BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT POLICY
As a childcare provider, one of my many goals is to teach children good manners,
to respect themselves, others and to behaviour appropriately. I feel this is an
important part of their development and paves the way to establishing good
relationships throughout their life.
I manage this by clear house rules, by setting a good example of expected
behaviour, acting on unwanted behaviour, clear and consistent instructions.
Each child is an individual, and therefore should be treated as such. This is important
to remember when dealing with any behaviour issues they may have. I will adapt my
approach and technique according to the child’s age, development, personal
circumstances and SEN needs in order to meet the needs of the child and resolve
any issues they may have.
TWO/FOUR YEARS
For children who are around 2 years, I would expect to see them trying to assert their
authority, by displaying certain behaviours which are normal for that development
stage, e.g. pushing, shoving, snatching, and generally making their presence known.
For these children I would gentle guide them down the right path using distraction
techniques, encourage sharing, etc.
PRE-SCHOOL/INFANTS
These children are starting to understand what is expected of them and can follow
instructions more. So for these children the focus will be on praise and boosting self
esteem. I will do this by encouraging them to be independent and by celebrating
their personal achievements. Every child who starts in my care will join our personal
Sunflower Success Scheme. This is where a child is given a Sunflower without the
petals on and their face in the middle, their name down the stalk. They can then
start to work towards forming a complete Sunflower by earning petals for their
personal achievements. These will be easy to obtain in order to boost self esteem
and promote and encourage learning. Some examples of this would be; good table
manners, good listening, eating fruit and vegetables, exercising, trying hard with
phonics, reading, numbers, etc. There is no limit to how much they can achieve and
how many petals they can earn. This will promote and encourage each other to
work as a family to achieve our goal. SUNFLOWER DAYCARE – LEARN AS YOU
GROW!!!
© 2014 by Sunflower Daycare. All rights reserved.
JUNIOR SCHOOL
These children are now at a stage of their development where they understand
what is expected of them in terms of their behaviour. They will be use to school
environment where they have to conform and will be experienced in dealing with
consequences. They will have some ability in forming and nurturing relationships with
others and may have a number of friends. For these children I would expect the
standard of behaviour to be higher. I will ask these children to sign and agree to my
behaviour policy along with the parent. I will encourage these children to be role
models for the younger children in my care. If for any reason a behaviour problem
occurs then I will sit down with that child and discuss the issue and reinforce the
house rules and what is expected of them so there is no misunderstanding. This will
be done in a gentle and encouraging way allowing the child to make the right
choice and move on from it, without damaging that child’s confidence and self
esteem.
BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT
If a child displays unwanted behaviour there maybe a number of reasons for this;
e.g. the child maybe hungry, tired , unwell, upset about something, asserting their
authority, frustrated because they are trying to reach a milestone in their
development, bored, or has SEN , or they are having a bad day! I approach this by
looking and assessing what I feel is the problem and acting on this. By doing this the
child is reassured that they are being listened to and their needs are being met. By
having routines and clear boundaries this ensure the child feels safe and confident
and allows them space to explore and learn. On occasions where a child is
struggling with managing their own behaviour, I will be there to support and lead
them to learn the right way and to make the right choice. When there is a situation
where another child may be put in harm’s way by unwanted behaviour, I would
remove the child from the situation, give them a chance to gain control and help
encourage them to make the right choice.
PARENT’S SUPPORT
When a child comes into my care I would discuss with the parent any behavioural
issues they maybe currently dealing with. I will discuss the Behaviour Policy with the
parent and discuss any requirements they have in dealing with this issue. I will where
possible try to accommodate their requests, whilst being consistent with my own
house rules and policy. I would expect the parent to inform me of any major life
events that may affect the child’s behaviour, e.g. Bereavement, separation, illness,
SEN, etc. All information shared will be kept confidential and will be purely to keep
me informed of external influences and in order that I can meet the needs of the
child. Sometimes children just need space, time, understanding and a hug! If the
unwanted behaviour continues after an agreed plan with the parent fails. At that
point I would have to consider the health and wellbeing of the other children in my
care including my own children. I reserve the right to terminate the contract.
© 2014 by Sunflower Daycare. All rights reserved.
SUMMARY
Dealing with unwanted behaviour can be difficult. However, by adopting a holistic
approach with myself and parents, I can ensure the best outcome for everyone, but
most importantly the child.
As a mum of three children at various ages and stages, I understand all too well how
important it is to manage the behaviour not the child. When a child comes into my
care, I try to encourage a united family approach and would care for them as I
would my own children. If I feel a child needs an understanding ear or is going
through a difficult time in their life I will always try to provide a supportive, caring
environment in which they can feel safe and secure. There is no charge for hugs!!
© 2014 by Sunflower Daycare. All rights reserved.