"To achieve this in the child care environment Dr Margetts promotes the primary caregiver approach which sees child carers allocated to particular children over an extended period of time rather than a particular age group or room of children.
For example a care giver would be responsible for the same children each week even though the children who make up that group might change on different days of the week and would be responsible for all aspects of care. Including meeting and greeting families, mealtimes, nappy changing, toileting, sleeping, playing, maintaining relationships with parents, record keeping and planning.
'The primary caregiver will know a few children and their families very well, and will know others a little,' says Dr Margetts.
In addition to reducing children's stress levels the primary caregiver approach:
* Helps children and adults form strong bonds and trusting relationships
* Encourages children to explore their environment and their relationships with others
* Assists children and adults to learn each other's rhythms and responses and to anticipate behaviours
* Fosters consistency with home care practices
* Ensures children who are not securely attached to their parents are able to develop an attachment with a compensatory adult
* Improves communication between parents and caregivers through the development of a relationship with a primary caregiver with who they can share information.
Dr Margetts claims it makes sense to limit the number of staff with whom an infant or toddler interacts with each day and says the primary caregiver approach enables this to happen.
'…This approach enables staff to develop relationships with individual children, supports relationships with families, empowers staff and should reduce the stress experienced by children and staff and facilitate positive conditions for children's development,' she says."
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