Elements and Performance Criteria

Family members may include:
Mothers
Fathers
Grandparents
Kin
Extended family members
Brothers and sisters
Foster children

Organisational guidelines about exchanging information with family members may include:
Who is permitted to pass on information
Recording of any family members to whom information is not to be provided

The frequency of ongoing communication may be:
Daily
Weekly
According to the pattern of the child's participation in the service

Depending on:
The child's age
Length of time the child and family have been using the service
Issues of the day
Frequency of attendance

Worker's availability to parents will differ according to the structure of the service. Workers may be available via:
Welcoming children with their parent/s
Conversations when parent/s arrive to collect the child
Communicating in a style that is appropriate to the parent's expectations
Telephone
Care review meetings or conversations
Conversations while parent participates with or alongside worker in an activity

Communication may be via:
Verbal conversations
Written notes
Notes on whiteboard, bulletin board
An interpreter
Worker who has second language/language of parent

Procedures about responses to a family member's concerns may include:
Directing person to appropriate person in the service
Communication guidelines to respond to regularly received /serious questions or comments

Further support may be available through:
Referral to professionals/other services
Telephone support services
Literature
Local networks

Familiarising may include to:
Physical environment
Equipment
Other children
Timing of program events

Critical aspects of assessment:
Demonstrated ability to develop a relationship with family which enables the needs of the child to be communicated or met

Essential knowledge:
Diversity of family types and cultures
Interpreter services, and communication through interpreters
Organisational standards, policies and procedures

Essential skills:
Basic communications skills such as active listening and questioning
A genuine interest in the children, and their families
Interpersonal

Resource implications:

Assessment requires access to a range of opportunities defined in the Range Statement. This includes:

A childcare workplace
Access to children's services, resources and equipment
Access to the local environment

Context of assessment:
This unit could be assessed either on the job or off the job through an appropriate workplace simulation for a range of age groups and a range of conditions over a number of assessment situations