Guiding and Caring Policy
Guiding behaviour in a positive and supportive way helps children learn respect, empathy, self-regulation and independence.
Here are some ways we guide behaviour at St. James:
>Know the children-try to form positive relationships with all of the children in our care
>Help children recognize feelings: we work on developing empathy by recognizing kind acts; we acknowledge their feelings and let them know what is and is not acceptable
>Focus on the behaviour, not the child: when a child behaves in an unwanted way, we talk with them about why this behaviour is a problem
>Use natural and logical consequences whenever possible
>Reinforce positive behaviour: we notice when children are helping and co-operating and we give them lots of positive reinforcement; children repeat wanted behaviour when we pay attention to it
>Redirect children: when a child is having difficulty at a certain area, we may redirect the child to another area; this often stops unwanted behaviour
>Show respect: we speak to children about their behaviour in a calm voice; using their names and gently touching their back also helps get their attention in a respectful manner
>Offer help: we as caregivers let children know we will help them if they are having difficulty working out a problem, we will go with them and help them
>Proximity is important: stay close to younger children who are just learning to play with each other
WE AS CAREGIVERS:
>never hit or humiliate or use language that is threatening when handling difficult situations
>are consistent, firm and fair
>enforce rules in a positive way
>attempt to foresee and forestall trouble
>try to ignore improper language and encourage the child to use different words to express their feelings
>avoid judgemental words such as good, bad, right or wrong
>do not allow children to hit staff
>handle toilet accidents casually
>always check with senior staff when handling a child with behavioural difficulties, be aware of any care plans in place
>develop a partnership with parents: we recognize that the family is the most important influence on a child’s life; we want to join you to care for your child in the best possible way; you can help us by telling us how you care for your child at home and your expectations for their behaviour at daycare; we are happy to talk to parents about our approaches to guidance.