Meeting Young Childrens Holistic Needs

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

This essay will

The impact of the demographic area in which children reside has been shown to have a negative impact on the development of children’s holistic needs (Bayliss and Sly, 2009). For this reason national health strategies are usually focused at regional and community levels (Department of Health, 2008). Community level delivery is now a key feature of children’s services as a result of the Children’s Act (DfES, 2004), and the Every Child Matters Green Paper (2003). This legislation had a significant impact on services working with children.

As a result of the Every Child Matters Green Paper (2003) children were put at the centre and services built around their needs rather than the other way around (XX). The Laming Report (2003) {cited in XX} identified the failure of relevant agencies in working together. The subsequently revised Children’s Act (2004) enshrined in law the expectation of effect multi-professional work with children and their families through interagency planning and delivery, In this way a multi-agency approach being together education, welfare, social services and health to work alongside providers through a strategy of integrated processes and delivery.

Demographic data and intervention strategies developed as a result can sometimes cause local dissatisfaction. Communities may perceive their treatment as unequal see services provided due to a ‘Postcode Lottery’ (Bayliss and Sly, 2009).

As there are certain communities where children’s life chances are considerably reduced, most strategies to promote the holistic development of children have been targeted within specific areas of social need. The introduction of Sure Start Local Programmes (SSLPs) (1999) {cited in Pugh and Duffy, 2010) was the main means of active intervention to improve outcomes for children and their families. Each SSLP is different because they reflect local needs and circumstances, but all share common objective in promoting the development of supportive communities and providing a range of services for parents (Bourdieu and Passeron, 1990). As one of the prime intentions of Sure Start is to counter social exclusion by encouraging parents off benefits and into paid employment, all centres include some form of childcare. Originally targeted at the 20% most disadvantages local authority wards, the orginal Sure Start programme has grown and become the basis for wider provision of Children’s Centres (McDowall Clark, 2010).

The first National Evaluation for Sure Start (NESS) (2005) reported that the programme had made little impact to those living in its catchment area. The Second Evaluation for Sure Start (NESS) (2008) concluded that it made positive changes in children living in SSLP areas when compared with those not living in such areas.

Ward and Eden (2009) concluded that the Every Child Matters Green Paper assumed that the family unit as a whole needs to be supported.

One of the most influential early formulations of universal human needs was by Maslow (1962) {cited in Sharp, Ward and Hankin, 2009}. He created a pyramidal hierarchy of needs, which began at the most basic physiological needs and ascended to safety, social and esteem needs, through to knowledge and understanding and self-actualisation. The more fundamental needs at the bottom of the hierarchy had to be met before it was possible to devote energies to higher needs. Families on low incomes may find it difficult to fulfil even the most basic physiological needs, so it would be unlikely that social and self-esteem needs would be met (Lister, 2007). Furthermore, Pringle (1980) saw needs as occurring at the same time, intertwining, rather than forming a progression. Pringle (1980) concentrated on children’s non-physical needs, because she wished to emphasise the less obvious damage which can result if these are not fulfilled. The needs were grouped into four categories: love and security; new experiences; praise and recognition; and responsibility. Pringle (1980) saw loving relationships as the basis for moral development. She also stressed the significance of praise and recognition, since there is evidence to suggest that frequent criticism, complaints or neglect by others can lead to low self-image and insecurity.

Bronfenbrenner ‘s (1979) {cited in Bartlett and Burton, 2012 ) model of ecological systems captures the essence of childhood with his ‘ecological niche’ approach. He proposed that each child’s ‘ecological niche’ is unique because each will experience the relationships and processes of interaction between home, nursery, wider world and ideology in which all these are embedded. This theory of situated cognition has influenced the work of many theorists, for example, Baltes (1996) {cited in Bartlett and Burton, 2012} and Davis and Sumara (1997) {cited in Bartlett and Burton, 2012}. However Dunlop (2002) {cited in Fabian, Hilary, and Dunlop, 2002} proposed that situated cognition occupies (at least) three environments: home world, pre-school world and the school world. Fabian and Dunlop (2002) {cited in Fabian, Hilary, and Dunlop, 2002} concluded that it is necessary to look beyond the single settings. This idea of overlap and interrelatedness draws from Bronfenbrenner's work (1989) {cited in Fabian and Dunlop, 2002}. In terms of working with young children it suggests that practitioners should take into account all the environments that children experience as they all interlock and relate to each other.

Hutchings, Bywater, Daley, Gardner, Jones, Eames and Edwards (2007) shared the effectiveness of parenting intervention delivered by sure start practitioners. This subsequently influenced policy within Wales and provided lessons for England where to date the sure start programme was found ineffective.

SSLPs seem to benefit relatively less socially deprived parents (who have greater personal resources) and their children but seem to have an adverse effect on the most disadvantaged children. Programmes led by health services seem to be more effective than programmes led by other agencies (Belsky, Melhuish, Barnes, Leyland, Romaniuk, 2006).

Belsky, Melhuish, Barnes, Leyland, Romaniuk (2007) Some modest linkage between programme implementation (e.g., proficiency, empowerment of parents and staff, identification of users) and effectiveness for child and parenting outcomes. Overall proficiency and specific aspects of implementation may influence effectiveness, which should guide the design of other child, family and community services.

Belsky, Melhuish, Barnes, Leyland, Romaniuk (2008) Children and their families benefited from living in SSLP areas. The contrast between these and previous findings on the effect of SSLPs might indicate increased exposure to programmes that have become more effective. Early interventions can improve the life chances of young children living in deprived areas.

Bopp and Fallon (2008) highlighted the need for process evaluation of intervention implementation to provide valuable information for the dissemination and sustainability of successful interventions. Although there are numerous considerations for the design, implementation, assessment and evaluation of PA interventions, the potential for positive impact on the overall health of the public indicates the necessity for programmes designed to increase PA.

Mooney, Boddy, Statham, Warwick, (2008) suggested that building on existing early years curriculum frameworks, developing partnerships between health and early years professionals, engaging both parents and practitioners, and adequate national and local resourcing will facilitate development of health promoting work in the early years sector.

Bagley, Ackerley, Rattray, (2004) suggested that sure start practitioners have managed to accommodate and overcome these potential difficulties, to facilitate an integrated, holistic and user-centred approach to the programme. The paper concludes by considering the possibility that the team's approach may be conceptually located within an organizational social capital framework as posited by Nahapiet and Ghoshal.

Harrison et al XXXXXXX (2003) suggested that the potential benefits of multi-agency practise is that it provides a focus for energy and resources of different agencies. They concluded that it enables a coherent and holistic approach to services for children.

Ofsed (2009) found that the integration of services to have potentially life changing differences for families.

Aubrey (2006) concluded through a sure start programme evaluation that multi-agency working could disrupt existing professional and agency cultures and lead to conflicts.

Powell (2005) noted that multi-professional practices could be viewed as uncomplicated. He?? Advocated the multi-professional roles concluding that different professionals only see bits of the child but together they see the child holistically.

Loxley (1997) emphasized that for multi-agency work to be successful, professionals needed to have an awareness and understanding of the role and responsibilities of other professionals.

Lumsden (2005) concluded that it is the relationships between individual practitioners that ultimately determines the success or failure of multi-agencies working.

Early year’s practitioners do not work in isolation. Building purposeful and productive relationships is one key feature in ensuring effective practice with young children and their families, together with the key features of responsive care and respect. Whether you are a child’s substantial carer or you are part of a team with a group of children, you will always be working in partnership with other adults whom play a significant role in the child’s life. The aim of this essay is to investigate parental partnership within a pre-school setting. This piece will identify communication to enhance a quality partnership, recognise the opportunities made available for the involvement of parents in the setting and establish if there are any barriers which may hinder the partnership.

A successful partnership requires a two-way flow of information, knowledge and expertise. Whalley (1994) reminds us that working as a team is a process not a technique, while Rodd (1998) states that teamwork relies on open communication, democratic organisation and effective problem-solving skills. Lindon (2010) maintains that a group of people working in the same place do not automatically become a team. From personal experience it is obvious that a competent and effective team are those whom are in a shared enterprise, with common values and principles and with opportunities to contribute ideas. This will often be an interactive process since work with young children is dynamic and subject to change.

Parental partnership in the early years is certainly a current issue and is under much debate. Parents traditionally viewed their role as a supporter rather than a full or equal partner. Department for Education and Employment (DFEE) (1998) stated that parents are a child’s first teacher and that they play a fundamental role in helping their children learn. It has been known for many years that a quality partnership between staff and parents in a child’s early education will impact on their educational achievement. Curtis (1998) emphasised that for progress to be made in education, parents must be involved and that the partnership with parents should be a working relationship that shares a sense of purpose, mutual respect and the willingness to negotiate.