Nursery World - Getting Along

Playworkers should be authoritative rather than authoritarian - able to listen but step in when trouble breaks out, says child psychologist Jennie Lindon Many out-of-school care teams are responsible for children from as young as four years old to 11 years of age, and sometimes young teenagers also attend play facilities. Meeting the diverse needs of these children is one of the challenges of out-of-school care. However, good practice guidelines about behaviour are relevant across the whole of this age range, although playworkers need to apply the ideas slightly differently, given the more mature communication skills and thinking power of the same children a few years down the line.

Many out-of-school care teams are responsible for children from as young as four years old to 11 years of age, and sometimes young teenagers also attend play facilities. Meeting the diverse needs of these children is one of the challenges of out-of-school care. However, good practice guidelines about behaviour are relevant across the whole of this age range, although playworkers need to apply the ideas slightly differently, given the more mature communication skills and thinking power of the same children a few years down the line.

Adult behaviour

Good playwork practice is created through the behaviour of individual playworkers. Behaviour policies are important, but guidelines are meaningless unless the written words come alive through daily actions. An out-of-school team needs to reflect and discuss what is a suitable role for playworkers, and children's views can be a useful guide:

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