Assessment and planning with children and young people — iCan Qualifications Limited End-Point Assessment Childcare & Early Years Revision

    This subtopic focuses on enabling practitioners to effectively involve children and young people in assessment and planning processes to achieve positive o

    Topic Synopsis

    This subtopic focuses on enabling practitioners to effectively involve children and young people in assessment and planning processes to achieve positive outcomes. It emphasizes a child-centred approach where the child's views, wishes, and feelings are integral to decision-making, ensuring plans are tailored to their individual needs and regularly reviewed in partnership with them.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

    Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid

    Examiner Marking Points

    Assessment and planning with children and young people

    ICAN QUALIFICATIONS LIMITED
    vocational

    This subtopic focuses on enabling practitioners to effectively involve children and young people in assessment and planning processes to achieve positive outcomes. It emphasizes a child-centred approach where the child's views, wishes, and feelings are integral to decision-making, ensuring plans are tailored to their individual needs and regularly reviewed in partnership with them.

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    Learning Outcomes
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    Assessment Guidance
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    Key Skills
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    Key Terms
    5
    Assessment Criteria

    Assessment criteria

    iCQ Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce

    Topic Overview

    The iCQ Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce is a comprehensive qualification designed for those working or aspiring to work in early years settings, such as nurseries, preschools, and childminding environments. This diploma covers essential knowledge and skills for supporting children's development from birth to 19 years, with a focus on the early years foundation stage (EYFS). It equips learners with the ability to promote positive outcomes for children, safeguard their welfare, and work collaboratively with families and other professionals. The qualification is recognised by Ofqual and meets the requirements for full and relevant status under the EYFS, making it a key stepping stone for careers in childcare and early education.

    This diploma is structured around core units that include understanding child development, promoting equality and inclusion, supporting children's health and safety, and building effective partnerships with parents. Learners also explore how to plan and provide play-based learning opportunities that foster cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. The qualification emphasises reflective practice, enabling students to evaluate their own work and continuously improve their professional skills. By completing this diploma, students gain the competence and confidence to take on roles such as early years educator, nursery practitioner, or childminder, and it also provides a foundation for further study at higher levels.

    In the wider context of childcare and early years, this diploma is crucial because it ensures that practitioners have a solid understanding of how children learn and develop, and how to create safe, nurturing environments that support their wellbeing. It aligns with current legislation and best practices, such as the EYFS statutory framework and the Children Act 2004. The qualification also addresses the importance of multi-agency working and the role of the early years practitioner in identifying and supporting children with additional needs. Ultimately, it prepares students to make a meaningful difference in children's lives during their most formative years.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →Child Development: Understanding the sequence and rate of development from birth to 19 years, including physical, cognitive, communication, social, emotional, and behavioural domains. Key theories include Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bowlby.
    • →Safeguarding and Child Protection: Knowing how to recognise signs of abuse, neglect, and harm, and following procedures to report concerns. This includes understanding the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead and local safeguarding partnerships.
    • →Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: Promoting an inclusive environment where every child feels valued, respecting different backgrounds, cultures, and abilities. This involves adapting practice to meet individual needs and challenging discrimination.
    • →The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Understanding the statutory framework for children from birth to 5 years, including the seven areas of learning, assessment methods (e.g., the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile), and the key principles of the EYFS.
    • →Partnership Working: Collaborating effectively with parents, carers, and other professionals (e.g., health visitors, speech therapists) to support children's learning and development. This includes sharing information appropriately and respecting confidentiality.

    Learning Objectives

    What you need to know and understand

    • Understand how to place children and young people at the centre of assessment and planning, Be able to participate in assessment and planning for children and young people towards the achievement of positive outcomes, Be able to work with children and young people to implement the plan for the achievement of positive outcomes, Be able to work with children and young people to review and update plans

    Assessment Criteria

    Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

    • Award credit for demonstrating how the child or young person was actively involved in the assessment process, using age-appropriate communication methods.
    • Credit when the plan clearly reflects the child's own goals, preferences, and identified needs, rather than solely adult-led objectives.
    • Expect evidence of partnership working, including consultation with parents/carers and other professionals, and how this influenced the plan.
    • Assessors will look for a clear description of how the plan was implemented flexibly, adapting to the child's changing circumstances or feedback.
    • For review and update, credit is given for showing how the child participated in evaluating progress and agreeing new targets.

    Assessment Guidance

    Guidance for achieving higher grades

    • 💡Always reference a specific example from your practice where you used a child-centred tool (e.g., 'This is me' document, one-page profile) to gather their views.
    • 💡When describing review processes, mention how you ensured the child knew they could contribute at any time, not just at formal meetings.
    • 💡Use the 'assess, plan, do, review' cycle explicitly in your written responses to demonstrate a systematic approach.
    • 💡Highlight any barriers you encountered (e.g., communication difficulties) and the creative solutions you used to overcome them, as this shows deeper competence.
    • 💡Use specific examples from your placement or work experience to illustrate your understanding of key concepts. For instance, when discussing child development, describe an observation of a child's milestone and how you supported their learning. This shows practical application.
    • 💡Always link your answers to current legislation and frameworks, such as the EYFS, Children Act 2004, and Working Together to Safeguard Children. Examiners look for evidence that you understand the statutory context of your practice.
    • 💡When answering questions about safeguarding, remember to include the importance of following policies and procedures, recording concerns accurately, and seeking support from your designated safeguarding lead. Avoid vague statements like 'I would report it' without detailing the process.

    Common Mistakes

    Common errors to avoid in your coursework

    • Failing to document the child's voice explicitly; plans are written from an adult perspective without direct quotes or observations.
    • Confusing assessment with diagnosis; instead of holistic, strengths-based assessment, there is a tendency to label or focus on deficits.
    • Overlooking the importance of informed consent and not explaining the purpose of assessment to the child in an accessible way.
    • Treating the plan as static, with insufficient evidence of regular reviews or failing to update goals when circumstances change.
    • Not adapting communication methods to the child's age, developmental stage or communication needs, leading to superficial involvement.
    • Misconception: Child development is the same for all children. Correction: While there are typical patterns, each child develops at their own pace due to genetic, environmental, and cultural factors. Practitioners must avoid making assumptions and instead observe and support individual progress.
    • Misconception: Play is just for fun and not essential for learning. Correction: Play is a fundamental way children learn and develop. It supports cognitive skills, language, creativity, and social interaction. The EYFS emphasises play-based learning as a key pedagogical approach.
    • Misconception: Safeguarding is only about protecting children from physical harm. Correction: Safeguarding also includes emotional wellbeing, neglect, online safety, and promoting children's rights. It involves proactive measures to prevent harm and promote welfare, not just reacting to incidents.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions students ask about this topic

    Before You Start

    Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

    • •Basic understanding of child development theories (e.g., Piaget, Vygotsky) is helpful but not essential as these are covered in the diploma.
    • •Experience working or volunteering with children in a supervised setting can provide practical context for the course content.
    • •Completion of Level 2 qualifications in childcare or related subjects can be beneficial but is not mandatory.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    • Understand how to place children and young people at the centre of assessment and planning, Be able to participate in assessment and planning for children and young people towards the achievement of positive outcomes, Be able to work with children and young people to implement the plan for the achievement of positive outcomes, Be able to work with children and young people to review and update plans

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