diffficulties in accessing provision and services that might be experienced by children and families?

[rachael]

hi am busy doin unit ccld 305.

i have answered question K3C238 - diffficulties in accessing provision and services that might be experienced by children and families and how procedures and practices can work to overcome these and improve services. ----- with ....

"Children and their families may experience difficulties in accessing provision and services. This may be because of barriers to participation caused by discrimination. Barriers fall into three categories which are environmental, attitudinal and institutional. Access to provision and services may also be experienced if families and parents are unaware of services available to them.

Childcare settings should have policies and procedures in place for these situations. These should allow all families and backgrounds to access the services being provided. Where needs cannot be met the setting could provide information or suggestions of other provisions or services which are able to offer any support needed to meet their needs. For example, my childcare setting wouldn’t be suitable for a child who requires a wheelchair to get around, as there are too many stairs and the nursery is split up between the levels. Which means a child in need of a wheelchair wouldn’t be able to go up and down stairs for mealtimes etc. My setting could find out which nurseries in the area are suitable for wheelchair users and recommend them to the families."

does this sound ok and answer the question? and does anyone have any ideas how i could add to this or even if this answer in incorrect what the correct answer may be??

thanks x

[olliesue]

I think you answered the question really well. Just looked at my notes, i also put that at my setting, we give leaflets out to parents, informing them about what acivities are available in the holiday club. The local school also puts the information in their local newsletter, advertising in local newspapers and leaflets will make people aware of the service, if they do not know the area.

[Heidi]

Originally Posted by rachael

hi am busy doin unit ccld 305.

i have answered question K3C238 - diffficulties in accessing provision and services that might be experienced by children and families and how procedures and practices can work to overcome these and improve services. ----- with ....

"Children and their families may experience difficulties in accessing provision and services. This may be because of barriers to participation caused by discrimination. Barriers fall into three categories which are environmental, attitudinal and institutional. Access to provision and services may also be experienced if families and parents are unaware of services available to them.


Re above paragraph,

you mention discrimination as a barrier but haven't followed up with an example to show you assessor you know what you are talking about, rather than writing what may be perceived to be a 'textbook' answer.
So what barriers are you thinking of and what services? -
you may want to look at cultural/ disabilities/ monetary/fear of authority etc and what services could they benefit from, but may not be accessing.

You haven't mentioned why they might not be aware of available services?
Might English be their second language?
If so, what could be done to help them be aware of services available?


Childcare settings should have policies and procedures in place for these situations. These should allow all families and backgrounds to access the services being provided. Where needs cannot be met the setting could provide information or suggestions of other provisions or services which are able to offer any support needed to meet their needs. For example, my childcare setting wouldn’t be suitable for a child who requires a wheelchair to get around, as there are too many stairs and the nursery is split up between the levels. Which means a child in need of a wheelchair wouldn’t be able to go up and down stairs for mealtimes etc. My setting could find out which nurseries in the area are suitable for wheelchair users and recommend them to the families."


Re the above paragraph

Although you are giving an example and you sound helpful, it also sounds a little negative and might raise other questions such as: why haven't you thought about how you are going to provide for a child who needs a wheelchair, who wants to attend your setting as the parent has no transport?

You might want to write of someone who uses a wheelchair and wished to attend your setting, that you would do everything in your power to enable them to do so by working with your area senco, early years team etc , seeing if there were any grants to help with a stair lift and purchasing a lightweight folding wheelchair, so you could get the child to the first floor setting.
If you were not able to provide provision for this child, then you would help the parent by liaising with other professionals in the sector to see if there was a setting able to provide for their individual needs. Written in a more positive light reads better and the assessor can see that you are treating them equally, fairly and without discrimination - whether it is intended or not.

Parents maybe reluctant to access early years provison (be it pre-school/sure start, health vistor etc) for a variety of reasons ( it may be financial, it maybe because they didn't like school themselves when they were younger), they may be of a different religion/culture, they may feel their child is not progressing, but will not seek help in the hope that their child will 'catch up' etc) and one thing your setting could do to help is to ensure you try and reach children and their families is with advertising, holding open days, perhaps visiting local mums and tots - putting 'faces' to the setting allowing parents to know more about you and hopefully put many parents at ease in familiar places they already attend or visit.

You may help parents by informing them of drop-in speech clinics, most parents are eager for help, but occasionally a parent may be reluctant for whatever reason and you need to just give an example of everything you are thinking of and matching it up with what/how you can help them better access services.


does this sound ok and answer the question? and does anyone have any ideas how i could add to this or even if this answer in incorrect what the correct answer may be??

thanks x

I hope this helps you - thought I'd write in between your paragraphs.