HLTH06060 2022 Children's Health, Safety and Wellbeing

Explore the theory and principles of children’s health and wellbeing.

Identify best practice and procedures in dealing with a broad range of common childhood illnesses, infections and conditions in ELC settings.

Recognise the important role of hygiene and infection control in in the context of caring for children in ELC settings.

Describe quality practice and procedures to maintain, healthy, safe and secure ELC environments for babies, toddlers and young children in line with relevant regulations and legislative requirements.  

Apply the knowledge and theory to develop skills in providing for children’s health and wellbeing in ELC settings in partnership with parents/guardians and interdisciplinary communities of practice.

The module will be underpinned by knowledge and application of relevant national legislation and frameworks such as the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, Siolta The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education (CECDE, 2017) and Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (NCCA, 2009).

Students will attend 2 hours of lectures and a 1 hour tutorial each week. The lectures will introduce students to the relevant knowledge and theory necessary to provide for children's health, safety and wellbeing birth-6 years. The weekly tutorials will be participatory and will focus on skill development and interactive activities where trial and error will be encouraged to promote self-development.

A variety of teaching and learning approaches will be incorporated including but not limited to active learning, brainstorming, small group work, case studies, problem-based learning, guest lecturers and visits to ELC sites where suitable, to present examples of evidence-based practice. This will be reviewed annually with the support of student evaluations.

Directed study will include reading and learning that underpins the module objectives. The teaching-learning strategies will provide students with the opportunities to reflect on and meet their own specific learning needs related to children's health, safety and wellbeing. The VLE will be used to provide access to online resources, lecture notes and external links to websites of interest.

This module will be assessed through 100% continuous assessment. The continuous assessment will be made up of two parts:

Assessment One: Group Project (40% LO,1, 2) group project focusing on theory covered in the module (this may include presentations).

Assessment Two: Individual Assignment (60%, 3, 4, 5) individual assignment on the role of the Early Childhood Educator in relation to health, safety, hygiene and wellbeing requirements for children (birth-6 years) in an ELC setting. 

Students will be actively engaged in formative feedback for learning and will be provided with clear and timely notification of assessment requirements. Criteria for success will be shared when the assessment brief is published for CA. 

Repeat requirements will be determined based on failed components and will be recorded at Progression and Award Boards.

LO1) Explore the theory and principles of children’s health and wellbeing.

Students will explore the concept of holistic health and wellbeing and the determinants of heath-they will be able to identify the many factors that can influence childhood health such as family, lifestyle, environment, education, culture, religion and communities.

LO2) Identify best practice and procedures in dealing with a broad range of common childhood illnesses, infections and conditions in ELC settings. 

• The general signs of illness in babies, toddlers and young children.
• The immediate course of action that should be taken when a child is thought to be unwell in the ELC setting in accordance with best practice and setting policies such as administration of medication.
• Common acute childhood illnesses and infectious diseases such as chicken pox, gastroenteritis, tonsillitis, conjunctivitis. 
• Chronic health conditions such as asthma, epilepsy, diabetes.
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
• The importance of immunisation and immunisation schedules for children.
• Characteristics of children with additional needs-explore a range of common childhood conditions regarding additional needs and disability such as down’s syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy.

Learning outcome 2 will be underpinned by knowledge and application of relevant national legislation and frameworks such as the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, Siolta The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education (CECDE, 2017) and Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (NCCA, 2009).

LO3) Recognise the important role of hygiene and infection control in in the context of caring for children in ELC settings.

• Quality hygiene principles and practices in the physical care of babies and young children, associated equipment and premises. 
• Preparation of safe food in ELC settings based on the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points).
• Policies and procedures to promote infection control and hygiene in the ELC setting-understanding the chain of infection and infection control in the early years, the importance of standard precautions and guidance on infection control in ELC settings including exclusion periods. 

Learning outcome 3 will be underpinned by knowledge and application of relevant national legislation and frameworks such as the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, Siolta The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education (CECDE, 2017) and Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (NCCA, 2009).

LO4) Describe quality practice and procedures to maintain, healthy, safe and secure ELC environments for babies, toddlers and young children in line with relevant regulations and legislative requirements.  

• Statutory and legal requirements for health and safety in ELC settings.
• Identifying, assessing and managing risk in ELC settings. 
• Safe management of daily routines in ELC settings and associated health and safety policies such as safe sleep, mealtimes and outings.
• Common childhood injuries and their causes alongside policy and procedures to address common childhood accidents in ELC settings.
• Fire safety in preschools.

Learning outcome 4 will be underpinned by knowledge and application of relevant national legislation and frameworks such as the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, Siolta The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education (CECDE, 2017) and Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (NCCA, 2009).

LO5) Apply the knowledge and theory to develop skills in providing for children’s health and wellbeing in ELC settings in partnership with parents/guardians and interdisciplinary communities of practice.

The role of the Early Childhood Educator and the importance of the partnership approach to health and wellbeing in childhood.

• Students will develop core practical skills in line with best practice guidelines such as nappy changing, feeding a baby, toilet training. Building on the knowledge and skills covered in CARE06032 The Pedagogy of Care and Nurture for the Early Years Professional, students will also have a deeper awareness of reciprocal, responsive and respectful relationships with babies, toddlers and young children.
• Students will have the ability to complete relevant documentation and written communication in ELC settings such as, logs, exclusion letters etc. whilst also recognising the importance of responsibility, reliability and accountability for ones own professional practice. 
• Students will understand the important role of the parental voice and the benefits of building partnerships with parents/guardians and interdisciplinary communities of practice.

Learning outcome 5 will be underpinned by knowledge and application of relevant national legislation and frameworks such as the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, Siolta The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education (CECDE, 2017) and Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (NCCA, 2009).