Essential knowledge: The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role These include knowledge of: Stages of cognitive development Peer group interactions Child's family and community context and influences Organisation standards, policies and procedures Planning processes and understanding of adults role in experiences Sensory perceptual development and brain development Theories, including but not limited to: Piaget, Vygotsky and Gardner Social constructivist learning theory Interrelationship between cognitive, creative and language development Importance of dispositions impacting on lifelong learning Awareness of the following national child health and well being core competencies as they apply to all who deliver care to children: core principles of child development and the key developmental tasks faced by children and their implications for practice cumulative effects of multiple risk and protective factors and the developmental implications of the balance between them environmental conditions and the experiences known to have positive effects on prenatal and early childhood environmental conditions and experiences known to have adverse effects on prenatal and early childhood development factors that support or undermine the capacity of families to rear children adequately features of a family's immediate social environment that are important for family functioning and children's development and well being features and qualities of communities that help or hinder families in their capacity to raise children adequately core needs that all children and families have in common, and how to provide inclusive child and family services understanding of particular backgrounds, experiences and needs of children and families in exceptional circumstances or with additional needs |