleep in order to be resting? Will all children require the same amount of rest? These are important questions for you to consider.


Defining restThe human body requires rest. The degree of rest that is required varies from person to person. In this Learning topic, rest refers to sleeping and to periods of time when a child needs to relax quietly (this can be at a quiet activity such as lying on a cushion looking at a book). During sleep or quiet resting time, the mind and body take the opportunity to recharge, giving children the energy to continue to explore their environment.

Knowledge about the different sleep and waking states of babies and young children can help us judge the right time to provide opportunities for sleeping, feeding and playing.

Managing sleep timesHow much sleep does a baby need? This will vary enormously from child to child. Some babies sleep a great deal, some sleep for long periods of time, and some catch enough in short, frequent snatches. As babies grow, they need less sleep and have longer wakeful periods for play, watching and interaction. Most babies gradually develop a regular pattern of sleep and wake periods, although it may seem to you as though as soon as you have identified the pattern, it changes!

Keep in mind the wide variation you will find between individual infants. Here is a rough guide to common sleeping patterns at different stages.

Newborns Newborns may sleep anywhere between 12 and 20 hours out of every 24 hours, in around four to six sleep periods. They don’t usually have a regular sleep pattern, although a pattern may emerge after about the sixth week of life.

From three months

Many three-month-old infants sleep approximately 15 hours out of every 24 hours, in about four sleep periods, with longer wakeful periods for feeding and sleeping in between. Some may sleep for a long period at night; some still wake a couple of times at night for feeds.

From six months

More predictable sleeping patterns start to develop after six months of age, with a long sleep at night and two or three naps during the day. Some still wake at night.

From 12 months After the first birthday, many infants are sleeping for 10 to 13 hours in each 24 hours and have one daytime nap of one to three hours. This pattern will probably remain stable through the toddler years.

Night wakingYou need to be aware that night waking varies a great deal between individual infants. Some lucky parents have infants that will sleep for a long stretch at night from a very early age. Many other infants continue to wake at night and may need


feeding and/or resettling during the night for many months. Some infants are still waking at night into the second year. Naturally, the parents of these children are very tired and need your sympathy and support!

Lucy has two children, Adele aged four months and Madison, 18 months.

Adele sleeps about 15 hours a day—nine hours at night and six hours during the day. Her day sleep is usually in three daytime naps. At night, Adele wakes up two or three times a night.

When Adele wakes up at night, Lucy does not get up to go to her right away. Sometimes Adele goes back to sleep soon after waking. At other times, however, Adele needs resettling.

Madison has a mid-day sleep for approximately two hours. He then goes to bed at 7.30pm and wakes at 7.30am.

By allowing each child to sleep when they need to, Lucy is demonstrating how she caters to her children’s’ individual needs.

Activity 1

Sleep behavioursJust like you and me, infants have different needs at sleep time; some fall asleep quickly and easily and some need assistance to wind down and fall asleep.

There are a number of other sleep behaviours and characteristics that need to be kept in mind when monitoring and planning sleep and rest time for young children.

Neonate sleep patterns can vary from between two to 10 hours at a time.

Even babies who mostly sleep through the night will have one or two interruptions per night.

All of us wake up briefly several times during periods of sleep but we go back to sleep so quickly we don’t remember; this happens for babies and young children too. Don’t immediately act to resettle as the child may resettle herself or himself.

Like adults, babies and young children may cry, squirm, mutter or even talk in their sleep. Babies and young children are, in fact, more restless sleepers than most adults. Always respond to crying after about two minutes, depending on the intensity of the cry.

Separation anxiety, which develops at around nine months of age, can affect sleep patterns. Sleep is after all a form of separation. Some babies and toddlers just don’t want to be left alone in a darkened room by themselves! This requires thoughtful strategies to be developed. The use of a security toy or comforter can be encouraged and simple rituals developed that help the child wind down.


Teething, active dreaming, nightmares and ‘night terrors’ can all disturb toddlers’ sleep. Dreams and nightmares, which start at around the age of two, can be very frightening for young children who have difficultly distinguishing fantasy from reality. At these times, children need the comfort of a caring adult and may take up to 15 minutes to settle back to sleep, if at all. Regular sleep disturbance as a result of nightmares can persist throughout the preschool age.

Activity 2

To get a baby to sleep, try a warm bath

If a baby doesn’t respond to any of the above, then you may choose to give the baby a deep bath. This can be soothing for both the carer and the baby. One of the reasons why we often find it difficult to calm or settle a crying or distressed baby is because we become tense or stressed ourselves. We communicate this to the baby through body tension when we are holding them.

Warm water seems to be a universal soother. If you have the facilities, a deep bath is best. Hold the baby so they can float with support, always keeping your hand under their head so that their face is out of the water. Some babies become so relaxed that they urinate or defecate in the bath! Obviously if this happens we would remove the baby and clean them with fresh, warm water.

Note: Never leave a baby or child alone in or near water, even if they can sit or stand. A child can drown very quickly in very small amounts of water.

We have discussed only a small sample of the strategies we can use to put infants to sleep. There are many different ways to put infants to sleep, and what works with one child may not work with another. It’s often best for the child if you try to develop a sleep routine for them that is as close as possible to that used by the parents, so that there is continuity between home and centre. However, not everything that parents can do at home with only one infant can be replicated at the centre, so sometimes a compromise has to be found between the home sleep rituals and centre practices.

A childcare worker needs to carefully plan rest routines. The best way to discover a child’s individual rest needs is to consult the child’s parents or primary carer. It’s important that childcare workers attempt to follow the child’s home routine as much as possible. Consistency between home and centre and regularity in


routines and rituals are particularly important for babies and toddlers who are learning self-regulation and developing their personal rhythms.

Activity 3

The role of parentsParents can provide the key to success; they can tell you such things as if a child needs a dummy, or a bottle before sleep, or a song to settle them, or a comforter to cuddle. Acting on this valuable information can make the infant feel more secure and relaxed in an unfamiliar environment and builds a sense of trust in you, the caregiver. Parents will feel reassured when they see you adapting as much as possible to their infant’s needs.

Parents also need to be informed about the strategies you use when settling their child to sleep. It’s important they support you and you support them in order to provide consistency in care.

Activity 4

Planning for children’s rest routinesA childcare worker needs to carefully plan rest routines. The best way to discover a child’s individual rest needs is to consult the child’s parents or primary carer. It’s important that childcare workers attempt to follow the child’s home routine as much as possible. Consistency between home and centre and regularity in routines and rituals are particularly important for babies and toddlers who are learning self-regulation and developing their personal rhythms.

Activity 5

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)The risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) can be reduced markedly by taking care with sleep practices at the centre. The organisation SIDS Australia have come up with guidelines about making up cots to lessen the chance of SIDS occurring. Up-to-date information about preventing SIDS can be found by looking at the SIDS website or by contacting SIDS Australia by phone and asking for information sheets and pamphlets.

Information published by National SIDS Council of Australia Ltd and endorsed by NSW Health advises the following:

• Babies should always be placed on their back when sleeping.• The baby’s head should always remain uncovered during sleep.


• All sheets, blankets and other bedding should be secured. Do not place any quilts, doonas, pillows, bumpers, etc in the cot.

• Lay baby at the foot of the cot (feet closest to the end of the cot) to avoid baby from slipping under the covers.

• Do not overheat the baby.• Provide a smoke-free environment.

It is important to remember that SIDS can occur at any time. It can happen during a day or night sleep. Another misconception is that it only occurs to children sleeping in cots. It’s important to adapt these recommendations for any form of bedding. SIDS can occur when a child is sleeping in a cot, hammock, pram, capsule (car restraint used with infants under six months of age), etc.

Childcare workers need to implement SIDS prevention recommendations in all rest environments with children under two years of age.

For further information:

http://www.sidsandkids.org

http://www.abc.net.au/health/library/stories/2003/05/29/1831797.htm

http://sids-network.org/

You can also get information about SIDS from the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney. Their website address is http://www.chw.edu.au

Accurate and up-to-date knowledge about SIDS is vital for every childcare worker. To be sure you know what strategies must be used to provide a safe sleeping environment for the infant, review the material above and throughout this Learning topic, look through the SIDS website and any other information you obtain about SIDS and summarise the key points.

Waking upSome babies wake up easily and cheerfully, but some have a very gradual transition to a fully alert state. Infants need gentle, sensitive handling in this halfway state. A quiet, dimly lit space and a cuddle with a favourite carer usually eases the infant back into the busy centre environment.

Types of beddingFor very young children, the type of bedding used should be similar to the type of bedding the child has at home, if this is possible. For example, the child may sleep in a cot, hammock, bed, pram, parent’s bed, etc.

Children in some families are encouraged to sleep with others and may share a bed with their parents or siblings at home (co-sleeping).


Most of the above conditions in sleeping and bedding can be adapted into the childcare environment. For those conditions that cannot be replicated at the centre (eg, co-sleeping), other strategies may be required. Children in these situations may need more adult attention to go off to sleep, or they might like their bed placed closer to others.

Generally for very young babies, cribs or cots need to be continuously available to accommodate the various individual sleeping and waking patterns in a group. A separate area or room should be used, well apart from the noisier play and living areas. This is a regulatory requirement when providing care for under-twos.

Cots are not only suitable resting places for infants but need to be safe play spaces. Interesting toys, activity boards and mobiles should be provided so that on waking a child may amuse themselves (as long as they don’t contravene the above SIDS guidelines). Toys to swat at, grasp and manipulate, that move when the child kicks their feet or that provide visual interest points, add a positive and colourful atmosphere to the sleep space.

Cots, however, should never be used as play pens. The toys and decorations provided should not be attached to the cot in a way that they can be used to climb out. Avoid projections that could snag children’s clothing, or items such as beads or even stickers that can be removed and placed in the mouth. Check the Australian Standard for cots and cribs and never use portable cots that are designed to be temporary as a permanent sleep fixture.

Hygiene practices with beddingExcellent hygiene practices are essential with bedding arrangements. Bed linen can be a source of cross-infection if appropriate cleaning procedures are not in place. No child in care should not share bed linen. Children must have their own bed linen. This may be provided by the centre or by the parents depending on the centre’s policy.

Older infants and toddlers and sleepOnce older infant and toddlers are managing with one nap per day, carers often allow them to join the group, sleeping on various types of portable and stackable stretchers and floor mattresses. A judgement must be made about when individual infants are ready to join in on this routine, and won’t fall off stretchers or wander around the room at rest time. Even so, parents should always be consulted before making this type of change in a child’s centre sleeping routine

If you have decided to allow an older infant to join in on the group sleep routine in the middle of the day, you must be flexible enough to allow them to sleep earlier than the others if they are too tired to wait for the group. This might also mean


preparing an early lunch before going to sleep, or if the child is too tired to eat, keeping some lunch for later.

Nappy changingNappy changing is a constant feature of a day with infants and toddlers. As it can only be done one-to-one, it is an excellent opportunity for relationship-building between carer and child.

You should be competent in following the nappy change procedure as described below. If don’t have access to real babies or toddlers to change, you should practise on a life-size doll until you feel confident.

Nappy change procedureYou will need to practice supervised nappy changing many times to ensure that you use the correct technique and remember this important safety rule.

While on the change mat...

If you take your eyes off the child, you must have your hands on the child.

• Wash your hands.• Collect all you need—nappy, wipes, creams, gloves, paper towel, change

of clothes etc.• Place the child on the change mat.• Put on disposable gloves.• Place a paper towel under the child’s bottom.• Remove the bottom clothing, if soiled dispose of in plastic bag.• Remove the soiled nappy, fold it into itself and dispose of immediately.• Clean the child’s bottom with cloths and water or baby wipes. (Some

services use bottom washers which must be kept separate from face washers and soaked in a suitable disinfectant solution before washing).

• Wipe from front to back and inside to outside.• Use only one wipe per cloth.• Once clean, dry the same way as you cleaned.• Remove paper from under the child’s bottom.• Remove the gloves and place in bin• Place the clean nappy under the bottom.• Redress the child.• Wash the child’s hands and return him or her to a safe place. • Wash down the nappy change mat and disinfect.• Wash your hands.

Here’s an important safety rule: Never leave the child unattended on the nappy change mat.


If you are changing a little girl, it’s best to wipe from front to back as this reduces the likelihood of faeces entering the urinary tract or vagina and causing infection.

If you are changing a little boy, clean around the foreskin but do not attempt to retract it. This can lead to long-term damage, which may need to be corrected surgically later in childhood.

Nappy change is a great time for one-to-one interactions between child and carer. This routine task can be used to develop a positive bond with the child while extending their language or cognitive skills.

Activity 6

Toilet learningThere are many differences among individual children in readiness for toilet learning. Some children will show signs of interest and readiness in the second year of life, while others may be ready closer to their third birthday or fourth birthday.

Managing your own toileting is a big step to take in life; it involves many new skills and responsibilities, as well as some degree of emotional maturity. Bowel and bladder muscles must be developed enough to ‘hold on’ until the child can reach a toilet. Finger control must be good enough to undo buttons and zips. The child must be feeling ready to take over responsibility for this area of life, rather than having an adult caring for their nappy changes. They must be receiving clear signals from their body about the need to eliminate, and they have to have enough self-control to stop what they are doing (no matter how interesting) to go into the bathroom. There are new hygiene procedures to learn such as flushing, wiping bottoms and hand washing.

Adults need to observe children closely for signs of readiness for toilet learning (as above), as this will vary widely between individuals and shouldn’t be done just because a child has reached a certain age. It is best if the time for toilet learning is chosen by the parents in collaboration with carers, so that expectations between home and centre are similar.

Toileting should be a positive experience for the toddler. Whenever necessary, each toddler should have access to a toilet and toileting occurs at any time during the day and is individualised. Staff should describe and model simple hygiene rules and support toddlers in implementing them.


Dressing and undressingThe age and stage of development of individual children will influence the types of clothes they will wear. Children need to wear clothes that reflect their individual needs. The child’s level of development needs to be taken into consideration.

The newborn infant requires clothing free from ribbons, cords, ties, etc as they are just learning to roll and move their bodies. Clothing with strings hanging from them places the infant at risk from choking. It is particularly important that this type of clothing is removed when the child is sleeping.

As the infant becomes more mobile, other considerations need to be made. As the infant learns to crawl, they will need clothing that provides protection for their elbows, knees and toes. Some of the surfaces the infant will be crawling on may be hard and rough and may graze the child’s delicate skin. Clothing that covers the legs and toes will be more appropriate. It is difficult for the infant to master the skill of crawling when they are wearing dresses. Their knees and toes are exposed and they are at risk of slipping and falling as the fabric catches under their knees.

As the infant attempts to master walking, their feet are of major concern. Infants learn to walk best with bare feet. With anything other than bare feet, the risk of slipping is increased, especially with socks and other light fabrics. Leaving the infant with bare feet also assists them in gaining a sense of balance as well as supporting their growing confidence. If the child needs to have protection on their feet choose a light weight ‘slipper-sock’ with a non-slip sole.

Dressing infantsSome young babies can get quite upset when being dressed and undressed. The feel of the cooler air on their skin may come as a shock. Some babies also resist being pulled around in order to be dressed.

Below are some hints for making this task easier with babies.

• Pull the clothes rather than the limbs; concertina the arms of tops and stretch the necks open wide.

• Dress and undress the bottom half of the baby while they are lying down.• Dress and undress the top half of the baby with them held on your lap.• Have a shawl or blanket ready to wrap the child in immediately they are

undressed.• Dress the baby in easy clothes—eg, clothes that fasten down the front,

have raglan (or self-forming) sleeves and are made from stretch materials. Avoid polo necks which can be a nightmare!


Take time to get to know the baby/infant, their individual routines, rhythms, preferences and cues

Temperament and individual responsesSo far, we have talked about infants and toddlers in quite general terms, and we have looked at some stages and characteristics of the age group. It is always important to remember that all children are individuals from the beginning, with their own emerging personality and disposition. The first indication of an individual’s later personality is called temperament, and many believe that an individual’s temperament can be identified soon after birth by looking at particular characteristics and response to situations in newborns.

Four broad categories of temperament type have been identified by researchers:

• Easy babies. These babies are generally placid, cheerful and regular in their routines. They usually accept change easily. Around 40% of babies fit into this category.

• Slow-to-warm up babies. These babies are often shy and slightly clingy. They don’t adapt well to change and need patient and encouraging caregivers to help them cope with the small inevitable changes in everyday life. About 15% of babies are said to fit into this category.

• Difficult babies. These babies are sometimes known as ‘high need’ babies. They tend to cry more than the babies in the other groups, have irregular routines and react intensely to many situations. They can be very sensitive to changes in their routine or environment. About 10% of babies are said to fall into this category.

• Mixture of temperaments. Some babies exhibit temperaments that are a mixture of the three categories above. About 35% of babies are said to not fit neatly into any of the categories above and are a unique blend of some or all of the above categories.

Quite a number of longitudinal research studies have looked at babies as they grow from infancy into childhood to see if early temperament classifications hold up over time. Some aspects of infant temperament have been found to be


consistent throughout childhood and into adulthood, but the child’s environment and life experiences also have a modifying effect.

It is interesting to find out about your own temperament when you were a baby. Ask family members who knew you then to describe your temperament.

Everything we have looked at so far in this topic will help us understand and respond effectively to the individuals in our care.

Let’s look now at using all this new knowledge in our responses to babies and toddlers.

Activity 7

Information about temperament types can be useful to caregivers of infantsIf we can identify an infant’s temperament type, we are able to predict their responses to particular situations and, therefore, plan to minimise distress for them, particularly for those babies who fit into the ‘slow-to-warm up’ and ‘difficult’ categories.

Knowing about temperament types can also influence the way we carry out routines and handle and approach particular infants. If we modify our care-giving practices according to temperament type, we are likely to have happier, more settled babies in our care. In the next activity, we will try to apply this information about temperament to various situations.

Activity 8

Communication with infants and toddlersBabies are able to communicate very effectively from birth. Every expectant mother (and father) waits with bated breath to hear the music of that first gutsy cry, signifying the beginning of a new relationship.

Infants are very interested in human voices. From the first days of life, many babies respond to their mother’s voice by calming even before they are satisfied with a feed or a cuddle. It’s always important to use language with babies right from the beginning to describe the activities in which they are involved or to accompany soothing gestures such as stroking or rocking.


Great communication

We must also remember that communication does not begin and end with the spoken word. Body language can sometimes be worth a thousand words—it can also be more honest. Our posture and gestures are giving messages to others.

If you have ever seen the movie Three Men and a Baby, you would have seen that the men in the movie discover that to an infant, the tone of the voice and the accompanying actions and gestures outweigh the meaning of words. They illustrate this by reading the infant a section from a financial magazine, using an appropriate tone and intermittent high pitch voices as they cradle and rock the baby. A memorable line crooned softly to the drowsy infant is, ‘It doesn’t matter what you say; it’s the tone of the voice that counts’.

The following task focuses on language and communication with infants and toddlers, but if you also consider how infants and toddlers are interested in relating to other children it will help you come up with some more creative ideas for the activity.

Activity 9

Cues of babies and toddlersInfants and toddlers, just like the rest of the population, have a whole range of feelings, emotions, needs and wants. Unlike those of us with the skills of formalised communication, such as language skills, babies and toddlers use a range of behaviours or non-verbal cues or signals to get their message across.

A non-verbal cue is a behaviour or action that gives the adult caring for the child information about the baby’s needs. It is a way of communicating without words.

Activity 10

Activity 11


Interpreting and responding to non-verbal cuesIt is important to remember though that all children are individuals and even though they have similar cues, it may not always mean the same thing.

If you were to ask yourself how babies, under six months of age, communicate their physical needs, you would certainly have crying near the top of the list. You would probably know that there are different types of cries that range in pitch and urgency to give the carer a guide as to what it is the baby requires.

If you were to ask the parent of a three-month-old baby the difference between a cry for hunger and the cry that indicates the infant needs to go to sleep, they would most likely be able to give you a definite description of both. Perhaps the hungry cry would start with squirming and move right through to an urgent sounding, high-pitched cry, full of gusto. The tired cry may be more like a constant sort of whimper, with intermittent eye rubbing and yawning. You may have had the opportunity to get to know a baby well enough to interpret their non-verbal signals.

When we are getting to know a baby or infant, one of the ways that the child will build up trust with us and form an appropriate secondary attachment is if we respond to their cues quickly and in a caring way. This requires us as child carers to be observant and sensitive to the needs of the babies and toddlers in our care.

When we are working with infants it is important to remember their dependant nature. It’s very difficult for them to be away from their parents or the people to whom they are attached. We cannot expect all infants to be happy with substitute caregivers straight away. It takes time and patience to build up appropriate relationships with the children in our care.

Children sense when those who care for them are indifferent, tense or who don’t really like them. A gentle touch, a quiet cuddle, or rocking to and fro rhythmically can give more positive messages to a distressed infant than just words. Of course we should use verbal comfort as well, but body language does not easily lie and infants are experts at interpreting this form of communication.

Responding to babies and toddlersImagine you are starting a new job and your supervisor tells you that you should ask your two co-workers the answers to any questions you have about your responsibilities. Imagine one of your co-workers just gave you vague directions, barely even giving you eye contact while she attends to some other task. The other co-worker is friendly, smiles a lot, and not only makes sure you have the information you need, but goes the extra mile and demonstrates use of


equipment, takes you on a guided tour of the workplace and offers helpful tips about your daily routine.

The second co-worker has gone to the extra trouble of being patient and taking time, so you will probably build up a good working relationship with her. Adults take time to ‘warm up’ to people, and yet sometimes carers make the mistake of expecting babies and toddlers to take immediately to them or to other people that they happen to think are OK

When a baby is crying, for any reason, it is easy to fall into the trap of frantically doing anything to make them stop. Say, for example, that the infant has just separated from their parent. The alternative caregiver may be found frantically bobbing the infant up and down with urgent murmurs of ‘Don’t cry’ or ‘You know mummy will be back’ because they want the baby to be happy, as soon as possible. Often infants don’t get the chance to get over their separation because carers too quickly try to distract them to make them forget.

Talking to the infant in a soothing voice, taking time just to sit and cuddle or rocking the infant gently helps them have the time they need to adjust. Remember that the person who they love most in the world, and feel most comfortable with, has just left them. Even though the older, secure infant will know that this is just temporary, it’s still very hard to be without their primary attachment figure. Acknowledging their distress by telling them that you know they are sad because their parent has just left is more appropriate when beginning to settle an infant into the day. Of course, tell the infant their parent will return. A quiet time of just sitting and rocking might be appropriate with some infants; others will enjoy the unhurried distraction of a story. Let them become interested in the equipment set out for the day—in their own time.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when responding to babies is consistency. The infant must know that each time they cry in hunger they will be fed and that each time they whimper and squirm in discomfort, someone will change their wet or soiled nappy. Consistency does not just mean having their physical needs met. If the infant is sad, or bored, or excited, or bursting with happy energy someone should be available to share their joys and their woes, to congratulate them with applause as they place one block on top of another, or to comfort them when they need it. A consistent caring adult is better than a whole centre full of the latest and greatest in equipment.


From birth, the most satisfying thing for a baby to look at is the human face. This doesn’t change much over the first few years of life. The caregiver’s face can be a satisfying feely toy, an exciting cause-and-effect object with changing expressions or even an interesting musical instrument. If you can be a positive and consistent caregiver for infants, even when it has rained for two weeks and everyone has been trapped inside, you will have achieved high quality caregiving.

Fostering secure and nurturing relationshipsTo nurture infants’ emotional wellbeing, it is vital that we provide secure relationships between infants, parents and caregivers. Part of providing quality care is to begin to build and form attachments with infants as soon as they begin care. Some childcare services even endeavour to start fostering this attachment before an infant formally starts care through orientation sessions.

Attachment in child careThe attachment between infants and parents is usually measured against terms of the research conducted on attachment in the past. As childcare services became more widely used, there were concerns that infants in care were more likely to develop insecure attachments than those infants who were cared for exclusively by their mother at home. There were also concerns about the effect of non-parental care on children’s development.

However, a lot of research has since dismissed these concerns. Australian research conducted by Dr Linda Harrison and Dr Judy Ungerer in 1997, suggest that there are positive developmental outcomes when care is formal, stable and regulated.

If you would like to find out more about children in care and the attachments they develop, one of the books you might like to look up is:

Hutchins T and Simms M (1999) Program Planning for Infants and Toddlers: An Ecological Approach, Prentice Hall, Australia.

The quality of the interactions between infants and caregivers plays a vital part in creating secure attachments. Caregivers who spend time with infants and respond positively to their needs create feelings of trust and security. There is a difference between responding to an infant’s physical needs and providing responsive care. Responsive care ensures the caregiver not only meets physical needs but also provides for the infant’s emotional needs and anticipates the infant’s needs before the infant becomes distressed.


Activity 12

Accreditation and quality assuranceThe National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC) principles recognise that the interactions between staff and children and staff and parents are important indicators of quality. Make sure you have a copy of these publications so that you can attempt the next activity.

You can find these online at www.ncac.gov.au

Activity 13

Primary caregiversIn order to develop secure and nurturing relationships, many childcare services use primary caregivers for small groups of infants to focus on building strong and responsive secondary attachments between infants and caregivers. The primary caregiver is usually responsible for most of the routine interactions with a small group of children. These primary care groups are established to provide consistency of care and continuity of care so the infants can feel secure and begin to build a sense of trust with the caregiver.

In most childcare services, the primary caregiver is assigned to a care group for the length of time they are in a particular room. However some services choose to have the primary caregivers move from room to room with the care group, ensuring the children have the same caregivers for the duration of their time in the service.

This may lead to greater depth of knowledge about each child, resulting in a higher level of quality in individual planning and programming for the child.

A disadvantage may be that if personalities do not complement, the child may not have an opportunity to experience other carers and develop other secondary attachments. With the high staff turnover in children’s services, it is important for children to be cared for by a variety of staff and to develop a range of secondary attachments with them.

Activity 14

Parents’ anxietyOne of the major concerns or fears that many parents face when placing an infant into child care is that the caregiver may become more important to the child than


the parents. Responsible childcare workers are aware of this and implement strategies to protect the infant’s primary attachment to his or her parents. This primary attachment can be protected and strengthened by establishing positive partnerships with parents and encouraging and supporting two-way communication.


Accommodate individual routines of daily care, rest and play for babies/infants whenever possible

It is important to learn about and plan for each infant’s individual routine. This creates a smoother transition between home and care, and enhances the infant’s sense of security. It also allows for more one-to-one interactions because while some babies are sleeping, others will be awake and ready for adult interaction.

We should find out as much as we can about the child’s home routine upon enrolment and maintain communication with family members so that the routine can be modified as the child develops.


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