20.3 Support children in developing relationships

Performance criteria

P1 Support children/young people in developing agreements about ways of behaving, according to the requirements of the setting or service I regularly support the children in the school to develop agreements about the way they behave, for example everyday I remind children that they should not be running down the corridor and talk to them about the possible consequences of this. The children agree that it is dangerous to run down the corridor and that in future they will remember to walk instead of run. I set a good example by walking down the corridor myself and praise the children I see doing the same.

P2 Support children/young people in understanding other people’s feelings When children have disagreements, I listen to both sides of the story and ask the children how they think each other is feeling as a result of the argument. I ask the children to empathise with each other by asking them to reflect on their actions and consider how they would feel if someone treated them that way.

P3 Support children/young people who have been upset by othersIf a child or children have been upset by others, I support them by being sympathetic and approachable. I actively listen to them and offer them a tissue if they are crying. I offer them reassurance, and ask another child who they are friendly with to keep an eye on them. I inform their teachers of the situation, so they too, can monitor the situation.

P4 Encourage and support children/young people to sort out conflict for themselves, according to their age, needs and abilities

I encourage children to sort out conflict for themselves as this is important for their independence and social development, self esteem and resilience. I suggest that they talk through the situation in a calm manner to find out the cause of the problem and what solutions they can come up with to solve the problem and end the conflict between them.

P5 Encourage and support other adults in the setting to have positive relationships with children and young people

When I am working with other members of staff, I support them by being consistent with the strategies they use to build up positive relationships with their class. If a teacher praises a child's work, and then asks for my opinion, I show my support and encouragement of this positive relationship by agreeing and adding my own comments of praise. When dealing with negative behaviour, all staff deal with this consistently and in line with school policy and procedures, to ensure that the children realise they are being treated fairly and can still maintain a positive relationship with their teachers.