Qualification: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator
Unit: Unit 3.4: Contribute to enabling play environments
Learning outcome: Understand the play environment
Assessment criteria: Explain how to work collaboratively to provide enabling play environments in Early Years settings
Collaboration and team-working are essential for the provision of enabling play environments in Early Years settings.
Working collaboratively to provide enabling play environments in Early Years settings involves combining the input and expertise of practitioners, parents, and other members of the wider community.
Practitioners should take a child-centred approach when creating play environments, taking into account each child’s individual interests and developmental needs. Setting up activities will involve the work of multiple practitioners, and if everybody works in partnership, these tasks can be completed quicker. Similarly, practitioners will need to work together during both the planning and implementation stages, as well as share information and observations about individual children.
Parents can offer valuable insights into their children’s preferences, which can help to support a child to feel more comfortable, as well as ensure consistency between the home and Early Years settings.
Local community members may be able to provide resources or access to additional facilities that could benefit the children. For example, a visit to a museum or a donation of books for the children.
Early Years Practitioners will also work in partnership with other professionals, including physiotherapists, SENCOs and Speech and Language therapists. These specialists may provide resources or offer suggestions for activities (or adaptations to existing activities) that meet the needs of individual children.
By working together to create a safe, stimulating environment for all children to explore their potential through play, practitioners can ensure that every child is given the opportunity to reach their full potential.