Posted: January 27th, 2025

TCHR2002 Assessment example

 
TCHR2002 CHILDREN, FAMILIES & COMMUNITIES
Critical text analysis
According to the article ‘Separation Anxiety in Young Children,’ Early Childhood Australia provides information and tips to help parents and caregivers better understand children’s separation anxiety. For example, it begins by assuming that separation anxiety, which is observed between six to eight months and two years, is a natural aspect of growth. Between the ages of 5 and 4, which is marked by a misbehaving child who struggles to avoid family (ECA, 2021). The goal of this framing is to swiftly restore normalcy to the scenario, which may allay whatever worries the parents may have had about their child’s behaviour. Regarding separation anxiety, the article maintains that it is a typical aspect of early development, particularly between the ages of two and three (ECA, 2021).
Children’s starting and reorganisation challenges, which might arise in early learning settings like daycare or preschool, are highlighted in the article. In the same vein, ECA (2021) characterises these changes as either positive or potentially problematic for a child’s care in the early phases of development. This point of view recognises that early life arrangements cannot be built stereotypically since children differ in their needs and behavioural tendencies.
The cooperation between early childhood settings and families is the foundation of the article’s strategy for managing separation anxiety. One example of an inclusive framework in ECA is offering resources for parents and caregivers as well as recommendations for how children can adjust to new surroundings (ECA, 2021). This method recognises that families, schools, and society as a whole bear responsibility for children’s development. It constructs childhood as a period of life that is shaped by developmental processes and the standard of adult care and assistance received.
Since the author does not present separation anxiety as a disorder, the article also applies the development method to this issue. This aligns with contemporary views of attachment and emotional development in children, as proposed by Main (2022). In line with modern methods of early childhood education, the article’s acknowledgment of various responses to the process of separation promotes acceptance of individual variances in a child’s growth. However, a more thorough examination of the cultural variations in attachment and detachment may be included in the article. Different cultural perspectives on independence and separation may influence how separation anxiety is perceived and managed.
In terms of assessment, the article successfully satisfies a demand by providing families with useful and consoling information on a potentially concerning issue in early infant development. Its accomplishments include the following: It acknowledges difference, normalises separation anxiety, and, finally, provides coping mechanisms for change. The topic is important because it helps families better understand a crucial period in a child’s development, helps children move to early childhood learning settings, helps raise awareness about children’s mental health, gives parents a way to support their children’s emotional growth, and helps children integrate more fully into the community.
Family and community diversity
Dear Families,
However, most of us confront several problems in our daily parenting as we learn how to raise children. One such problem is separation stress, which affects both parents and children and is a developmental stage in childhood. It’s important to comprehend and be able to influence this period, therefore now I want to give you some advice on how to approach it. A child who has discomfort when left alone with strangers or away from their family is said to have separation anxiety. It usually starts when the child is 6–8 months old and can continue until the child is 2–3–6 years old (Consolini, 2022). If you try to leave the room or walk to another area of the house during this developmental time, your child may start to scream, grip your hand, or become anxious. Families may find it difficult to deal with these situations, but they are legitimate steps in your child’s emotional development and typical indications of stable attachment.
According to child development experts, children begin to understand that they are not the same person as their caregiver when they are approximately two years old (MedlinePlus, 2024). Because of this, children may find being apart from their relatives frightening or overwhelming. They try to find safety in this way in a culture that sometimes seems unsettling or unnatural to them. In other words, while some children may experience anxiety when they are separated, others may handle the situation rather well. Temperament, past experiences, and the home environment are some examples of elements that might help or hurt a child’s response (MedlinePlus vol. 2024). The child must be accepted and reassured during the divorce process, and there is no “right” or “wrong” way for them to feel and react.
When children first start going to daycare, preschool, or other early learning facilities, separation anxiety is most noticeable. Such changes can be challenging, of course, but they also raise new issues for personal growth. Early learning environments are designed to meet the needs of students at a young age, giving them the chance to develop their independence, social skills, and friendships (AGDE, 2022). Even while these experiences could occasionally cause discomfort, they are crucial for children’s social and emotional development. Therefore, it is clear that different cultures have different views on independence and separation. These societies may encourage early independence and separation or longer-term interdependence within the family. There isn’t a perfect way to accomplish it; it all comes down to figuring out what works for your family while also taking your child’s feelings and worries into account. We are reminded of the significance of family and community background in our children’s lives by this diversity.
While there is no way to prevent or lessen separation anxiety, there are steps that may be taken to help both the parent and the child. Establishing regulatory farewell procedures can help build safety, recognition, and programming (Sims & Hutchins, 2020). In terms of trust, it might be quite beneficial to avoid lengthy farewells but to always say goodbye instead of attempting to evade it. Giving something familiar, like a photo or toy, might be reassuring. With time, short separations help build the child’s confidence and can also be practised at home. Just remember that your child is experiencing separation anxiety for a brief period. The child gradually acquires confidence as they mature and become more capable of managing separations.
Impact of Educational Policies and Practices
Understanding how these concepts are expressed in the policy and how they are applied in practice is equally important to support the development of environments that are sensitive to the needs of families and children. The issue of children’s separation anxiety would be most relevant to several early childhood education policy and implementation components. This idea could be seen in its most illuminating form in the use of attachment-informed nurture. Any policy development for addressing separation anxiety must include specific and appropriate techniques that prioritise the formation of a safe and secure link between educators and children (Sanctuary Early Learning, 2024). Putting the idea of the “key person” into practice, each child would have a single teacher who is principally in charge of their care and upbringing. In the early learning environment, this person serves as the child’s haven and provides consolation and support during trying times.
Recognising and taking into account the disparities among children is a crucial component of SA policies and practices, however, there are many other factors to take into account. Appropriate regulations acknowledge that children experience and exhibit separation anxiety in a variety of ways. To effectively meet the requirements of every child, this may include organising more structured and succinct settling-in procedures (Fox, 2010). Setting up the environment over a few days or weeks, with parents present but for a shorter period, might be beneficial for certain children. Others may adjust to the change in the company’s system or circumstances more quickly or more effectively. Therefore, by accepting these variances, teachers will always be able to make sure that every child’s emotional needs are satisfied during the transition.
In early childhood settings, family ties are essential to treating separation anxiety. Policies should highlight how important it is for teachers and families to have solid, cooperative connections (Sanctuary Early Learning, 2024). To communicate information about how the child is handling separations, educators may use digital apps, daily journals, or in-person interactions. In early childhood settings, having clear transition policies is essential for controlling separation anxiety. Procedures for daily drop-offs as well as longer-term changes between rooms or settings should be covered in these policies. It entails establishing regular arrival schedules that assist children in anticipating and becoming ready for separation (Sanctuary Early Learning, 2024). Worried children can benefit from visual timetables or books that outline the day’s events, including when parents will return.
 
References
AGDE. (2022) Belonging, being and becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia (V2.0).
Consolini, D. M. (2022). Separation anxiety and stranger anxiety – separation anxiety and stranger anxiety. MSD Manual Consumer Version. https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/children-s-health-issues/symptoms-in-infants-and-children/separation-anxiety-and-stranger-anxiety
ECA. (2021, May 27). Separation anxiety. Early Childhood Australia. https://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/parent-resources/separation-anxiety/
Fox, S. E., Levitt, P., & Nelson, C. A. (2010). How early experiences’ timing and quality influence brain architecture development. Child Development, 81(1), 28-40. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.library.uq.edu.au/stable/40598964
Main, P. (2022). Child development theories. RSS. https://www.structural-learning.com/post/child-development-theories#:~:text=John%20Bowlby’s%20Attachment%20Theory%20highlights,their%20emotional%20and%20social%20development.
MedlinePlus. (2024). Separation anxiety in children: Medlineplus medical encyclopedia. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001542.htm#:~:text=From%208%20to%2014%20months,a%20child%20grows%20and%20develops.
Sanctuary Early Learning. (2024, July 2). Strategies for separation anxiety in Childcare. https://sanctuarylearning.com.au/strategies-for-separation-anxiety-in-childcare/
Sims, M., & Hutchins, T. (2020). Program planning for infants and toddlers (3rd ed). Pademelon Press.

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