Reflecting on Your Own Practice in a Childcare Setting

Children from poor families are less likely to be able to afford fruit and vegetables in their budgets.   As Thurlbeck 2000: 809 maintains “If the child refuses what is offered there may be no money in the budget for an alternative” (Reader 1, Angela Underdown, Chapter 9, page 107).   The government is very keen to have Healthy Eating in all schools and this is where practitioners and other colleagues can promote healthy eating through their setting by providing fruit and vegetables each day.   Another way to keep the children healthy is to ensure that all equipment is cleaned properly to prevent the spread of infection and take the necessary precautions when they are ill.   If the child has health problems this will affect their development, learning and play and practitioners need to think of ways to adapt so that they can participate in the activities and experiences on offer.   If there is a child with additional or complex needs then it is important that practitioners are fully trained to deal with these needs.   It will also involve liaising with a range of other professionals to make sure they get consistency and continuity.   If a child needs medication for long term medical needs the Leader needs written permission from parents for them to administer the medicine and keep a record of all the medication that has been administered.   The Leader also needs to talk to the parents about the medication the child needs to take and ask the parents to inform them of any change in the medication.   This information will then need to be relayed to the rest of the staff as this needs to be a team effort because all qualified staff should have their first aid qualification and any staff member is then able to administer the medication.   The medication then needs to be kept in a locked cabinet and a record of the medication and what is being used each day for audit and safety purposes.   It is also important for the Leader to ensure all practitioners have a valid first aid...