Gather and document information about children’s interests, strengths and needs

Gather and document information about children’s interests, strengths and needs
Question 1: Interview questions
Design an interview sheet that you could use with this child’s parents as a way of gathering information about their child. You will need to include questions about their child’s friends, favourite foods, toys, games, people, as well as their routines, habits and interests. Remember the aim of the interview is to gain as much information as possible about the child, their experiences, and their families expectations, anything that will let you get to know the child better.
When you are happy with your interview questions, carry out the interview with one of your chosen child’s parents. You will need to include both the questions and the answers you receive.


Question 2: Direct observation
Over a few days, observe the child when he/she is engaged in both play and routine experiences. Record your information using the following methods. Provide at least:
one anecdotal record
one running record
one checklist with dated evidence, focusing on at least two areas of development.
Please ensure you head all written observations with the following background information: Child’s first name: Child’s date of birth:
Observer’s first name: Date:
Setting:
Write a brief summary of what you have learnt about this child in these three observations.

Question 3: Communicate and interact with children
If the child you have selected is old enough to understand, you should explain what you doing and ask for their permission.
Briefly write a short report on how you approached the child and how interacted with the child to get their cooperation in your project.

Question 4: Using photographs to gather information about children
If you have permission to take photos of this child, take a series of photographs of the child engaged in an experience. These photographs need to show a progression in exploration, discovery, curiosity or understanding through play.
Write a commentary that provides some sort of explanation about each photograph. Focus on how the child completed the activity, and on what development is being demonstrated through these activities.
If you cannot photograph the child, perhaps you could photograph or collect some of their constructions, paintings or drawings, and add commentary.

Question 5: Share information about children with family members and other interested parties
Now we will share the information we have found out about the child with the parents. This needs to be done in a professional manner, both in terms of presentation and language.
Put all of the information you have gathered from Task 1 in a display folder or scrapbook to show to the child and to their family members. Take care with the arrangement of this information and try to display it in an interesting and aesthetically pleasing way. Remember that your audience is the child and their family. However, also remember that this portfolio is a representation of your professional ability. If family members or the child have comments, photos or anecdotes to add at this point, incorporate them before finally handing it in to your teacher for marking.

Question 6: Use observations to plan for children’s services
Using the child profile format below, list the child’s strengths, needs, and interests. This summary needs to be drawn from and clearly linked back to the observations you have recorded. You can not include any comments which are not recorded in one of your observations. Your comments need to be based on child development, and be specific to this individual child.
(The child profile format is only a sample. You will have to make it much larger in order to write your answers. Please look up examples in SCC CD)
Basic child profile format
Child’s name: Age:
Name of observer: Date:
Strengths: Needs: Interests:
Planning suggestions: