Early Childhood Education

Course Components

Health & Safety

This module introduces students to the concepts; principles and practices related to health and safety within a wide cross section of early childhood settings. Students will consider the importance of nutrition and to be able to prepare nutritionally balanced food for infants, toddlers and young children. Health promotion and food safety within early childhood education settings will be explored.

Students are also to demonstrate knowledge of ways to provide an early childhood environment that enhances young children's health. This is then linked to strategies for enhancing young children's health. Students will then proceed to review policies and practices that promote young children’s health in an early childhood setting. This review of health policies and practices takes into consideration risk factors and available opportunities for promoting health in young children. It is aimed at working in partnerships with parents, adults, and young children in the development of the health policies and practices. They are to analyse, evaluate and determine whether policies would lead to effective practices, and whether there is a need for further development.

Students will also develop a strong fundamental knowledge of safe supervision techniques and apply them in early childhood settings, relating this to specific hazards in the early childhood context. They are to consistently practice, reflect and review safe supervision techniques. They are to reflect on checks for security, placement of equipment, safety of resources, adult supervision, and consider whether these are carried out according to service policy and procedures.

In their review, they are to identify unsafe situations and unsafe practices and propose possible ways of intervening to rectify them. Areas for modification should be identified. Students will then evaluate their own practice of safe supervision and identify areas for development.

Students will look in greater detail, the issue of child abuse in New Zealand. They are to describe the different types of child abuse and their signs, and describe ways to protect young children from abuse. The description includes strategies to teach children self-protection skills, as well as, adults’ responsibilities when abuse is suspected, how to access professional assistance, community resources for protecting young children and methods of supporting at-risk young children. They are also to identify prevention practices implemented within the setting to ensure young children’s safety.

Finally, they are to develop emergency plans for early childhood settings. The emergency plan identifies requirements and procedures to meet potential emergency. They are to include in their emergency plan a consultation process with parents, family and whanau, early childhood services personnel, and emergency service contacts. They are also to ensure that the emergency plan meets statutory requirements.

Finally, they are to work at reviewing the emergency plans and procedures for a specific early childhood setting during practicum. The review should indicate areas for further development.