In Every Child Matters the Government set out aims to help all children and young people achieve five outcomes that children themselves have identified as being most important to them: being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and achieving economic well being.
http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/aims/
From September 2008 all schools and Ofsted registered early years settings attended by children from birth to the end of the academic year in which they turn five will have to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) which reflects these outcomes throughout. Providers have a duty to ensure that their early years provision meets both the learning and development requirements and the welfare requirements. The EYFS has four guiding themes which work together to underpin effective practice in its delivery. The four themes of the EYFS are:
- A Unique Child — every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, competent and self-assured.
- Positive Relationships — children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person.
- Enabling Environments — the environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children's development and learning.
- Learning and Development — children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of Learning and Development are equally important and inter-connected.
A set of Principles into Practice cards provide information about effective practice across the four guiding themes, putting the guidance into context and linking each back to the other three. The environment in which these four themes are supported is crucial and consequently must be safe and well managed.
http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/eyfs/
The purpose of this guide is to:
- define a safe environment
- discuss the concept of children taking risks
- explain risk assessment and how it contributes to a safe environment
- identify and explain the relevant legal context
- offer a framework for managing the above, which includes reflective practice and policies and procedures