DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self-directed play
Elements of competence
CCLD 318.1 Collect and analyse information on play needs and preferences
CCLD 318.2 Plan and prepare play spaces
CCLD 318.3 Support self-directed play
CCLD 318.4 Help children and young people to manage risk during play
About this Unit
This Unit is about identifying the play needs and preferences of children and young people,
developing play spaces that will meet these needs and supporting children and young people
during play.
The Unit is for you if you work directly with children on a day-to-day basis and have a
responsibility for developing and maintaining play spaces.
Keywords
What we mean by some of the words used in this Unit
Children and young people The children and young people with whom you work, except
where otherwise stated
Equipment and materials for play
Resources
Evidence Requirements for the Unit
It is essential that you adhere to the Evidence Requirements for this Unit
GENERAL GUIDANCE
 Evidence must be provided for ALL of the performance criteria and ALL of the
knowledge.
 Work with children and families does not lend itself to a series of fragmented
activities. When assessment planning it is essential that assessors and candidates
identify opportunities to integrate a number of activities for assessment on any
particular occasion.
 Assessment of knowledge and understanding should wherever possible be carried out
during performance to ensure that theory and practice are linked.
 The evidence must reflect, at all times, the policies and procedures of your workplace
as linked to current legislation and the values and the principles for good practice in
children’s care, learning and development.
 All evidence must relate to your own work practice.
SPECIFIC EVIDENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS UNIT
Simulation:
 Simulation is not permitted for this unit.
The following forms of evidence ARE MANDATORY:
 Direct Observation: Your assessor or expert witness must observe you in real work
activities which will provide evidence of some part of each element in this unit.
 Reflective Accounts: You should describe your actions in a particular situation and
explain why you did things. You may be able to use a reflective account to provide
some of the performance evidence for this unit. e.g your levels of supervision and
intervention in play, how you adapted play opportunities according to the age, needs
and abilities of the children and young people you work with.
Unit: DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self directed play
1
DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self-directed play
Issues for consideration:
 The following performance criteria may be difficult to evidence by observation.
Element 1 – PCs 1, 3 and 5.
Competence of performance and knowledge could also be demonstrated using a variety
of evidence from the following:
 Questioning/Professional Discussion: Questions may be oral or written. In each
case the question and your answer will need to be recorded. Professional discussion
should be in the form of a structured review of your practice with the outcomes
captured by means of audiotape or a written summary. These are particularly useful
to provide evidence that you know and understand principles which support practice,
policies, procedures and legislation, and that you can critically evaluate their
application e.g. health and safety legislation affecting the play space, your
knowledge, understanding and recognition of the behavioural modes and mood
descriptors associated with play, the range of play types and how these are included
within your play setting, the play cycle. In addition the assessor/expert witness may
also ask questions to clarify aspects of your practice.
 Products: These are non-confidential records made, or contributed to, by you, e.g.
play plans, risk assessments, information on children and young people's play,
budgets and resources to which you have contributed, personal diary records of your
practice
 Confidential Records: These may be used as evidence but must not be placed in
your portfolio, they must remain in their usual location and be referred to in the
assessor records in your portfolio e.g. individual child records, commercially
sensitive material.
 Original Certificates and other evidence of prior experience and learning:
Where you have relevant prior experience it must match the requirements of the
standards. Certificates of training, awards and records of attendance must be
authentic, current and valid. Your assessor will also want to check the content of
such training so that this can be matched to the standards and check that you have
retained and can apply learning to practice, e.g. previous vocationally related
qualifications, courses on play types, courses on play theory.
 Case Studies, projects, assignments: These methods are most appropriately used to
cover any outstanding areas in the knowledge requirement of your award.
 Witness Testimony: Colleagues, allied professionals, children, young people,
families and carers may be able to provide testimony of your performance. Your
assessor will help you to identify the appropriate use of witnesses.
Unit: DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self directed play
2
DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self-directed play
KNOWLEDGE SPECIFICATION FOR THIS UNIT
Assessment of knowledge and understanding should wherever possible be carried out during
performance to ensure theory and practice are linked.
You need to provide evidence for ALL knowledge points listed below:
To be competent in this Unit, you must know and understand the
following:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Enter Evidence
Numbers
The short and long-term benefits of play
The worker’s role in supporting play
Indicators/objectives you can use to evaluate play provision
How you adapt play opportunities according to the age, needs and
abilities of the children and young people you work with
Behavioural modes associated with play
a)
personally directed
b)
intrinsically motivated
c)
in secure context
d)
spontaneous
e)
goalless
f)
where the content and intent is under the control of the
children and young people
The range of play types and how to provide for these:
a)
Communication play
b)
Creative play
c)
Deep play
d)
Dramatic play
e)
Exploratory play
f)
Fantasy play
g)
Imaginative play
h)
Locomotor play
i)
Mastery play
j)
Object play
k)
Role play
l)
Rough and tumble
m)
Social play
n)
Socio-dramatic play
o)
Symbolic play
The mood descriptors associated with play and how to recognise
these:
a)
Happy
b)
Independent
c)
Confident
d)
Altruistic
e)
Trusting
f)
Balanced
g)
Active or immersed
h)
At ease
The main stages of child development and how these affect
children’s play needs and behaviours
Why it is important to identify children and young people’s play
needs and preferences
The types of information you can use to identify play needs and
preferences and how to access these
Unit: DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self directed play
3
DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self-directed play
To be competent in this Unit, you must know and understand the
following:
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
Enter Evidence
Numbers
The barriers to access that some children and young people may
experience and how to address these
Why it is important to consult with children and young people on
play needs and preferences, using methods appropriate for their
age, needs and abilities
Effective methods of consulting with children and young people
The range of different types of play spaces that can meet children
and young people’s needs and preferences
How to plan play spaces that meet children and young people’s
play needs
Why it is important to create spaces that children and young people
can adapt to their own needs, according to their age, needs and
abilities
How to obtain and/or create resources needed for a range of play
spaces
How to involve children and young people in the creation of play
spaces
The importance of access for all children and how to ensure this
happens
The health and safety requirements that are relevant to play spaces
and how to ensure you take account of these
Why it is important for children and young people to choose and
explore play spaces for themselves, according to their age, needs
and abilities
The types of support you may need to provide and how to decide
when it is appropriate to provide support
Why it is important to leave the content and intent of play to
children and young people
Why it is important to allow play to continue uninterrupted
Why it is important to allow children to develop in their own ways
and not to show them ‘better’ ways of doing things when they are
playing, unless they ask
The main stages of the play cycle
How to define a play frame
How to identify play cues
How to identify when and how to respond to a play cue
Why risk is important in play and how to encourage and support
acceptable risk taking
Levels of risk acceptable according to setting policies and
procedures
The range of hazards that may occur during children’s play and
how to recognise these
The basic stages of child development and the implications these
have for levels of risk
How to assess risk according to age and stage of development
The importance of balancing risk with the benefits of challenge and
stimulation
Unit: DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self directed play
4
DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self-directed play
CCLD 318.1 Collect and analyse information on play needs and preferences
Performance criteria
DO
Enter Evidence Numbers
RA
EW Q
P
WT
1
Collect information on children and
young people’s play using a range of
methods
2
Make sure you take account of children
and young people who may experience
barriers to access
3
Analyse information to identify play
needs
4
Consult with children and young people
and take account of their ideas on play
needs and preferences
5
Research and identify a range of play
spaces and resources that will meet the
play needs of children and young people
Notes on Element
From your work you must show that you have collected information using the following:
1. Methods
a. Researching playwork theory and practice
b. Observing children and young people at play
c. Interacting with children and young people
CCLD 318.2 Plan and prepare play spaces
Performance criteria
DO
Enter Evidence Numbers
RA
EW Q
P
WT
1
Plan play spaces that will meet the needs
of children and young people and can be
adapted by them to meet new needs
2
Make sure the play spaces provide for a
range of different play types
3
Obtain the resources needed for these play
spaces
4
Work within the available budget or find
other creative ways of obtaining or
making resources
5
Create the planned play spaces involving
children and young people wherever
possible
6
Make sure that the range of play
environments will be accessible for all
children and young people
7
Make sure the play spaces take account of
health and safety requirements
Notes on Element
From your work you must show that you have supported self-directed play using the
following types of:
1. Play spaces
a. For physical play
b. For affective play
c. Transient
d. Permanent
Unit: DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self directed play
5
DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self-directed play
CCLD 318.3 Support self-directed play
Performance criteria
DO
Enter Evidence Numbers
RA
EW Q
P
WT
1
Encourage children and young people to
choose and explore the range of play
spaces for themselves, providing support
when necessary
2
Leave the content and intent of play to the
children and young people
3
Enable play to occur uninterrupted
4
Enable children and young people to
explore their own values
5
Allow children and young people to
develop in their own ways
6
Hold children and young people’s play
frames when necessary
7
Observe play and respond to play cues
according to the stage in the play cycle
Notes on Element
From your work you must show that you have supported self-directed play using the
following types of:
1. Play spaces
e. For physical play
f. For affective play
g. Transient
h. Permanent
CCLD 318.4 Help children and young people manage risk during play
Performance criteria
DO
Enter Evidence Numbers
RA
EW Q
P
WT
1
Allow children and young people to
experience and explore risk during play
2
Identify hazards when they occur
3
Assess the risks that these hazards pose in
a way that is sensitive to the nature of the
children and young people involved
4
Raise children and young people’s
awareness of hazards and how to manage
risk themselves
5
Balance the risks involved with the
benefits of challenge and stimulation
6
Only intervene if the level of risk
becomes unacceptable
Notes on Element
From your work you must show that you managed risk for the following types of:
1. Hazard
a. Physical
b. Emotional
c. Behavioural
d. Environmental
DO = Direct Observation
EW = Expert Witness
RA = Reflective Account
P = Product (Work)
Unit: DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self directed play
Q = Questions
WT = Witness Testimony
6
DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self-directed play
To be completed by the Candidate
I SUBMIT THIS AS A COMPLETE UNIT
Candidate’s name: ……………………………………………
Candidate’s signature: ………………………………………..
Date: …………………………………………………………..
To be completed by the Assessor
It is a shared responsibility of both the candidate and assessor to claim evidence, however, it
is the responsibility of the assessor to ensure the accuracy/validity of each evidence claim and
make the final decision.
I CERTIFY THAT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE HAS BEEN PRODUCED TO MEET
ALL THE ELEMENTS, PCS AND KNOWLEDGE OF THIS UNIT AND THAT THE
CANDIDATE HAS DEMONSTRATED THE APPLICATION OF THE PRINCIPLES
AND VALUES.
Assessor’s name: …………………………………………….
Assessor’s signature: ………………………………………....
Date: …………………………………………………………..
Assessor/Internal Verifier Feedback
To be completed by the Internal Verifier if applicable
This section only needs to be completed if the Unit is sampled by the Internal Verifier
Internal Verifier’s name: ……………………………………………
Internal Verifier’s signature: ………………………………………..
Date: ……………………………………..…………………………..
Unit: DR93 04 (CCLD 318) Plan for and support self directed play
7