Speech as Xerxes

Greetings, subjects. My reign was sufficient and completely beneficial to the Persian society, I deserve this power as even Herodetus the Greek writer said with â€Å"among all these immense numbers there was not a man who, for stature and noble bearing, was more worthy than Xerxes to wield so vast a power. I deserved to take the throne, and it was Ahuramazda's will. Other sons of Darius there were, but thus unto Ahura-Mazda was the desire – Darius my father made me the greatest after himself.When my father Darius went away from the throne, by the will of Ahura-Mazda I became king on my fathers throne. I am of royal decent and Achmaenid blood runs through me as I am Xerxes, the great king, king of kings, king of lands, containing many men, king in this great earth far and wide, son of Darius the king, an Achaemenid, a Persian, son of the Persian, an Aryan, of Aryan seed. I have legitimate reason to access the throne. Greek writers have depicted me as an impetuous, arrogant an d sadistic madman.But this is the view of a Greek, not only are the Greeks inferior to me but they are also not going to give an accurate description, and are of course going to be bias. I destroyed parts of their beloved homeland so their views of me can be somewhat inaccurate because of their anger towards me. Greek writers have spoken of me as having negative aspects, but my inscriptions throughout my kingdom say otherwise as I take the good virtues that have been bestowed upon me by Ahura-Mazda. I took care of the revolts in both Egypt and Babylonia swiftly and successfully, with proper actions undertaken to teach the inhabitants a lesson.Egypt lost the privilige of self-government and local autonomy, and even though the Babylonians revolted twice because the first punishment wasn't as harsh, the second time they revolted they lost their Gods and in effect this stopped the revolts in the future. Greek writers described my actions towards the revolts as trying to crush their reli gions without thought, but they failed to mention that it is general practice of rulers in dealing with rebellious countries to destroy sanctuaries.As said in an inscription in Persepolis, when my father Darius went away from the throne, I became king on his throne by the grace of Ahuramazda. After I became king, I finished what had been done by my father, and I added other works. The palace through my building program became twice as big as it was in Darius's reign, there was an innovative design shown in Persepolis with the staircases for example. The palace was not a permenant residentual place, but rather an administrative centre and focus for religious ritual with there also being inscriptions that give details of religion.For the war on Greece, the correct decision was made that they must be punished for their assistance in the Ionians revolt so I made preperations for invasion over 4 years. First I decided to take diplomatic measures, so I sent out envoys to demand earth and water from the Greeks. But because Athens and Sparta were my target, I decided best not to ask for their submission but to just punish them and lay the assault on them. I demanded for my subjects of the provinces to send men for the army I was sending, this army was the largest in recorded history said by Herodetus and further determined by modern historians.I decided that the soldiers of my army needed easier movement, so there was a bridge at Hellespont built over the years in preperation. There was the matter of supplies and food for the many warriors that would travel to Greece, so supply depots were set up for easy access of supplies while travelling or waiting. I then entrusted the Egyptians with the task to make the materials to build a bridge across the Strymon River, the bridge was close to the supply depot at Eion. My father previously sent his ships to Greece unaware of the weather conditions, this resulted in a storm sinking the ships.I learnt from this mistake and built a canal at Mt Athos so the Persian ships could safely pass through. The attack on Greece began at Thermopylae and the cowards hid in the mountains not willing to fight with honor. It was then by the will of Ahura-Mazda that a Greek called Ephialtes came to me and spoke of a mountain pass that allowed us to surround the Greeks and crush their inferior soldiers, Herodetus told the story of the Battle of Thermopylae. After this victory I was then deceived by a Greek who told me that the Greeks were leeing, so the fleet was sent to Salamis and was ambushed unfairly. It was at this defeat I thought it best to retreat and protect the bridges which was the smarter decision in the situation, after this decision was made I left Mardonius in command of the forces and returned to Persia. To carry out my father's legacy I inherrited his foreign policy in which I was expected to further expand the Persian empire. The three things I was required to do through the foreign policy was to punish the Greeks, further expand empire the and to gain personal glory as my predecessors had done.Through the Greek campaign I accomplished the task that was inherrited, I punished the Athenians and burnt their city so my real goal was achieved, I also further expanded the empire to the East with the addition of provinces such as Thrace and Macedonia and I also added territory in the most distant Eastern provinces. Through the building program personal glory was in an obvious way achieved, and the palace in Perespolis showed this and left an impression even after my reign finished. It was also said by J.L O'Neil that I wasn't interested in military affairs and preferred building activities. Religious policy was properly taken out, as said in an inscription written by myself is that I copied the religion of my father Darius who recognised Ahuramazda as the supreme creator or God. More importantly, I recognise that I was king through the favor of Ahuramazda which was also said in an inscripti on. Doing this made religion an important political dimension and through this I was an instrument of Ahura-Mazda.I strengthened the religion shown in the â€Å"daeva† inscription which eliminated other Gods and made the â€Å"demon† Gods no longer worshipped. I was successful in what was expected of me as a Persian ruler, I demonstrated that I was fit to rule the empire and I continued my fathers legacy. Inscriptions throughout Persia said that even after the retreat from Greece my subjects still respected me and thought of me as a great king, showing that the loss did not damage Persian society.

Formal Essay in Human Relationships and Life Transitions Being an Adult Essay

Throughout this essay, I will be discussing the transition of adolescence. This transition is a stage of development between childhood and adulthood, from about 12 to 20 years of age. This transition from childhood to adulthood is smooth for some but rough for others(Caspi, 2000). This essay will discuss predictable and non-predictable elements of the transition. Health in adolescence issues this involves drugs & alcohol abuse and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are classified as unpredictable elements. Physical Development (body growth and physical changes during adolescence) or Puberty and Cognitive Development are classified as a predictable element during the transition. It will also explore the impact on relationships and concepts of self for persons undertaking the transition. Furthermore, it will deliberate the contributions of contemporary and seminal authors to describe the differences between the two past and presents authors/researcher’s theories in understanding of the adolescence life transitions. Another factor that will be discussed is the concept of self during the transition, and then finally it will comprehensively explain the importance for nurses to understand the adolescence transition. A.The importance of predictable and unpredictable elements in Adolescence transitions will assist in identifying the significant changes in every life event transition. Moreover, it will also benefit in supporting adolescent to meet challenging changes throughout the transition. The first predictable element is puberty the biological transition of adolescence, the most noticeable sign of being an adolescent. Theoretically, puberty refers as a collective term to refer to all the physical changes that occur in the growing girl or boy as the individual passes from childhood into adulthood(Habermas & Bluck, 2000). In boys a major change is the increased production of testosterone, a male sex hormone, while girls experience increased production of the female hormone oestrogen(Dedovic, Wadiwalla, Engert, & Pruessner, 2009). In boys a major change is the increased production of testosterone, a male sex hormone, while girls experience increased production of the female hormone oestrogen (Carpentier & Fortenberry, 2010). Internally, through the development of main sexual characteristics, adolescents become capable of sexual reproduction. Externally, as secondary sexual characteristics appear, girls and boys begin to look like mature women and men. In boys primary and secondary sexual characteristics usually emerge in a predictable order, with the rapid growth of the testes and scrotum, accompanied by the appearance of pubic hair. In later years, it will begin the growth of facial and body hair, and a gradual lowering of the voice. Around mid-adolescence internal changes begin making a boy capable of producing and ejaculating sperm. In girls, sexual characteristics develop in a less regular sequence. Usually, the first sign of puberty is a slight elevation of the breasts, but sometimes this is preceded by the appearance of pubic hair. In teenage girls, internal sexual changes include maturation of the uterus, vagina, and other parts of the reproductive system. Menarche(Cochrane, 1993). Regular ovulation and the ability to carry a baby to full term usually follow menarche by several years. The second predictable element is Cognitive Development transition a second element of the passage through adolescence is a cognitive transition(Champion & Collins, 2010). Compared to children, adolescents think in ways that are more advanced, more efficient, and generally more complex. Adolescence individuals become better able than children to think about what is possible, instead of limiting their thought to what is real. Whereas children’s thinking is oriented to the here and now—that is, to things and events that they can observe directly, adolescents are able to consider what they observe against a backdrop of what is possible—they can think hypothetically. Second, during the passage into adolescence, individuals become better able to think about abstract ideas. This is clearly seen in the adolescent’s increased facility and interest in thinking about interpersonal relationships, politics, philosophy, religion, and morality—topics that involve such abstract concepts as friendship, faith, democracy, fairness, and honesty. Third, during adolescence individuals begins thinking more often about the process of thinking itself, or metacognition. As a result, adolescents may display increased introspection and self-consciousness. Although improvements in metacognitive abilities provide important intellectual advantages, one potentially negative by product of these advances is the tendency for adolescents to develop a sort of egocentrism, or intense preoccupation with the self. Acute adolescent egocentrism sometimes leads teenagers to believe that others are constantly watching and evaluating them, much as an audience glues its attention to an actor on a stage. Whereas children tend to think about things one aspect at a time, adolescents can see things through more complicated lenses. Adolescents describe themselves and others in more differentiated and complicated terms and find it easier to look at problems from multiple perspectives. The unpredictable elements are health related issues in adolescence are alcohol and other drug use. Experimentation with psychoactive substance is widespread during adolescence. Psychoactive substances are naturally occurring or artificial materials that act on the nervous system, altering perceptions, moods and behaviour. They range from naturally occurring substances, such as alcohol, which is produced from the fermentation of plant sugars by yeast, to designer drugs such as ecstasy. Most teenager experiment with different substances, constituting substance use and in some individual’s experimentation escalates into habitual or repeated usage known as substance abuse. They also engaged in â€Å"binge drinking† which arising in recent years. Binge drinking is defined as the consecutive ingestion of five or more standard drinks in less than two hours. Other factors of unpredictable health issues is sexually transmitted infections, adolescent sexual behaviour may impose a significant health risk to teenagers through a range of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Sexually transmitted infections are bacterial and viral infections that enter the body via the mucous membranes of the mouth and the sex organs following physical contact. Sexually transmitted infection includes syphilis, gonorrhoea, genital lice, scabies, chlamydia, herpes, genital warts, hepatitis and HIV/AIDS. The reason for the high rates of STIs in adolescents is that this age group is more prone to sexual experimentation and risky sexual behaviours than other age groups. Risky sexual behaviour includes unprotected sexual activity without using barriers such as condoms, sexual activity involving multiple partners and sexual activity involving partners whose sexual is unknown. B. The impact on relationships and concepts of self for persons undertaking the transition is established by a personal identity a key task of adolescence is successful resolution of Erikson’s psychosocial crisis of identity versus role confusion. Identify formation involves selectively integrating some aspects of earlier childhood identity and discarding others. Successful resolution of the identity crisis of adolescence depends on the opportunities to experiment with different social roles and activities. Individual differences identify achievement are due to culture, gender roles , peer influences, parenting styles and life circumstances experienced by adolescents, which may increase or decrease opportunities for exploration. Self-concept is based on more abstract beliefs and values than the concrete and comparative ideas of self during childhood. Increased of perspective-taking ability may reveal ‘true’ and ‘false’ selves in relation to interactions with different people, but this can reflect positive experimentation with different roles that contribute to self-concept. Self-esteem decreases significantly between child self-concept and mid- adolescence, and more dramatically for girls than for boy s. The sex differences is probably anchored to sex-role differences, greater body image dissatisfaction in girls than in boys, and the differential boost to self-worth that romantic relationships bring to adolescent boys and girls. Parent –child relationships become less asymmetrical term s of the balance of power during adolescence compared with childhood, as a result of adolescent’s push for autonomy. There are wide individual differences in the degree of autonomy achieved by adolescents, depending on parenting styles and cultural and gender based norms and attitude. During adolesce, close same-sex cliques and larger, looser amalgamations of several cliques called crow. Cliques and crowds provide the backdrop for new cross-sex interaction, including romantic relationships. Peer group conformity within cliques seeks out different kinds of advice and support from both parents and peers, Nonetheless, for minority ineffective parenting and influenced with a wrong crowd will experience a criminal career, exacerbate the pre-existing interpersonal difficulties that predispose adolescent to violence and being a gang members in the society. Bullying is also common in the society especially teens in primary and high school, it can affect the psychosocial development of a person. Positive peer relationships include same-sex friendships that are high in intimacy and mutual support are both essential in bridging to a successful romantic relationships which may also begin during adolescence. During adolescence, most individuals experience their first sexual intercourse. The age when this occurs is becoming earlier, depending on gender, cultural constraints and peer influences. Sexual minority status –lesbians, gay or bisexual may pose additional challenges to identify formation and sexual maturation during adolescence. C.The contribution of past and present authors and researcher’s in understanding towards the adolescent life transitions has vast changes in time. According to Kohlberg’s theory (Benenson, Tennyson, & Wrangham, 2011) extended Piaget’s work on moral development during the 1960’s uses male protagonist only as an examples of his theories which contradicts Carol Gilligan’s author of her popular book , â€Å"In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development† (1982), suggested that Kohlberg’s theories were biased against women, as only males were used in his studies. By listening to women’s experiences, Gilligan offered that a morality of care can serve in the place of the morality of justice and rights espoused by Kohlberg. In her view, the morality of caring and responsibility is premised in nonviolence, while the morality of justice and rights is based on equality. (Gilligan, 1982). CONCLUSION As we discussed the main points of being adolescence it embodies the importance, relevance and impact of a particular life event transition. Adolescence is a distinct stage that marks the transition between childhood and adulthood. Adolescents are capable of abstract reasoning. Although you may still include the family in education, adolescents themselves are a major focus of teaching since they have considerable independence and are, consequently, in more control of the degree to which recommendations will be carried out. Adolescents have many important developmental tasks to achieve. They are in the process of forming their own identity, separating themselves from parents, and adapting to rapidly changing bodies. Bodily changes at puberty may cause a strong interest in bodily functions and appearance. Sexual adjustment and a strong desire to express sexual urges become important. Adolescents may have difficulty imagining that they can become sick or injured. This may contribute to accidents due to risk taking or poor compliance in following medical recommendations. Because adolescents have a strong natural preoccupation with appearance and have a high need for peer support and acceptance, health recommendations that they view as interfering with their concept of themselves as independent beings may be less likely to be followed. Therefore, as sexual adjustment and strong sexual urges characterize this age, the nurse may do significant teaching about sex education and contraception. In addition to teaching adolescents about why and how their bodies are changing, the nurse is also in a good position to dispel misconceptions young patients may have about sexual development or sexual behaviour. Teaching adolescents about sexuality requires a special sensitivity and understanding. Respect for the patient’s modesty, privacy, and opinions are critical to establishing an atmosphere of openness and trust. In addition to sex education, other important patient teaching areas are alcohol and drug abuse and general health measures, such as the importance of good nutrition and exercise as the basis for life-long health. Regardless of the topic, health education for adolescents is more effective when the nurse establishes trust by respecting the adolescent’s needs, shows empathetic understanding, and answers questions honestly. Patient teaching for adolescents should take the form of guidance rather than lecturing. Nurses who gain credibility with an adolescent patient establish themselves as the teen-ager’s advocate rather than representatives of the parents. The nurse may increase health teaching effectiveness by including the family. The nurse can give guidance and support to family members that can help them understand and respect adolescent behaviour. Parents should be encouraged to set realistic limits for adolescents while still allowing them to become increasingly responsible for their own health care management.

Celebrity Endorsement in India Essay Example for Free

Celebrity Endorsement in India Essay In India, celebrities are idolized as Gods and marketers have been trying their best to tap on this emotional connect of the people with the celebrities. Today, most of the popular brands are being endorsed by a famous personality either from entertainment industry or sports arena. Strategic brand positioning and effective communication are the keys to success in today’s market where many brands compete in the same category for the market share. Companies are employing their maximum might to promote their brands and occupy a long lasting image in the minds of the consumers. In India, television is the most popular and effective means of the mass communication. There are over three million television commercials being aired every year. However, 80 percent of them are forgotten by the people in a day or two. So, it is imperative for the marketers to ensure that their ad campaign stands out amongst the crowd (Suhalka, n.d.). Since advertising is a highly critical tool for luring customers to make purchases, Indian firms are investing millions of rupees on celebrity advertising (Khatri, 2006). Celebrity endorsements are also an easy option for Indian marketers because of the disparities of the Indian consumer base in terms of religion, ethinicity, value system and most importantly economic variations. Therefore, advertisers in India emphasis a lot on brand recall and customer persuasion for differentiating their ad campaigns from those of the counterparts. It is here that celebrity endorsement provides a tremendous boost (Surana, 2008). For instance, one of the strongest celebrity endorser is cricketer Sachin Tendulkar who is a youth icon and endorses many successful brands like, Pepsi, Boost, Aviva Life Insurance, TVS, Britannia Biscuits, Visa, Airtel etc. Like, Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bac hchan, Kareena Kapoor also have many brands in their kitties. Indians love their celebrities and blindly follow their suit. This has proved to be a boon for the marketers and celebrity endorsement is just getting better by the day. It has now become an indispensible part of the marketing communication strategy. It is a win ?win situation for both the celebrities and the brands. However, the consumers are ones who are least benefitted as they end up paying more for the products and services. †¢ Khatri, P., 2006. Celebrity Endorsement: A Strategic Promotion Perspective. Indian Media Studies Journal, 1(1).Pp. 25-37 †¢ Suhalka,G.n.d. Celebrity Endorsers and Endorsements in India- The Rise and the Impact [pdf] Available at: http://www.ndtvmi.com/b4/dopesheets/garima.pdf [Accessed 18 February 2012] †¢ Surana,R., 2008. The Effectiveness of Celebrity Endorsement in India [pdf] Available at: http://edissertations.nottingham.ac.uk/2069/1/08MAlixrs13.pdf [Accessed 18 February 2012] Commentary | Theses | Dissertations | Journals & Articles | Proposals & Synopsis | Essays | Promotional Writing | Press Release Copyright  © 2005 – 2012 Project Guru India. All rights reserved. www.ProjectGuru.in Celebrity Endorsement in India. (2016, Dec 07).

The Role of Globalization in Promoting Inequality in the United States Essay

The Role of Globalization in Promoting Inequality in the United States and the World - Essay Example On the other hand, it has been highly criticize by those who view it as an advancement of uncontrolled capitalism, and as a threat to social cohesion, which undermines social welfare. In a bid to understand the role of globalization in promoting inequality, this essay seeks to answer the following question; what is globalization? What does unequal distribution of globalization effects around the world mean? What relationship exists between inequalities and globalization? By addressing this questions, the paper underpins the role of globalization in promoting inequality in the United States and in the world. Discussion Role of Globalization on Poverty and Inequality In John A. Powell and S.P Udayakumar’sRace, Poverty and Globalization, Powell and Udayakumar look into the role of globalization on poverty and inequality in certain nations. Powell and Udayakumar define globalism as the process by which capital, goods and services move freely among countries. As globalization advan ces, national boundaries become more permeable and less relevant, allowing multinational companies to open branches worldwide. In most developing nations, the cost of living is sky-rocketing every day; the consumer goods are expensive and the governments’ adoption of a market oriented economics translates to loss of consumer goods subsidies. People in South America are forced to work under poor work conditions with low pay if they are to earn a living due to globalism. Inequality exists because while the U.S and other first world governments report budget surpluses, the people of color in this poor nations and in the U.S in general are not able to meet their daily needs. The government does not help improve housing for the low income earners and the homeless; the public schools attended by these minority races are in poor condition; and the government still has not found a proper solution to provide medical attention and social services for the poor. Globalism in the U.S is p articularly hostile to people of color; civil rights movements, women’s movements and environmental movements are marginalized in an economic arena by the wealthy and political figures in the economy. Effects of Globalization on the U.S Worker A closer look at Wal-Mart, America’s largest retailer, and one is able to draw conclusions as to the revolutionary power of retailers over manufacturers in America today. Retailers are no longer dependent in the local manufacturer; they continue to push for the move of production offshore which translates to reduced costs on their part, â€Å"everyday low prices† for the customers and low wages for the local worker. This new policy of reducing costs to the minimum leads to loss of jobs in America to the globalization trend of moving production offshore, where the cost of labor is cheap and readily available. This puts thousands of Americans on unemployment. At the same time, â€Å"globalization has transformed retailers l ike Wal-Mart into the powers of the economy, the center of business, and the manufacturers have become the vassal, the serf, who has to bid for the retailers,† says Nelson Lichtenstein, a professor at the University of California Santa Barbara. Wal-Mart’s major strategy is to operate at the lowest costs possible and to go global; most local manufacturers have had to either abide by Wal-Mart’s policy or risk losing shelf volume. This translates to workers in these companies suffering due to low wages imposed by these manufacturers in a bid to fit in with Wal-Mart’s policy of low prices. Manufacturing companies like Rubber Maid have had to risk losing volume since Wal-Mart could not take the price increase proposed by Rubber Maid to counter the

Describe a companys obligations to protect that information and the Essay

Describe a companys obligations to protect that information and the techniques and tools that can use to accomplish that task - Essay Example People are making purchases online, making transactions through net banking and playing the share market through the net. The net is being used for every conceivable financial, social and cultural interaction. Every time there is an online interaction or an online transaction the consumer has divulge some information to the business that he or she is dealing with. In certain financial sectors such as banking and insurance, very sensitive consumer information is handled and stored by businesses. As the computer and the Internet become ubiquitous the volume of such sensitive consumer information increases at a very rapid pace. Proper safeguard of this sensitive consumer information is an issue that is gaining increasing importance. If such information is used arbitrarily or falls into the wrong hands, it could result in very drastic consequences for the consumer. On the Internet, the digital or virtual presence of an individual is established by the digital or virtual identity of the individual. The digital identity of an individual is defined by a set of parameters including the individual’s Social Security Number, bank account information, credit card information, etc. If these parameters are known to a second individual, he or she may falsely assume the identity of the original individual and carry out financial and other transaction on behalf of the original individual. These transactions could result in huge financial and other losses for the victim and unlawful gains for the perpetrator. The perpetrator thus indulges in identity theft of the victim. Again, sensitive information of the consumer, financial or otherwise, could be unscrupulously utilized to gain business advantage or make profits at the cost of the consumer. Measures, therefore had to be adopted, and rules and regulations formulated so that care is taken by all busi nesses to provide adequate protection and safeguards to consumer information in their possession. The

Anatomy of a Olympic Team Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Anatomy of a Olympic Team - Research Paper Example Unfortunately, the British Swimming Team turned up with only three medals, rather than the expected target of five to seven medals. This paper is all about researching and analyzing the various factors related to how the British Olympic Association’s systems and culture, the external influences on the team, individual athletes’ characteristics and the overall elements influencing the team, had an impact on the performance of the British Swimming team. From this analysis, one can discover how successful the British Swimming Team has been in achieving its targets, satisfying its swimmers’ needs, and preserving its team’s survival on an international level (Parliament UK 2010; Pullbuoy 2012; Swimpsych 2012). One of the first things related to this analysis that should be considered is the goal that the British Olympic Swimming Team was aiming to achieve; a target of five to seven medals for the 2012 Olympics. This goal was not an unrealistic one, as it was ba sed on various statistics. For instance, the number of finalists that had qualified for the Games was almost four times the number of finalists that had qualified back in the 2000 Olympics. Also, if the average number of medals won by the British Swimming Team in global swimming events in the last nine years is considered, the number comes up to approximately five. Furthermore, the number of swims was greater than it had been since 1992 and it is noted that 40% of the swimming team had swum faster in 2012 than in 2011. These statistics, along with the record of the highest number of swimmers in Britain’s Olympic history to qualify for the finals, prove that, in theory, a target of five to seven medals was certainly a realistic one. However, even though there were promising signs about the team completing the target, issues have been raised concerning the level of performance achieved. True, the statistics stated above are not the only factors that can control the team’ s performance. Nevertheless, the performance of individual swimmers can certainly be controlled; estimates were made using the best swimming times of individuals in relays from 2006, 2007 and 2012-2012. If, hypothetically, it is assumed that a swimmer can produce their best time in the heats, semis and finals, it was found that only 4 out of 49 swims produced personal best performances, while 8 out of 49 swims produced textile best times. This low quota of best times rightfully proves that the British Swimming Team was not sufficiently prepared, resulting in it facing a high level of difficulty. Had it been so, the results of the 2012 Olympics would have been greatly improved, as their targeted goal was an easily achievable one (Pullbuoy 2012). Another aspect that should be considered is the characteristics of key swimmers in the Great Britain Swimming Team. The team has a record breaker in their midst, in the form of Michael Jamieson, a first class Scottish swimmer. He won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics after competing in the 200 meter breaststroke and has broken the British record at least 3 times. His skill set comprises mainly of the breast stroke technique and the butterfly technique. Jamieson’s coach, David McNully, speaks highly of him and is always on his toes to help Jamieson improve his technique. Jamieson has always been taking swimming seriously, always improving and very self-motivating. They might not have done so well in the 2012 Olympics, but with Michael Jamieson in

The Law of Evidence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Law of Evidence - Essay Example Within the Received View, the importance of testimony in the language of perception runs even deeper. Our daily conversations and descriptions of events are suffused with opinion, interpretation, and evaluation. Often we are allowed only to agree with the leading questions of our conversation partners, questions themselves suffused with assumptions, opinions, interpretations, and evaluation (Pattenden, 1986). Such conversations are about matters of interest but are, much more, occasions by which the speakers constitute and reform their relationship, an enterprise often well served by the sharing of opinions and judgments. The factual accuracy of the accounts is usually of less significance than self-revelation and invitations to reciprocity. By contrast, testimony in response to non-leading questions in the language of perception provides the jury exactly what it needs to decide the case according to the norms embedded in the instructions: an artificially stripped-down, value-free account of the witness's perceptions (Allen, 2005). These perceptions are a kind of "prime matter," as Aristotle put it, utterly plastic to both the jury's empirical generalizations and, more important, to the legal norms embedded in the instructions. Testimony in the language of perception reduces the likelihood that the jury will simply adopt the moral or political judgments smuggled into the "descriptions" by an authoritative or sympathetic witness. It is often suggested that the vigour with which the rule against hearsay is still applied in criminal cases is attributable to the phenomenon of trial by jury in criminal trials on indictment. Juries, it is said, cannot be expected to assess properly the reliability of hearsay evidence on a case-by-case basis, and thus it is preferable that a blanket ban on such evidence be maintained. Concern about the ability of juries to handle hearsay evidence was particularly prevalent in the 19th century, but its influence on current hearsay doctrine is still evident. 'It is probably no accident', Tapper has pointed out, 'that the hearsay rule is the same in both civil and criminal proceedings where the mode of trial is the same, whether in both cases by judge and jury as in the United States, or by judge alone as in South Africa; but different in England and Scotland, where the form of trial is quite different in civil and criminal proceedings.' Further, in Continental jurisdictions, where ve ry little reliance is placed on jury trial, there is no rule against hearsay of the sophisticated variety that exists in England. In Germany, for example, there is no formal ban on oral hearsay (although, in practice, such evidence is usually adduced only if the maker of the statement is unavailable, or to supplement her or his testimony and written hearsay is, subject to minor exceptions, freely admissible. France, like Germany, does not have a formal hearsay rule. The broad drift of the law of evidence has been to admit more and more hearsay evidence, and for the constitutional jurisprudence surrounding the

International relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International relations - Essay Example This can be detrimental if there no other stronger economies to watch over or counter the influence of the economically superior country. At least, there should be countries with better GDP that can form a stronger coalition to resist the aggressive actions of the former. From the Goldstein text, United States appears to be one of the countries with strongest GDP of up to 14,000. U.S. has been seen in so many occasions undertaking military interventions in war-torn regions with the purpose of maintaining peace. Its superiority is therefore not in question but it aggressiveness and interest in these interventions begs some stream of answers. With such strong economy and wealth, it can use its influence to advance selfish interests that it may harbor (Goldstein, Whitworth, and Pevehouse 475). This can be so aggressive to the extent of undermining the sovereignty of other territorial boundaries. It may become even more intolerant to other small economies that questions its advancements, or may identify viable resources in other territorial regions that it may want to benefit from. This aggressiveness may not be possible to counter if the other countries are so weak economically that they cannot form a coalition to deal with the aggressive country. In this case, three countries may form a coalition that may be able to stop counter the actions of the United States in case it decides to go aggressive and wreak havoc on other economies or countries since they cannot match its s0uperiority. Among the countries capable of countering such a wave include China; with GDP of 9,500, Japan with GDP of 4, 400 and Germany with GDP of 3000. When combined their coalition can wield a combined GDP of 16, 900 capable of toppling the might of U.S in case it goes intolerably aggressive. U.S has been known for its superiority in advancing the aims of maintaining the world’s stability though. However, its interest may surpass that of the common global good. The

See below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

See below - Essay Example ry suggests that the goodwill, moral, and political aspect of a person depends on the contract and agreement amongst a group of people within the society. Aristotle uses this theory to convince Crito to remain in prison and accept his death penalty (Anton). Philosophy describes egoism as an intrinsic factor that should emanate from within us. Aristotle includes this concept in his theory when he states that wisdom depends on our deliberate actions, emotions, and social skills. Motivation in people occurs when they develop certain interests and desires in life. Utilitarianism phenomenon suggests that most of the good things that happen in human lives result from being morally upright. In order to distinguish utilitarianism from egoism, we consider that maximization of the moral right behavior in respect to the good well of an individual as well as the others within the society. According to Kant, achieving happiness is luck and not within our power. Aristotle fails to address this iss ue. However, he suggests that both practical and theoretical concepts builds on already existing phenomenon hence one cannot develop a theory from scratch. Kant expresses the same skepticism in his theory. The feminist theory tries to prevent gender decimation. Aristotle fails to mention this concept in his work. However, his ethical definition summarizes this concept. In conclusion, Aristotle ethical theory is a master of all these theories. It summarizes all the concepts highlighted by various

Graffiti as Art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Graffiti as Art - Research Paper Example Insofar as graffiti in Trinidad is concerned, graffiti is an art. The reasons, aesthetic criteria included, that reiterates that graffiti is an art outweigh the criticism of incoherence, nonstandard, and illegal presentation. This paper seeks to identify graffiti as a form of art, with particular emphasis on graffiti in the walls of the streets in Trinidad. The paper also highlights some peculiar tagging present in the graffiti as well as providing some samples from the region. Background A previous research on graffiti in Trinidad shows that prior to the arrival of Howok, a graffiti artist from Dublin aged 25 years, the graffiti in Trinidad was primarily two dimensions with one or two colors. However, the region is experiencing some changes in the graffiti section. Big, colored, three-dimension graffiti are pooping up literary every night on walls in the streets, from Diego Martin main road, Ariapita Avenue, Western main road to the Foreshore. Interestingly, these graffiti have some resemblance, with the majorly the name of the new graffiti artist, Howok. It seems that the artist brought different texts and colors to the graffiti industry in Trinidad. However, some graffiti in the Trinidad Island also reflect their culture, such as the one that depicts people playing the steel pan (Plate 1), a national instrument for the country. Plate 1:Grafiti in Trinidad showing people playing steel pans. Contrary to graffiti in the West and other parts of the world, the graffiti in Trinidad predominantly incorporates the name of the artist rather than the wide use of numerous graphics and texts eminent in North America (Schlee, 2005). Nonetheless, graphics are becoming a common feature of graffiti in Trinidad, though not with the same magnitude as with other countries. It is from such evidence that this paper seeks to assert that graffiti art in Trinidad is indeed a form of art. The origin of graffiti art in the Caribbean region dates back to the 1990s, as the societies we re experiencing the impact of popular cultural phenomena. The popular Caribbean culture has influence of the developments across the global mass culture. Throughout the 1990s, the Caribbean societies exhibited signs of influence from international fashion, films, music, and other emerging industries, particularly among the youth. The young people tended to seek new avenues to express their feelings. They thus sought to propagate discourses as legitimate responses to the already established discourses. Graffiti art is among the most disruptive, subversive, and creative form of art in the Caribbean societies. It is dominant in Barbados and other regions such as the Trinidad Island. Despite its virtually omnipresent existence, the academic organizations completely ignore this form of art. Formal scrutiny, explication, and analysis of graffiti writing and art are yet to occur. The graffiti arts on public spaces and walls across the Caribbean depict the disaffection of some people. It is imperative to understand the background of graffiti in the Caribbean and the various cultural behaviors and phenomena that surround the graffiti art in order to make a comprehensive conclusion on the nature of graffiti art. Critics of graffiti art as a form of art base their arguments on their location, as well as

Dual Identities Essay Example for Free

Dual Identities Essay What is identity? We know from intuitive self-awareness that personal identity exists. It seems to be a fact of conscious life, as common as the word I. But the real question is how to define it? I have come to realize that there is no set definition on what makes an identity, so if my understanding is correct anything and everything can make an identity. There is no wrong answer. It varies from person to person. For example Andre Dubus, the author of Witnessmakes his identity clear through stories in which he shows his disability. In his case having a disability is part of his identity I cannot stand or walk . . . I cannot live as normals do. As for myself, I can relate, although not to the extent as Dubus, I can understand the anger that goes along with a disability. My disability is anemia, and while most people that suffer from anemia do not see anything other than minor side effects, I do. I am severely anemic, and so it affects my everyday life. I have trouble getting up in the morning because I am too tired, even after a good night sleep. I have to take iron pills and I eat red meat almost every day. Furthermore, I have seen more doctors than I wish to remember and they all tell me the same thing youll grow out of it. Really, thanks Doctor, youve been so helpful, I reply sarcastically. Few people know about my sickness, which I plan to keep that way. For some reason I feel that if many people knew about it they would feel bad for me, and could possibly think I was weak, which is the last thing that I want. Part of my identity is being strong and un-afraid, which is a difficult thing to pull off for a girl. Dave Barry the author of Guys vs. Men thinks that a lot of men give guys a bad name. Just like Barry I think that a lot of girls give females a bad name. Let me explain. I think that a lot of girls are overly dramatic, way too emotional, and acted dumber than they really are, for reasons that are very unclear to me. I know that I am feeding into the stereotype, but some girls fit the stereotype too well to not comment on. I refuse to take guff from anyone, unless I deserve it, and I speak what is on my mind. I have heard that I can be very threatening, but I do not believe that I should refrain from speaking my mind when I see it necessary.  In Keith Bradshers essay Reptile Dreams Clotaire Rapaille describes teens very well by commenting that They want to give the message, I want to be able to fight back, dont mess with me.' Clotaire seems to sum up the thoughts of the American youth very well, or at least me. I think that I acquired that aspect of my identity from when I lived in Los Angeles. Zora Neal Hurston explains it well I left Eatonville, as ZoraWhen I disembarked on the river boatShe was no more, in her essay How if feels to be Colored Me.She expressed exactly how I felt when I moved to Sacramento. I felt like I wasnt myself anymore. When I lived in Los Angeles I developed an eclectic personality; because I was friends with so many different types of people I took on other aspects of my personality. Unfortunately because I lived in LA I always had to have my guard up, im not sure how to explain it correctly other than, if you lived there you would understand. For the most part everyone had to fend for themselves, and if you werent able to do that than you were a follower of someone who did. I later came to realize that ones sense of self, or ones identity is developed through, among other things, external influences including friends, family, and situations. Now looking back I can see where I have gotten my attitude. Im smart mouthed, sarcastic, and blunt. Through those traits I have also acquired nicknames. A recent nickname as of this summer was, Ms. Attitude. This summer I went wake-boarding with some family friends, their friends, and my best friend. So basically it was my friend and I, and 7 guys. What I came to realize though this summer, is that most guys arent used to girls that talk back. Because I am very sarcastic the guys were very surprised, which is why I developed the nickname. They thought it was hilarious, and I was recently told by one of them that they miss my attitude, so I guess I left an impression. What is shocking to me though, is that I usually get that reaction from most guys, which leads me to believe that they have never met any girls from LA. I moved last summer before senior year to Granite Bay, and attended Granite Bay High School my senior year. I moved from my moms house to my dads house,  willingly, to avoid a lot of un-necessary drama. The move was quite unexpected for everyone but myself. I left because I came to realize that my friends were no longer my friends. Many of my friends had begun to do some very hard drugs, and so I no longer wanted to be around them. I knew it was a bad environment, so I left. I have always been very independent and have never relied on anyone else to make decisions for me. I only did what I thought was right, yet after sharing my story with a few new friends in Nor*Cal I witnessed a lot of jaw-dropping, everyone thought that it was such a big deal. My identity quickly developed, I was the girl from L.A. I valued that identity, I almost felt like superman, I was Clark Kent when I was home in LA, and Superman when I was in Sacramento. I say Superman because a lot of people kind of looked at me like that, like I was invincible. I was like nothing any of them were used to. Other than being influenced from where one lives or lived, I believe that family can have a huge impact on ones identity. For instance, because I was raised by my mom, I turned out differently than if I was raised by my dad. If I was raised by my dad I think I would have turned out much more emotionally detached, and much more independent. I say this because my dads a guy, he doesnt seem to care about anything other than himself and definitely shows no sign of emotion or feeling, that means no hugs. If I was raised by him Im sure I would have had a job at thirteen and would probably be living on my own now. But because I was raised by my mom I grew being very spoiled, because my mom believes that school is more important than work so I was never allowed to get a job. Unfortunately I grew up having everything handed to me. Which is good because I got everything that I wanted very easily, but bad because I got used to having everything handed to me. In addition, because I grew up living with my mom I became more compassionate and caring because thats what I was taught. I consider the way I was raised part of my identity, I grew up with very strong ties to my family and thats part of who I am. In conclusion, I believe that there is no one way to decipher where an identity can come from. So once again what is identity? humans are the only animal that can be aware of oneself, and so we are also the only animal to  contemplate who we are, and why we are that way. Through this constant mission of self discovery everyone seems to have an ever-changing view on their personal identity. It is a fact of conscious life, as common as the word I, to want to know who we are. I have come to realize that there is no set definition on what makes an identity, so if my understanding is correct anything and everything can make an identity. There is no wrong answer. It seems to vary from person to person and if any given event, person, action, etc, has effected someone greatly enough it can become part of their identity, even unknowingly. For me writing this paper was a mission of self discovery, I have never really considered who I am other than the obvious. I now know who I am and why I am the way I am. To me that was the hardest thing to answer. Why?

Policies for the Promotion of Child Rights

Policies for the Promotion of Child Rights IDENTIFY ONE PIECE OF LEGISLATION, WHICH PROMOTES THE CHILDRENS RIGHTS IN YOUR SETTING One piece of legislation that promotes the childrens rights in my setting is the Data Protection Act 1998. This legislation gives everyone the right to know what information is held about them and it provides a framework to ensure that personal information is handled properly. One of its purposes is to safeguard the fundamental rights of individuals. The Act works in two ways, firstly it states that anyone who processes personal information must follow the eight principles below to make sure that the personal information is: Fairly and lawfully processed Processed for limited purposes Adequate, relevant and not excessive Accurate and up to date Not kept for longer than is necessary Processed in line with your rights Secure Not transferred to other countries without adequate protection Secondly, the Act provides everyone with important rights; these include the right to find out what personal information is held about them on computers and most paper records. It also gives the individual the right to complain if they are denied access to their personal information or feel that their information has not be handled according to the eight principles I have stated above. The Data Protection Act 1998 affects the way I run my setting. I have to ensure that: Any personal information I have is kept confidential and stored in a locked filing cabinet and I only can access it. I am careful when discussing with parents anything confidential that no-one is around to overhear our conversation, including in person or on the telephone All personal information I hold is relevant to my setting and is kept up to date I do not keep any information longer than necessary No data that I hold can be used or passed onto other parties without written consent from the parent Parents have the right to request access to my records at any time, but they can only see the information held about themselves and their children My confidentiality policy covers the above please see Appendix 1 Every organisation that processes personal information must notify the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) unless they are exempt; failure to notify is a criminal offence. I am exempt because no personal information I keep is stored on a computer. The only information I store on the computer is my accounts. If you had to notify they have now made changes to the notification fee structure that came into effect on 1st October 2009, it is now a tiered fee structure to reflect the costs of the ICO regulating data controllers of different sizes. DESCRIBE THE ROLE OF PRACTITIONER IN MEETING THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF ALL CHILDREN It is important that the practitioner meets the individual needs of all the children. To do this the practitioner first needs to know what the childrens individual needs are and this can be found out by talking to the parents and getting them to fill in My Special Book, any observations that you carry out, any other professionals involved with the child and liaising with any other settings that the child attends. If the child is old enough they may also be able to tell you. It is important to speak to the parents regularly and keep updated in any changes to the childrens interests and needs or home life. The ways that I use are: Email an effective way to send a quick message, but some parents may not have access to a computer. Newsletters can be a great way to keep parents informed of some of the activities the children have been doing; events and festivals planned; holiday dates and any other information the practitioner wants to tell the parents. Letters to the Parents if there are things you need to inform them of privately a letter would be best. In addition, the parents may have a hearing impairment and may not be able to use another form of communication. Telephone conversation this is best done at the end of the day when the practitioner and the parents have uninterrupted time to discuss things. You will need to make sure who can overhear the conversation so that you can maintain confidentiality. Face-to-Face you can arrange a meeting on neutral territory to discuss any concerns but again you need to maintain confidentiality and make sure you are not overheard. Daily diary keeping the parents informed of the activities the child has done during the day, along with sleep times, healthy food, snacks and drinks, nappy changes and any other information the parents need to know. The parents can also add anything to the diary that has happened at home that you need to know e.g. any accidents, broken nights sleep, teething, whether they have had breakfast etc. Text the quickest way to communicate, it can also be invaluable to someone with a hearing impairment. Most people nowadays have a mobile phone. It is also important to find out and respect the views of all the children to make them feel valued and not ignored this in turn promotes their self-esteem. I talk to the children about what interests them and what they think of things. We often play games that allow the children to air their views and opinions and I use this knowledge to enhance their learning and development. To be able to meet all the childrens needs you first need to understand what their rights are. There is a lot of legislation that promotes children rights but quite simply every child has a right to have their basic needs met for food, warmth and hygiene, but you also need to provide a nurturing environment where the children can rest, play and develop to their full potential. Maslows Hierarchy of needs is one of the best-known descriptions of needs. It identifies five basic needs and shows how higher needs are not considered until the lower level needs have been met. Self-actualisation (Achieving individual potential) Esteem (Self-esteem and esteem from others) Belonging (Love, affection, being a part of groups) Safety (Shelter, removal from danger) Physiological (Health, food, sleep) Diagram copied from Maslows Hierarchy at Changingminds.org It is important to know the difference between a want and a need. A Need is something that we cannot do without, like sleep, food and love. A Want is something that is desired at the time but is not essential and we can in fact do without. To make sure I meet all the childrens individual needs I take into consideration the ages of the children, their stage of development and abilities and whether they need to sleep or have quiet time when planning my daily routine, I make sure that I incorporate all their needs into my daily routine. The children need a daily routine to help them feel secure and they get to know what is happening next and this promotes their development. I adapt my routines depending on which children I have in the setting at the time. It is important that all the children are given a choice as much as possible, because this will help them as they grow and they need to be independent and make decisions for themselves. I give children a choice of snacks, they can choose from milk or water to drink and they can also decide for themselves what they would like to play with and with whom. It is my professional responsibility to: Safeguard and promote the welfare of all the children Make sure that people they come into contact with are suitable Ensure I have safe and suitable premises, environment and equipment Organise my setting so that every child receives an enjoyable and challenging learning and development experience that is tailored to their individual needs Maintain records, policies and procedures to ensure safe and efficient management of my setting and to meet the needs of the children Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2007, pg 6) states, Practitioners should deliver personalised learning, development and care to help children to get the best possible start in life. DISCUSS HOW YOUR DAILY ROUTINES SUPPORT CHILDRENS WELL BEING I have a basic daily routine that includes school runs, child-initiated play, adult-led activities, sleep/quiet time, snack and meal times and home time. The children begin to learn the structure of the day and what comes next. The times of the routine is never set in stone and it allows us to experience spontaneous events like playing in the snow, or taking your lunch to the park on a nice sunny day. For example for snack time the children know that after the mornings child-initiated play we have snacks and they help to clear the table and lay out the plates and cups, which are kept in a low cupboard which the children can easily access independently and this promotes their self-esteem and confidence to help and do things for themselves and others. They know that they are to wash their hands before eating and I have a stool so they can reach the sink which enables their independence and they all sit at the table waiting for the snacks. They have a choice of drink milk or water and they can choose what they want to eat from the choice of snacks on the table. There is always a selection of seasonal fruit, a carbohydrate toast, crumpet or muffin and dairy hard or soft cheese. Allowing the children choice enables them to start the process of thinking for themselves and this gives them a skill that they will need in life. I also need to consider individual children cultures and religions when providing food as some food is not allowed. We also try and incorporate food from around the world and learn about the food from different countries. Snack time is also a social time where we all sit together including myself. We talk about anything and everything, they tell me about things at home or school, where they are going on holiday, what there siblings have been doing, their favourite toys etc. It is a great time to learn more about them and I can use this information to inform my planning according to their current interests. Afterwards the children help to tidy up and clear the table. School drop off and collection times are also very social times. We talk as we walk to school; we often play games like eye spy, count how many red cars we see and look out for various different items along the way to use in our craft work. It is a time when the children learn about their environment and the world we live in. We also talk about stranger danger; how to cross the road safely and why we must all walk together and not run off. Because we carry out the same basic routine everyday the children feel safe and secure in my setting and know what happens next. A good routine develops their self-esteem and promotes independence, allows them to learn about their health by knowing when they have to wash their hands and allows the children to socialise and make healthy choices. The Importance of Routines Helping Children grow, feel secure and flourish states, Children need and crave routine. Routine helps establish security and peace in a childs life. DISCUSS HOW YOUR DAILY ROUTINES COULD MEET THE DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF PRE-SCHOOL AND SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN IN YOUR HOME BASED SETTING My daily routines meet the developmental needs of all the children in my care because I adapt depending on the age and stage of development of the children in attendance each day. The school-aged children are not here for morning snacks but we have snacks when we return from the afternoon school run. The older children know that when we get home to wash their hands and they help to set the table, the younger children see what the older children do and try to copy them. As I said before all the children plates, cups and cutlery are kept in a low cupboard which the children can easily access independently. The older children enjoy showing the younger ones what needs to be done to prepare for snacks and the older children gain self-esteem and self-confidence is being able to do things independtly for themselves and others. The younger children like to learn from the older children and this boots their self-confidence is learning to helkp others. Snack time is a time where we all talk about our day and share what we have been doing and what we enjoyed or disliked. School drop off and collection time can be a time of learning, as I said above we play different kinds of games. We also collect leaves and other items to use in our creative work later eg leaves, sticks, do some bark rubbings. We often include a trip to the playground on the way home from school, the younger children benefit from getting fresh air and observing from the comfort of the pushchair and watching the older children. The older children benefit from having the opportunity to run around in a great big space and practice their gross motor skills on the large play equipment. DISCUSS HOW YOU PROMOTE CHILDRENS SAFETY Promoting childrens safety is paramount. I ensure the childrens safety by providing a secure and welcoming environment and I take proper precautions to prevent accidents by carrying out daily risk assessments of my home and garden and any outings that we may go on. I also comply with my Local Safeguarding Children Boards procedures to ensure the safety and welfare of the children in my care. I have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the signs of possible abuse and neglect. Please see my Safeguarding Children Policy (Appendix ) and my Health and Safety Policy (Appendix ). I hold a current Early Years First Aid for Children and Adults certificate and Emergency Life Support for Adults certificate and have completed Safeguarding Children and Health, Hygiene and Safety Awareness training courses. I ensure that I am up to date with my knowledge by attending regular training throughout the year. I also have house rules, which the children know and follow these include taking off their shoes when indoors, sitting at the table or in a highchair to eat and drink, respecting the furniture, toys and each other. The rules are basic but are there to protect the children. The house rules are displayed at all times in pictures and words for the children to refer to. I make sure that all equipment and resources I provide are age and stage appropriate and that they are safe and clean. They are checked daily before and after use. Children are also taught how to safely use the equipment eg how to hold and use scissors. I use activities to help the children to learn about safety and we talk about how accidents can happen and how to prevent them. If an accident does happen I keep full records including details of the child/children involved, the treatment I provide and parents are given a carbon copy of this information, they also sign to confirm they have been told what happened. My premises are secure at all times: the front door is kept locked and the key is kept on a high shelf so only the adults can reach it. My back garden has a 6ft fence on three sides with no gate. The children are only collected by authorised adults or if it is necessary for someone else to collect them we use a password provided by the parents and they notify me in advance if this is going to happen. All the children are taught about road safety according to their age and developmental stage. With the older children, we talk about stranger danger and how they can keep themselves safe from people they do not know. The children know what to do if there is a fire by regularly practising fire drills and they know why it is important to follow what they have learnt. Please see my Emergency Evacuation Procedure (Appendix ) The children know to tidy up their toys to keep the playroom safe and free from hazards and we do this in a fun way so to maintain the childrens interest and their continued participation in learning to how to keep safe. I check the identify of visitors and keep accurate records of when and why visitors are here and I also record when my two assistants are on the premises. Myself and my assistants (Husband and Mother) have all had enhanced CRB checks, ensuring our suitability to look after the Children. The Children feel safe whilst they are in my care because they know that I will listen to any concerns they may have and respond to them appropriately. The parents know that I operate clear child safety procedures and they have copies of all my policies and permission forms. I make sure that I am a good role model for the Children at all times and I provide a good balance in promoting childrens freedom to explore and play whilst learning and developing and ensuring that they are safe. Children need to have the opportunity to take risks and to make mistakes but within safe limits, that way they learn to be alert to potential danger and how to keep themselves safe. Ofsted Early Years Safe and Sound (2006, pg 9) states, Children should have the freedom to make discoveries and enjoy experiences within safe limits, while learning how to protect themselves from harm. IDENTIFY STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNICATING WITH CHILDREN There are many ways that you can communicate with children but it is important to remember that children are still learning and developing so you need to communicate with them on their own level according to their age and interests. It is imperative to use vocabulary that the children understand eg they may not understand uncomfortable but may know what you mean when you say feeling funny. You also need to use a calm tone and body language that will not send mixed messages. You also need to be aware of children whose mother tongue is not English and that they will find it harder to communicate in English to begin with. Some children may have speech impairment or learning difficulties and this will make it harder for them to communicate effectively. It is also important to be patient and give the children time to respond to your questions. Communicating Effectively with Children states, By paying attention to and communicating regularly with children, you can help children create a vi ew of themselves and the world that is positive and healthy. Use the Childs name first this will get their attention and they are more likely to listen to you. Eye contact shows respect and allows you to gauge how much of the conservation is being understood. Calm tone children are sensitive to anger and do not like raised voices because they can focus solely on the fact that your voice is raised and they may be in trouble, rather than what you are saying. Thumbs up is a simple and easy way of showing approval. Body language avoid all confusion and communicate your message consistently through both words and actions, be aware that different cultures use and interpret body language in different ways. Listening and showing an interest a very important part of communication because if you do not listen and appear interested then it is just a one-way conversation and the child will not feel valued. Non-verbal communication Be aware that some children do not communicate verbally, and that it is important to adapt styles of communication to their needs and abilities eg sign language, lip reading etc. Questioning use open-ended questions to check understanding and acknowledge that they have heard what is being said. Speak slowly and clearly the child may have a hearing impairment and will need you to speak slowly and clearly, so they can understand you, also be aware of the level of background noise. Painting This may seem a strange way but children can communicate their feelings through creativity and may talk to you whilst they are painting without thinking about it. Picture books I am in the process of taking pictures of all my resources and making books that the children can look through and decide what activities they want to do. This is a great way to communicate their needs without being able to speak. Picture cards Can be used for asking children basic things like milk or water to drink. If you have children who use English as a second language then you can make/use picture cards to ask them things in their own language but also have the English word along with the picture and their mother language so they learn new words as they progress. DISCUSS ONE FACTOR THAT AFFECTS CHILDRENS BEHAVIOUR There are many factors that can affect childrens behaviour but I am going to focus on divorce. Any change in a Childs home life will have an effect on their behaviour but when one parent moves out it can be distressing for the child, as they may not know what has happened or when they will see that parent again. It is important for us as practitioners to listen to any concerns that the child has and respond to them according to their age and stage of development. You need to find a way to help them understand appropriate to their level of understanding. A pre-school child may show regressive behaviour. This means that the child may return to an earlier stage of development and, for example, start to wet themselves again. A pre-school child may become confused, irritable or worried. Children between six and nine are very vulnerable. At this age, a child is still not mature enough to understand what is going on, but is old enough to understand that something very unpleasant is taking place. They still depend very much on their parents and will have a hard time talking about their emotions. They may react with anger, or by not concentrating or making progress at school or by having learning difficulties. Children between 9 and 13 may have started having important relationships with other people besides their parents and family. When their parents divorce, it will often be good for a child to talk to someone outside the family about their problems and feelings. All Children can become very insecure. Insecurity can cause children to behave as if they are much younger and therefore bedwetting, clinginess, nightmares, worries or disobedience can all occur. This behaviour often happens before or after visits to the parent who is living apart from the family. Teenagers may show their distress by misbehaving or withdrawing into themselves. They may find it difficult to concentrate at school. It is normal for a child to feel lost, upset, angry and grieve for the family they once were. A child who does not show any feelings or reactions needs help to express what is going on inside. Otherwise, they are very likely to suffer depression and other problems later. Helping Children adjust to Divorce states, Children whose parents divorce are at greater risk for problems such as aggression, depression, lower self-esteem and poorer school performance. Children can express themselves in other ways than with words. Play is very important. You can play with the child and let them act out their feelings using role-play and puppets. Children may need to work off tension through energetic games; you can spend some time at the park or go to an indoor play centre. Drawing may help some children as they often draw things that are important to them. You can ask about the drawings and this can be a good way to start the child talking about what is going on inside, especially if they are not the type of child to talk openly. The child still needs to have established routines in their lives and whilst things are changing at home you can continue with your normal routine and this will give the child some stability and comfort during all the other changes, they feel more safe and secure when they know what to expect next. DESCRIBE STRATEGIES FOR CHALLENGING PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION WHEN WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES I operate an inclusive Childminding setting, where all children are welcome regardless of their race, religion, culture, sex, ability or disability, social background etc. I encourage the children to value everyone as a unique individual, to respect each others differences, and to learn from each other. Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education states, inclusion is founded upon a moral position which values and respects every individual and which welcomes diversity as a rich learning resource. I always challenge any instances of prejudice, unfair discrimination and harassment whether it is a comment a child has made or a parent. I will explain to the child or parent why what they have said is wrong and how their words have hurt another person. I make sure that I am a good role model for the children. Please see my Equal Opportunities Policy (Appendix ). I have toys and resources that show different cultures from around the world and people with different types of disabilities/impairments. We also recognize different festivals and religious occasions from a variety of religions worldwide to give the children a greater understanding of the World around them. I invite the parents to come and take part in story/singing time to enable the children to hear different languages, and stories from around the World. For example, if a Child called another person four-eyes because they wear glasses, I would explain to the Child how they have hurt that persons feelings and that they have to wear glasses because they help then to see as their eyes dont work as well as their eyes. I would also ask the Child how they would feel if someone had called them names. I would encourage the Child to say sorry (depending on their age and level of understanding). Another example is a child is a wheelchair and another child telling them that they cant join in and play with them at the sand and water table because they are in a wheelchair. I would explain to the child that yes they can join in we just need to adapt the position of the tray so that the wheelchair can fit around it and everyone can enjoy the same activity. If I have any children with additional needs in my setting I always talk to all the children about their impairments or disabilities (using the correct medical name) as it provides me with an opportunity to teach basic information about our bodies, health and possible illnesses. It also helps to get rid of any fears about disabilities and helps to influence childrens attitudes in a positive way. I make sure that I am a positive role model for the children and I update my knowledge regularly. I have just completed deaf awareness training and I am booked on other awareness courses. EXPLAIN HOW TO IMPLEMENT CHILDRENS RIGHTS IN THE HOME BASED SETTING I have explained in E2 my role in meeting the individual needs of the children and now I will explain how I implement the childrens rights in my setting. I make sure that I keep my knowledge of childrens rights updated through regular training courses and research through the library or internet. Childrens rights are about the obligations of all adults to protect the best interests of children, and to create the conditions under which they can develop and thrive. Childrens rights are embedded in my policies and I offer resources and activities to ensure that the children can learn about their rights for example we have an activity on diversity where the children look at pictures of children from around the world and we discuss our similarities and our differences and what they would like. Please see my Diversity Activity Planning sheet (Appendix ) I have used some of the Articles of the United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child to show how I implement childrens rights into my setting: Article 1 Everyone under 18 has these rights I ensure that all children in my setting know what their rights are. I use age appropriate resources such as games that we play, books that we read and just talking to each other. Article 2 You have the right to protection against discrimination All children are treated with equal concern and learn to treat each other with respect through the activities I provide eg. Learning about each others differences in a positive way, respecting each others cultures. Article 3 Adults should do whats best for you Everything that I do in my setting is always in the best interests of the child. I always take into consideration their views, feelings and rights when carrying out day to day activities. Article 7 You have the right to have a name and a nationality On the wall in the playroom we have pictures of everyone that attends the setting with their name underneath, so that we can easily learn each others names. We learn about each others nationality through stories and visits to the library and in the food we eat. Article 11 You should not be kidnapped I make sure that all the children are safe and secure in my care whether we are at home or out and about. The children know to stay close to me and not run off or talk to strangers. I never release a child into the care of someone that I dont know unless a parent has authorized it in times of emergency and we always use a password system. Article 12 You have the right to an opinion and for it to be listened to and taken seriously The children know that I will always listen to their opionions and take them seriously. We always discuss as a group and listen to each other. Article 19 You have the right to be protected from being hurt or badly treated I know the signs and symptoms of abuse and what to do if I am concerened about one of the children. The children know that they can talk to me about anything at anytime. Article 23 If you are disabled, either mentally or physically, you have the right to special care and education I run an inclusive setting and the children in my care am treated with equal concern with individual needs regardless of any disablilites. It is important to treat each child as an individual and not label them by their impairment or condition. Article 24 You have the right to the best health possible and to medical care and information I provide home cooked healthy meals and snacks to all children, including healthy drinks (milk and water). If I feel a child needs medical care then I have their parents permission to take them to the doctors or hospital in an emergency or with their written permission I am able to take the children to routine appointments. Article 29 You have the right to education which develops your personality, respect for others rights and the environment All children in my setting are taught appropriate to their age and stage of development. I use all the information I have gathered to provide a challenging and enjoyable experience across all the areas of learning and development, which allows each individual child to develop to their full potential. Article 30 If you come from a minority group you have the right to enjoy your own culture, practice your own religion and use your own language We all learn about each others cultures, religion and languages by the games that we play, books that we read, resources that we play with. We find out about different festivals and celebrations during the year eg Halloween, Christmas, Easter, Hanukkah, World Religion Day, Chinese New Year and many others. By getting to know all the children and their families I can meet the cultural needs for everyone and make sure that all the children feel valued. Article 31 You have the right to play and relax by doings things like sport, music and drama The children a Policies for the Promotion of Child Rights Policies for the Promotion of Child Rights IDENTIFY ONE PIECE OF LEGISLATION, WHICH PROMOTES THE CHILDRENS RIGHTS IN YOUR SETTING One piece of legislation that promotes the childrens rights in my setting is the Data Protection Act 1998. This legislation gives everyone the right to know what information is held about them and it provides a framework to ensure that personal information is handled properly. One of its purposes is to safeguard the fundamental rights of individuals. The Act works in two ways, firstly it states that anyone who processes personal information must follow the eight principles below to make sure that the personal information is: Fairly and lawfully processed Processed for limited purposes Adequate, relevant and not excessive Accurate and up to date Not kept for longer than is necessary Processed in line with your rights Secure Not transferred to other countries without adequate protection Secondly, the Act provides everyone with important rights; these include the right to find out what personal information is held about them on computers and most paper records. It also gives the individual the right to complain if they are denied access to their personal information or feel that their information has not be handled according to the eight principles I have stated above. The Data Protection Act 1998 affects the way I run my setting. I have to ensure that: Any personal information I have is kept confidential and stored in a locked filing cabinet and I only can access it. I am careful when discussing with parents anything confidential that no-one is around to overhear our conversation, including in person or on the telephone All personal information I hold is relevant to my setting and is kept up to date I do not keep any information longer than necessary No data that I hold can be used or passed onto other parties without written consent from the parent Parents have the right to request access to my records at any time, but they can only see the information held about themselves and their children My confidentiality policy covers the above please see Appendix 1 Every organisation that processes personal information must notify the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) unless they are exempt; failure to notify is a criminal offence. I am exempt because no personal information I keep is stored on a computer. The only information I store on the computer is my accounts. If you had to notify they have now made changes to the notification fee structure that came into effect on 1st October 2009, it is now a tiered fee structure to reflect the costs of the ICO regulating data controllers of different sizes. DESCRIBE THE ROLE OF PRACTITIONER IN MEETING THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF ALL CHILDREN It is important that the practitioner meets the individual needs of all the children. To do this the practitioner first needs to know what the childrens individual needs are and this can be found out by talking to the parents and getting them to fill in My Special Book, any observations that you carry out, any other professionals involved with the child and liaising with any other settings that the child attends. If the child is old enough they may also be able to tell you. It is important to speak to the parents regularly and keep updated in any changes to the childrens interests and needs or home life. The ways that I use are: Email an effective way to send a quick message, but some parents may not have access to a computer. Newsletters can be a great way to keep parents informed of some of the activities the children have been doing; events and festivals planned; holiday dates and any other information the practitioner wants to tell the parents. Letters to the Parents if there are things you need to inform them of privately a letter would be best. In addition, the parents may have a hearing impairment and may not be able to use another form of communication. Telephone conversation this is best done at the end of the day when the practitioner and the parents have uninterrupted time to discuss things. You will need to make sure who can overhear the conversation so that you can maintain confidentiality. Face-to-Face you can arrange a meeting on neutral territory to discuss any concerns but again you need to maintain confidentiality and make sure you are not overheard. Daily diary keeping the parents informed of the activities the child has done during the day, along with sleep times, healthy food, snacks and drinks, nappy changes and any other information the parents need to know. The parents can also add anything to the diary that has happened at home that you need to know e.g. any accidents, broken nights sleep, teething, whether they have had breakfast etc. Text the quickest way to communicate, it can also be invaluable to someone with a hearing impairment. Most people nowadays have a mobile phone. It is also important to find out and respect the views of all the children to make them feel valued and not ignored this in turn promotes their self-esteem. I talk to the children about what interests them and what they think of things. We often play games that allow the children to air their views and opinions and I use this knowledge to enhance their learning and development. To be able to meet all the childrens needs you first need to understand what their rights are. There is a lot of legislation that promotes children rights but quite simply every child has a right to have their basic needs met for food, warmth and hygiene, but you also need to provide a nurturing environment where the children can rest, play and develop to their full potential. Maslows Hierarchy of needs is one of the best-known descriptions of needs. It identifies five basic needs and shows how higher needs are not considered until the lower level needs have been met. Self-actualisation (Achieving individual potential) Esteem (Self-esteem and esteem from others) Belonging (Love, affection, being a part of groups) Safety (Shelter, removal from danger) Physiological (Health, food, sleep) Diagram copied from Maslows Hierarchy at Changingminds.org It is important to know the difference between a want and a need. A Need is something that we cannot do without, like sleep, food and love. A Want is something that is desired at the time but is not essential and we can in fact do without. To make sure I meet all the childrens individual needs I take into consideration the ages of the children, their stage of development and abilities and whether they need to sleep or have quiet time when planning my daily routine, I make sure that I incorporate all their needs into my daily routine. The children need a daily routine to help them feel secure and they get to know what is happening next and this promotes their development. I adapt my routines depending on which children I have in the setting at the time. It is important that all the children are given a choice as much as possible, because this will help them as they grow and they need to be independent and make decisions for themselves. I give children a choice of snacks, they can choose from milk or water to drink and they can also decide for themselves what they would like to play with and with whom. It is my professional responsibility to: Safeguard and promote the welfare of all the children Make sure that people they come into contact with are suitable Ensure I have safe and suitable premises, environment and equipment Organise my setting so that every child receives an enjoyable and challenging learning and development experience that is tailored to their individual needs Maintain records, policies and procedures to ensure safe and efficient management of my setting and to meet the needs of the children Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2007, pg 6) states, Practitioners should deliver personalised learning, development and care to help children to get the best possible start in life. DISCUSS HOW YOUR DAILY ROUTINES SUPPORT CHILDRENS WELL BEING I have a basic daily routine that includes school runs, child-initiated play, adult-led activities, sleep/quiet time, snack and meal times and home time. The children begin to learn the structure of the day and what comes next. The times of the routine is never set in stone and it allows us to experience spontaneous events like playing in the snow, or taking your lunch to the park on a nice sunny day. For example for snack time the children know that after the mornings child-initiated play we have snacks and they help to clear the table and lay out the plates and cups, which are kept in a low cupboard which the children can easily access independently and this promotes their self-esteem and confidence to help and do things for themselves and others. They know that they are to wash their hands before eating and I have a stool so they can reach the sink which enables their independence and they all sit at the table waiting for the snacks. They have a choice of drink milk or water and they can choose what they want to eat from the choice of snacks on the table. There is always a selection of seasonal fruit, a carbohydrate toast, crumpet or muffin and dairy hard or soft cheese. Allowing the children choice enables them to start the process of thinking for themselves and this gives them a skill that they will need in life. I also need to consider individual children cultures and religions when providing food as some food is not allowed. We also try and incorporate food from around the world and learn about the food from different countries. Snack time is also a social time where we all sit together including myself. We talk about anything and everything, they tell me about things at home or school, where they are going on holiday, what there siblings have been doing, their favourite toys etc. It is a great time to learn more about them and I can use this information to inform my planning according to their current interests. Afterwards the children help to tidy up and clear the table. School drop off and collection times are also very social times. We talk as we walk to school; we often play games like eye spy, count how many red cars we see and look out for various different items along the way to use in our craft work. It is a time when the children learn about their environment and the world we live in. We also talk about stranger danger; how to cross the road safely and why we must all walk together and not run off. Because we carry out the same basic routine everyday the children feel safe and secure in my setting and know what happens next. A good routine develops their self-esteem and promotes independence, allows them to learn about their health by knowing when they have to wash their hands and allows the children to socialise and make healthy choices. The Importance of Routines Helping Children grow, feel secure and flourish states, Children need and crave routine. Routine helps establish security and peace in a childs life. DISCUSS HOW YOUR DAILY ROUTINES COULD MEET THE DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF PRE-SCHOOL AND SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN IN YOUR HOME BASED SETTING My daily routines meet the developmental needs of all the children in my care because I adapt depending on the age and stage of development of the children in attendance each day. The school-aged children are not here for morning snacks but we have snacks when we return from the afternoon school run. The older children know that when we get home to wash their hands and they help to set the table, the younger children see what the older children do and try to copy them. As I said before all the children plates, cups and cutlery are kept in a low cupboard which the children can easily access independently. The older children enjoy showing the younger ones what needs to be done to prepare for snacks and the older children gain self-esteem and self-confidence is being able to do things independtly for themselves and others. The younger children like to learn from the older children and this boots their self-confidence is learning to helkp others. Snack time is a time where we all talk about our day and share what we have been doing and what we enjoyed or disliked. School drop off and collection time can be a time of learning, as I said above we play different kinds of games. We also collect leaves and other items to use in our creative work later eg leaves, sticks, do some bark rubbings. We often include a trip to the playground on the way home from school, the younger children benefit from getting fresh air and observing from the comfort of the pushchair and watching the older children. The older children benefit from having the opportunity to run around in a great big space and practice their gross motor skills on the large play equipment. DISCUSS HOW YOU PROMOTE CHILDRENS SAFETY Promoting childrens safety is paramount. I ensure the childrens safety by providing a secure and welcoming environment and I take proper precautions to prevent accidents by carrying out daily risk assessments of my home and garden and any outings that we may go on. I also comply with my Local Safeguarding Children Boards procedures to ensure the safety and welfare of the children in my care. I have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the signs of possible abuse and neglect. Please see my Safeguarding Children Policy (Appendix ) and my Health and Safety Policy (Appendix ). I hold a current Early Years First Aid for Children and Adults certificate and Emergency Life Support for Adults certificate and have completed Safeguarding Children and Health, Hygiene and Safety Awareness training courses. I ensure that I am up to date with my knowledge by attending regular training throughout the year. I also have house rules, which the children know and follow these include taking off their shoes when indoors, sitting at the table or in a highchair to eat and drink, respecting the furniture, toys and each other. The rules are basic but are there to protect the children. The house rules are displayed at all times in pictures and words for the children to refer to. I make sure that all equipment and resources I provide are age and stage appropriate and that they are safe and clean. They are checked daily before and after use. Children are also taught how to safely use the equipment eg how to hold and use scissors. I use activities to help the children to learn about safety and we talk about how accidents can happen and how to prevent them. If an accident does happen I keep full records including details of the child/children involved, the treatment I provide and parents are given a carbon copy of this information, they also sign to confirm they have been told what happened. My premises are secure at all times: the front door is kept locked and the key is kept on a high shelf so only the adults can reach it. My back garden has a 6ft fence on three sides with no gate. The children are only collected by authorised adults or if it is necessary for someone else to collect them we use a password provided by the parents and they notify me in advance if this is going to happen. All the children are taught about road safety according to their age and developmental stage. With the older children, we talk about stranger danger and how they can keep themselves safe from people they do not know. The children know what to do if there is a fire by regularly practising fire drills and they know why it is important to follow what they have learnt. Please see my Emergency Evacuation Procedure (Appendix ) The children know to tidy up their toys to keep the playroom safe and free from hazards and we do this in a fun way so to maintain the childrens interest and their continued participation in learning to how to keep safe. I check the identify of visitors and keep accurate records of when and why visitors are here and I also record when my two assistants are on the premises. Myself and my assistants (Husband and Mother) have all had enhanced CRB checks, ensuring our suitability to look after the Children. The Children feel safe whilst they are in my care because they know that I will listen to any concerns they may have and respond to them appropriately. The parents know that I operate clear child safety procedures and they have copies of all my policies and permission forms. I make sure that I am a good role model for the Children at all times and I provide a good balance in promoting childrens freedom to explore and play whilst learning and developing and ensuring that they are safe. Children need to have the opportunity to take risks and to make mistakes but within safe limits, that way they learn to be alert to potential danger and how to keep themselves safe. Ofsted Early Years Safe and Sound (2006, pg 9) states, Children should have the freedom to make discoveries and enjoy experiences within safe limits, while learning how to protect themselves from harm. IDENTIFY STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNICATING WITH CHILDREN There are many ways that you can communicate with children but it is important to remember that children are still learning and developing so you need to communicate with them on their own level according to their age and interests. It is imperative to use vocabulary that the children understand eg they may not understand uncomfortable but may know what you mean when you say feeling funny. You also need to use a calm tone and body language that will not send mixed messages. You also need to be aware of children whose mother tongue is not English and that they will find it harder to communicate in English to begin with. Some children may have speech impairment or learning difficulties and this will make it harder for them to communicate effectively. It is also important to be patient and give the children time to respond to your questions. Communicating Effectively with Children states, By paying attention to and communicating regularly with children, you can help children create a vi ew of themselves and the world that is positive and healthy. Use the Childs name first this will get their attention and they are more likely to listen to you. Eye contact shows respect and allows you to gauge how much of the conservation is being understood. Calm tone children are sensitive to anger and do not like raised voices because they can focus solely on the fact that your voice is raised and they may be in trouble, rather than what you are saying. Thumbs up is a simple and easy way of showing approval. Body language avoid all confusion and communicate your message consistently through both words and actions, be aware that different cultures use and interpret body language in different ways. Listening and showing an interest a very important part of communication because if you do not listen and appear interested then it is just a one-way conversation and the child will not feel valued. Non-verbal communication Be aware that some children do not communicate verbally, and that it is important to adapt styles of communication to their needs and abilities eg sign language, lip reading etc. Questioning use open-ended questions to check understanding and acknowledge that they have heard what is being said. Speak slowly and clearly the child may have a hearing impairment and will need you to speak slowly and clearly, so they can understand you, also be aware of the level of background noise. Painting This may seem a strange way but children can communicate their feelings through creativity and may talk to you whilst they are painting without thinking about it. Picture books I am in the process of taking pictures of all my resources and making books that the children can look through and decide what activities they want to do. This is a great way to communicate their needs without being able to speak. Picture cards Can be used for asking children basic things like milk or water to drink. If you have children who use English as a second language then you can make/use picture cards to ask them things in their own language but also have the English word along with the picture and their mother language so they learn new words as they progress. DISCUSS ONE FACTOR THAT AFFECTS CHILDRENS BEHAVIOUR There are many factors that can affect childrens behaviour but I am going to focus on divorce. Any change in a Childs home life will have an effect on their behaviour but when one parent moves out it can be distressing for the child, as they may not know what has happened or when they will see that parent again. It is important for us as practitioners to listen to any concerns that the child has and respond to them according to their age and stage of development. You need to find a way to help them understand appropriate to their level of understanding. A pre-school child may show regressive behaviour. This means that the child may return to an earlier stage of development and, for example, start to wet themselves again. A pre-school child may become confused, irritable or worried. Children between six and nine are very vulnerable. At this age, a child is still not mature enough to understand what is going on, but is old enough to understand that something very unpleasant is taking place. They still depend very much on their parents and will have a hard time talking about their emotions. They may react with anger, or by not concentrating or making progress at school or by having learning difficulties. Children between 9 and 13 may have started having important relationships with other people besides their parents and family. When their parents divorce, it will often be good for a child to talk to someone outside the family about their problems and feelings. All Children can become very insecure. Insecurity can cause children to behave as if they are much younger and therefore bedwetting, clinginess, nightmares, worries or disobedience can all occur. This behaviour often happens before or after visits to the parent who is living apart from the family. Teenagers may show their distress by misbehaving or withdrawing into themselves. They may find it difficult to concentrate at school. It is normal for a child to feel lost, upset, angry and grieve for the family they once were. A child who does not show any feelings or reactions needs help to express what is going on inside. Otherwise, they are very likely to suffer depression and other problems later. Helping Children adjust to Divorce states, Children whose parents divorce are at greater risk for problems such as aggression, depression, lower self-esteem and poorer school performance. Children can express themselves in other ways than with words. Play is very important. You can play with the child and let them act out their feelings using role-play and puppets. Children may need to work off tension through energetic games; you can spend some time at the park or go to an indoor play centre. Drawing may help some children as they often draw things that are important to them. You can ask about the drawings and this can be a good way to start the child talking about what is going on inside, especially if they are not the type of child to talk openly. The child still needs to have established routines in their lives and whilst things are changing at home you can continue with your normal routine and this will give the child some stability and comfort during all the other changes, they feel more safe and secure when they know what to expect next. DESCRIBE STRATEGIES FOR CHALLENGING PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION WHEN WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES I operate an inclusive Childminding setting, where all children are welcome regardless of their race, religion, culture, sex, ability or disability, social background etc. I encourage the children to value everyone as a unique individual, to respect each others differences, and to learn from each other. Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education states, inclusion is founded upon a moral position which values and respects every individual and which welcomes diversity as a rich learning resource. I always challenge any instances of prejudice, unfair discrimination and harassment whether it is a comment a child has made or a parent. I will explain to the child or parent why what they have said is wrong and how their words have hurt another person. I make sure that I am a good role model for the children. Please see my Equal Opportunities Policy (Appendix ). I have toys and resources that show different cultures from around the world and people with different types of disabilities/impairments. We also recognize different festivals and religious occasions from a variety of religions worldwide to give the children a greater understanding of the World around them. I invite the parents to come and take part in story/singing time to enable the children to hear different languages, and stories from around the World. For example, if a Child called another person four-eyes because they wear glasses, I would explain to the Child how they have hurt that persons feelings and that they have to wear glasses because they help then to see as their eyes dont work as well as their eyes. I would also ask the Child how they would feel if someone had called them names. I would encourage the Child to say sorry (depending on their age and level of understanding). Another example is a child is a wheelchair and another child telling them that they cant join in and play with them at the sand and water table because they are in a wheelchair. I would explain to the child that yes they can join in we just need to adapt the position of the tray so that the wheelchair can fit around it and everyone can enjoy the same activity. If I have any children with additional needs in my setting I always talk to all the children about their impairments or disabilities (using the correct medical name) as it provides me with an opportunity to teach basic information about our bodies, health and possible illnesses. It also helps to get rid of any fears about disabilities and helps to influence childrens attitudes in a positive way. I make sure that I am a positive role model for the children and I update my knowledge regularly. I have just completed deaf awareness training and I am booked on other awareness courses. EXPLAIN HOW TO IMPLEMENT CHILDRENS RIGHTS IN THE HOME BASED SETTING I have explained in E2 my role in meeting the individual needs of the children and now I will explain how I implement the childrens rights in my setting. I make sure that I keep my knowledge of childrens rights updated through regular training courses and research through the library or internet. Childrens rights are about the obligations of all adults to protect the best interests of children, and to create the conditions under which they can develop and thrive. Childrens rights are embedded in my policies and I offer resources and activities to ensure that the children can learn about their rights for example we have an activity on diversity where the children look at pictures of children from around the world and we discuss our similarities and our differences and what they would like. Please see my Diversity Activity Planning sheet (Appendix ) I have used some of the Articles of the United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child to show how I implement childrens rights into my setting: Article 1 Everyone under 18 has these rights I ensure that all children in my setting know what their rights are. I use age appropriate resources such as games that we play, books that we read and just talking to each other. Article 2 You have the right to protection against discrimination All children are treated with equal concern and learn to treat each other with respect through the activities I provide eg. Learning about each others differences in a positive way, respecting each others cultures. Article 3 Adults should do whats best for you Everything that I do in my setting is always in the best interests of the child. I always take into consideration their views, feelings and rights when carrying out day to day activities. Article 7 You have the right to have a name and a nationality On the wall in the playroom we have pictures of everyone that attends the setting with their name underneath, so that we can easily learn each others names. We learn about each others nationality through stories and visits to the library and in the food we eat. Article 11 You should not be kidnapped I make sure that all the children are safe and secure in my care whether we are at home or out and about. The children know to stay close to me and not run off or talk to strangers. I never release a child into the care of someone that I dont know unless a parent has authorized it in times of emergency and we always use a password system. Article 12 You have the right to an opinion and for it to be listened to and taken seriously The children know that I will always listen to their opionions and take them seriously. We always discuss as a group and listen to each other. Article 19 You have the right to be protected from being hurt or badly treated I know the signs and symptoms of abuse and what to do if I am concerened about one of the children. The children know that they can talk to me about anything at anytime. Article 23 If you are disabled, either mentally or physically, you have the right to special care and education I run an inclusive setting and the children in my care am treated with equal concern with individual needs regardless of any disablilites. It is important to treat each child as an individual and not label them by their impairment or condition. Article 24 You have the right to the best health possible and to medical care and information I provide home cooked healthy meals and snacks to all children, including healthy drinks (milk and water). If I feel a child needs medical care then I have their parents permission to take them to the doctors or hospital in an emergency or with their written permission I am able to take the children to routine appointments. Article 29 You have the right to education which develops your personality, respect for others rights and the environment All children in my setting are taught appropriate to their age and stage of development. I use all the information I have gathered to provide a challenging and enjoyable experience across all the areas of learning and development, which allows each individual child to develop to their full potential. Article 30 If you come from a minority group you have the right to enjoy your own culture, practice your own religion and use your own language We all learn about each others cultures, religion and languages by the games that we play, books that we read, resources that we play with. We find out about different festivals and celebrations during the year eg Halloween, Christmas, Easter, Hanukkah, World Religion Day, Chinese New Year and many others. By getting to know all the children and their families I can meet the cultural needs for everyone and make sure that all the children feel valued. Article 31 You have the right to play and relax by doings things like sport, music and drama The children a