2.1 Describe the role of the Early Years Practitioner in supporting children’s socialisation within play environments

Qualification: NCFE CACHE Level 2 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner
Unit: EYP 8: Promote play in an Early Years Setting
Learning outcome: 2. Understand how the Early Years Practitioner supports children’s behaviour and socialisation within play environments
Assessment criteria: 2.1 Describe the role of the Early Years Practitioner in supporting children’s socialisation within play environments

• Socialisation refers to the skills, behaviours and values that children develop to enable them to interact and mix with others and behave in a way that is socially acceptable
• Therefore, the practitioner must take the age and social development of children into account when planning activities
• E.g. supporting parallel play with younger toddlers and cooperative play (sharing, taking turns etc.) with older children
• Other ways to support a child’s socialisation include:
  • Role modelling (e.g. how to behave when losing a game etc.)
  • Discussing feelings and explaining that it is okay to be sad/upset/angry etc.
  • Distraction (e.g. if two toddlers are fighting over a toy then offer a different toy to one of them, if two older children are fighting over toy talk to them about they could resolve the issue themselves)