The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency:

The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills

This unit must be assessed on the job under the normal workplace conditions for a range of age groups, a range of conditions over a number of assessment situations

Assessment of competency may be conducted on one or more occasions

Assessment should consider the range of differences among children identified in the Range Statement

Access and equity considerations:

All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work

All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment

In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Context of and specific resources for assessment:

This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged

Assessment requires access to a range of opportunities defined in the Range Statement, including:

a childcare workplace

children's services, resources and equipment

the local environment

materials and equipment to facilitate play and leisure

And access to children of different:

gender

race and culture

age

interests and preferences

social context and lifestyle

communication style

personality

length of time attending service/child care

abilities

Method of assessment:

Assessment may include observations, questioning and evidence gathered from the workplace

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge:

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include knowledge of:

Basic knowledge of age and cultural appropriate physical activity recommendations and fundamental movement skills milestones

Children's developmental stages applicable to the specific age group and what this means for appropriate resources/materials selection

Cultural beliefs about leisure for children of different ages and adults

Different cultural beliefs about play; areas of play regarded as important and appropriate

Importance of childhood

Importance of play and leisure to human development and health including:

role in promoting healthy weight

that it is a lifelong concept

Inclusion and acceptance of all children regardless of their race, gender or ability is understood

Interest in and enjoyment of children

Introductory knowledge of child development for children aged 0 to 5 years or 6 to 12 years

Knowledge and understanding of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing 2004, National Physical Activity Recommendations for Children and Youth

Occupational health and safety

Organisation standards, policies and procedures

Organisation standards, policies and procedures

Play materials and spaces available

Range of leisure interests of children

Relevance of the work role and functions to maintaining sustainability of the workplace, including environmental, economic, workforce and social sustainability

Relevant Quality Improvement and Accreditation Principles

Safety measures available to minimise safety risks for children and others including sun safety, equipment use and maintenance, standards of safety for equipment provisions e.g soft falls area under equipment

Stages of play

Types and complexities of play and leisure

Essential skills:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

Guide individual children's play and leisure, giving due regard to child's age, abilities, interests, culture and development

Provide a range of experiences to stimulate children and aid their development

Vary experience depending on child's age, abilities, development, culture and need

Work effectively with young children within a historical and philosophical framework of child care delivery

In addition, the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include the ability to:

Adapt environment to encourage different types of play and stages of play

Adapt play or leisure experiences for different children according to needs, interests

Assess fundamental movement skills development

Demonstrate application of skills in:

time management

acceptance of different attitudes of families about play

contingency management

planning

interpersonal

active listening

communicate with children

reflect on own practices

Demonstrate effective placement of equipment, considering safety, movement of children, different ages/ stages of development of children

Take into account opportunities to address waste minimisation, environmental responsibility and sustainable practice issues

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Leisure is understood to be:

A special way of doing and feeling

It balances those things in life that may be boring, onerous, time consuming busy work, expectations, tiring, repetitive, hurried or dutiful

It mixes stimulating, creative, relaxing, playful, refreshing challenging and pleasant

Leisure describes pursuits that are freely chosen and deeply satisfying

Physical activity includes:

Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscle that results in a substantial increase over the resting energy expenditure

Environment may include:

The building and grounds where the service is located e.g. Home, centre

The local area around the service and its resources and characteristics

An environment set up to 'invite' children to play and foster play and leisure may:

Be safe, physically and psychologically

Look interesting to the child

Provide challenge appropriate to the children's stage of development

Provide choices indoors and outdoors

Creating an environment to foster play and leisure may depend on:

Age of children

Community background and expectations

Environment - indoors and outdoors

Location

Materials available (natural and processed)

Number of children

Resources available

Staff

Type of service

Whether the service has to set up and pack up for each play session

Whether the space is shared with other services

Different kinds of play and physical activity may include:

Cooperative play

Functional, constructive, dramatic play

Fundamental movement skills games and activities

Games and free flowing play

Imaginative play

Outdoors and active

Painting, crafts, board games

Play with words/music

Quiet and energetic, boisterous

Solitary, parallel and interactive or a mix of these

Story reading and telling

Use of music, movement and visual arts

For older children, play, leisure and physical activity may include:

Fundamental movement skills games and activities

Games

Going for a walk

Hobbies and interests

Interactions with people from community

Listening to music

Observing

Organised games e.g. Races, soccer

Solitary activities

Sports

Talking with friends

Areas for different kinds of play, leisure and physical activity may include areas for:

Constructive play

Conversations

Creative play

Dramatic play

Music

Nature based outdoor play

Noisy play

Physical play and activity

Quiet play

Sand play, water play

Solitary activities

Sports including fundamental movement skills games and activities

Ways of facilitating play will be affected by a child's age/stage of development and must include:

For babies and infants:

Flexible routines to allow for the needs of individuals to be met

Gentle handling, eye contact and appropriate sensory experiences to develop security and trust

Safe environment to explore

For toddlers:

The day is structured and routines are established

Blocks of time are available for exploring and experimenting with the materials

Caregivers introduce new and different experiences to children

Play is extended by introducing new materials or resources or suggesting alternative ways to use the materials

Caregivers give children time to develop their ideas

Transition from one activity to another is smooth

Worker modelling play and use of equipment

For 3 to 5 year old children:

Care giver's interactions provide a positive role model for children

An environment is maintained that respects individual and group needs

Children are aware of the limits which are applied consistently

Children's feelings are acknowledged and respected by caregivers and children

For 6 to 12 year old children:

Participation with children

Materials are suggested or alternatives uses of equipment/materials are suggested

Cycling

A variety of indoor and outdoor activities for all ages

Experiences will vary according to the age of the child and creative and challenging experiences may include:

For babies and infants:

Selection of toys, different textures, colours and size are selected

Toys are large (cannot be swallowed) and have no sharp edges, and easily washed/cleaned

Different types of experiences are used e.g. Water play, sand play, outdoors time

For toddlers:

Experiences can include indoor and outdoor experiences

Experiences reflect a toddler's interest in the world around them, and the desire to explore it, feel it, see it and touch it e.g. Nature walk to look at leaves, collect them

Experiences reflect a toddler's growing mastery of their own body e.g. Small slippery dips are used, outdoor area can be a little more involved

For 3 to 5 year olds:

Experiences can include cooking, sewing, carpentry, washing

Experiences can be more varied and complicated, which reflects a child's developing cognitive and physical abilities

Choice not to participate is respected and alternative activity is negotiated

For 6 to 12 year olds:

Experience planned may include specific suggestions of children themselves

Development of hobbies

Self selected peer groups

Individual, small group and larger group experiences

Choice not to participate is respected and alternative activity is negotiated

Aspects of child development include:

Physical fitness and fundamental movement skills ability

Cognitive development

Social development

Emotional development

Creative and aesthetic development

Language development

Moral development

Spiritual development

Resources required to be organised for excursions may include:

Records that need to be taken

First aid supplies

Relevant equipment

Location of toilets

Keys

Mobile phone

Tickets

Equipment required for activities

Petty cash

Records that may need to be taken on excursions may include:

List of children attending

Emergency contact details

Medical needs for children

Responsibilities of children on excursions may include:

For belongings

For payments

For time keeping

For travelling together

Opportunities that can be provided to support children's development will vary according to a number of factors in the service, such as:

Child/worker ratios

Physical environment - constraints and potential

Purpose of the service

The amount and type of support from parents and participation by parents

The level of support available to the service from external bodies e.g. Advice specialist services, resource workers

The frequency and regularity of use of the service by the child

Skills related to physical development may include:

Eye - hand coordination

Dexterity

Fine and gross motor skills

Balance/static

Locomotion

Motor skills

Opportunities for social interaction may include:

Formally organised activities

A time and place for unplanned interaction

Meetings

Travelling

Walks

Setting up environment/venue

Special occasions may include:

Birthdays of children

Festivals

Celebration of achievements

Community events

Birthdays of animals

Beginning and end of school term or holidays

Cultural events

'Graduation' from child care service

Differences among children may include:

Gender

Race and culture

Age

Interests and preferences

Social context and lifestyle

Communication style

Personality

Length of time attending service/child care

Abilities

Opportunities provided for social interaction will vary according to the age of the children
For babies and infants:

Trusting relationships are developed with familiar adults

Adults work at eye level with infants

Care routines are used for social interaction

Adults talk, sing and recite poems with infants

Adults listen to infants and respond

Language forms may include:

Verbal and written

Formal and colloquial, informal

Fun and serious styles