ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements define the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria specify the level of performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Communicate positively with children

1.1 Respond sensitively and appropriately to all children’s efforts to communicate

1.2 Engage in sustained conversations with individual children about things that interest the child

1.3 Consistently respond positively to all children who require attention

1.4 Sit and talk with children at mealtimes and help create a relaxed and unhurried routine

2. Interact positively with children

2.1 Participate in children’s play and using children’s cues to guide the level and type of involvement

2.2 Respond positively and respectfully to children’s comments, questions and requests for assistance

2.3 Role-model positive interactions with others

2.4 Encourage children to share their stories and ideas

3. Support and respect children

3.1 Assist to create an environment that reflects the lives of the children, their families and the local community

3.2 Support implementation of practices and routines that honour children, their family and the community context

3.3 Show genuine interest in, understanding of and respect for all children

3.4 Comfort children who cry or show signs of distress

3.5 Respond positively to the varying abilities and confidence of all children

3.6 Acknowledge children’s efforts and achievements

4. Maintain the dignity and rights of children

4.1 Assist in organising spaces, resources and routines to minimise times when children are likely to experience stress or frustration

4.2 Allow children to make choices and to experience natural consequences of these where there is no risk of physical or emotional harm to the child or another being

4.3 Monitor and respond to children’s play and support interactions where there is conflict

4.4 Acknowledge children when they make positive choices in managing their own behaviour

4.5 Use positive language, gestures, facial expressions and tone of voice when redirecting or discussing children’s behaviour with them

4.6 Be gentle, calm and reassuring even when children strongly express distress, frustration or anger

4.7 Consistently guide all children’s behaviour in ways that are focused on supporting children to develop skills to self-regulate and preserve and promote children’s self-esteem

4.8 Involve children in developing limits and consequences for inappropriate behaviours

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be demonstrated evidence that the candidate has completed the following tasks at least once:

communicated positively and respectfully and interacted effectively with at least three children, including:

active listening

consideration of a child’s age, activities, interests, culture and needs

interpreting non-verbal cues of children

responding to distress in ways that meets the child’s need

communication of care and respect through all interactions

assessed and responded appropriately to behaviours of concern

encouraged children to respect similarities and differences between each other

involved and encouraged children in decision-making and planning

performed the activities outlined in the performance criteria of this unit during a period of at least 120 hours of work in at least one regulated education and care service

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 work role. These include knowledge of:

how to access:

the National Quality Framework

the National Quality Standards

the relevant approved learning framework

how to navigate through framework and standards documents to find areas relevant to this unit of competency

effective communication techniques including verbal and non-verbal ways to show respect

techniques to guide children’s behaviour

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

organisational standards, policies and procedures.

Skills must be demonstrated in a regulated education and care service.

In addition, simulations and scenarios must be used where the full range of contexts and situations cannot be provided in the workplace or may occur only rarely. These are situations relating to emergency or unplanned procedures where assessment in these circumstances would be unsafe or is impractical.

Simulated assessment environments must simulate the real-life working environment where these skills and knowledge would be performed, with all the relevant equipment and resources of that working environment.

Assessment must ensure use of:

National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care

the relevant approved learning framework under the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care.

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.

The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.

Oral communication – in order to engage in sustained conversations with children.

The remaining foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit.