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POSITIVE GUIDANCE

Rationale

We use positive guidance techniques to shape, support and nurture our tamariki. These include maintaining loving, warm relationships, setting clear, realistic and consistent expectations and boundaries for behaviour and ensuring there is consistency in consequences. These principles enable tamariki to feel safe, secure, protected and happy in their environment.

Purpose

To provide a positive, nurturing physical and emotional environment, where the holistic development for our tamariki is nurtured. To ensure consistent strategies are in place for encouraging tamariki to develop an understanding of positive behaviour and to help them to develop strategies and confidence for conflict resolution.

Procedures

1. The foundation for the social competence for our tamariki is strong, positive and supportive relationships between parents/whānau and our kaiako.
2. Our environment provides a wide range of age-appropriate resources for tamariki that enable them to enjoy positive learning experiences with and alongside others.
3. Our curriculum reflects the culture, background and interests of the tamariki attending our Centre.

Positive Guidance Strategies

• At all times tamariki are treated with respect and dignity.
• Kaiako take time to build strong, trusting relationships with the tamariki and their
  parents/whānau.
• Kaiako attend appropriate professional learning opportunities (including Incredible Years) to
  provide consistent positive guidance strategies for all tamariki.
• Kaiako guide behaviour by giving tamariki positive strategies to follow e.g words to use,
  actions to take.
• Kaiako focus on giving attention to behaviour they would like to see more of, through a
  variety of verbal and non-verbal gestures.
• Kaiako are strong role models of the behaviour that they expect of the tamariki.
• Tamariki will be listened to and given time to express their thoughts and feelings.
• Kaiako support tamariki to develop and maintain appropriate behaviour by giving clear,
  consistent and realistic guidelines.
• Tamariki are encouraged to work together co-operatively and to be caring and accepting of
  others. Kaiako support the tamariki to do this through social and emotional coaching
  strategies.
• Kaiako will support tamariki with both verbal and visual cues to be able to express
  themselves and their needs (emotional coaching & baby sign language).
• Tamariki are given opportunities to move away from situations that they struggle with, and
  be supported in developing positive strategies for managing their own behaviour.
• Age-appropriate resources and guidance are provided for tamariki to assist them to develop
  strategies to deal with conflict.
• Self-esteem, resilience and confidence will be supported and nurtured through our learning
  programme.
• We encourage using strategies to self-regulate emotions.
• We promote and support daily routines that are flexible and responsive to the needs of
  individuals and groups of tamariki.
• Our positive guidance techniques respect and value the cultural backgrounds of all our
  tamariki. We engage in conversations with our whānau to ensure we are respectful of their
  culture through our positive guidance strategies.
• We encourage appropriate parenting programmes (like Incredible Years) that coincide with
  the teaching strategies that we use in the Centre. We work in partnership with parents &
  whānau around these strategies, so that we are consistent with our expectations and
  procedures for the tamariki.
• Team meetings have time allocated for kaiako to raise and discuss any concerns related to
  the social and emotional competence of our tamariki.

Dealing with Challenging Behaviours

• We work in partnership with parents/whānau, so we have open and honest conversations about what is happening for their tamariki on a regular basis.
• Spending one on one time with tamariki struggling with challenging behaviour is very important, and kaiako will respond in this way whenever possible.
• We do motivate the tamariki through incentives.  We encourage our tamariki to share their success with their friends, parents & whānau.
• We use individual incentives (stickers), group incentives (special activities), spontaneous rewards (games / 1-1 time) and we often use ‘When… Then’ (When you have picked up the blocks that you threw, then you can go outside to play.)
• Some strategies that we use to decrease inappropriate behaviour are:  Re-direction, distraction, reminders/warnings, ignoring, prompts, positive verbal re-directs and ensuring the tamariki understand our rules/boundaries and why we have them.
• Should the behaviour begin to cause concern, the kaiako will:
  • Observe the behaviour of the tamariki and record events leading up to it.
  • Discuss the behaviour with a Team Leader and/or Manager.
  • Participate in discussions during team meetings where teaching strategies for supporting the tamariki will be identified and recorded.
  • Use natural consequences related to the behaviour (if you throw blocks, you must pick them up).
  • Loss of privileges is used when needed (if you hurt someone with a spade in the sandpit, you can no longer play in the sandpit for a certain timeframe).
  • Use our ‘Chill Zone’ or ‘Chill Cushion’ for the tamariki who are really struggling with their emotions and behaviour (age appropriate).
• We spend time with parents/whānau explaining our processes and asking for their input, when we need to implement an individual behaviour plan.
• When required, support will be sought from Ministry of Education Special Education Service (MoESES) or other appropriate support agencies. Parents will be consulted before individual tamariki are discussed with another agency.
• Kaiako who are struggling with a particular situation will be encouraged to move away and request another kaiako to take over.
• Tamariki will not be put in solitary confinement, immobilized or deprived of food or drink.
• Tamariki will not be spoken to harshly, belittled or degraded.
• Tamariki are given the opportunity to solve their own problems before kaiako step in to
  support them.
• Our tamariki are treated with love and respect at all times, while supporting them to make positive choices that impact them and others.

Alignment with Other Policies

• Child Protection policy
• Enrolment procedures
• Communication & Consultation policy.

Relevant Background

Licensing Criteria 2008, Curriculum, Tamariki as Learners documentation required:

• C10: a process for providing positive guidance to encourage social competence in tamariki.

Impacts of Policy on Staff, Parents and Children

Failure to implement this policy can lead to:

• Negative, harmful and destructive interactions
• Poor modelling of behaviour
• Development of severe behaviour problems
• Criminal charges on staff
• Upset parents/complaints/withdrawal of tamariki.

Alignment with the Philosophy of Midcity Childcare

This policy is aligned with our Centre’s philosophy.

Implications and/or Risks for Midcity Childcare

Risk of loss of Centre licence.

Implementation 

All staff are responsible for enacting this policy. The Manager will ensure staff are adequately trained, monitor staff and will take action where inappropriate procedures are used.

Review

Review bi-annually or when there is a significant change in the area of the policy topic.
Authorised: Manager
Date: November 2023
Review Date: November 2025
Consultation Undertaken: Management/Kaiako/Parents & Whānau