Develop positive relationships with children and young people
This subtopic focuses on the skills and knowledge required to develop professional, supportive relationships with children and young people in healthcare settings, underpinned by current legislation, national guidelines, and organisational policies. Learners explore the importance of trust, empathy, and effective communication while maintaining appropriate boundaries to promote the wellbeing and voice of the child. Practical application includes using age-appropriate methods to engage young people in decisions about their care and providing sensitive information and advice.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The BIIAB Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support is designed for individuals working in healthcare settings such as hospitals, care homes, or community services. It covers the knowledge and skills required to provide high-quality, person-centred care under the supervision of registered healthcare professionals. This qualification is essential for healthcare support workers, nursing assistants, and similar roles, as it ensures you understand key principles like confidentiality, safeguarding, and infection control, which are fundamental to safe and effective practice.
The diploma is structured around mandatory units that include communication, equality and diversity, duty of care, and the principles of safeguarding and protection. You will also study optional units tailored to specific care contexts, such as supporting individuals with dementia, mental health conditions, or learning disabilities. This qualification not only prepares you for day-to-day responsibilities but also provides a foundation for career progression into nursing, midwifery, or allied health professions.
In the wider Health & Social Care sector, this diploma aligns with the Care Certificate and the Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers. It emphasises the importance of working in partnership with individuals, their families, and other professionals to promote independence, dignity, and well-being. Mastering this content will enable you to contribute effectively to multidisciplinary teams and deliver care that meets regulatory standards set by bodies like the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Person-centred care: Tailoring support to an individual's needs, preferences, and values, ensuring they are actively involved in decisions about their care.
- →Safeguarding: Protecting vulnerable adults and children from abuse, neglect, or harm, and knowing how to report concerns appropriately.
- →Duty of care: A legal obligation to act in the best interest of individuals, ensuring their safety and well-being while balancing their rights.
- →Confidentiality: Handling personal information in line with data protection laws (e.g., GDPR) and organisational policies, only sharing with consent or when legally required.
- →Infection prevention and control: Using standard precautions like hand hygiene, PPE, and safe disposal of waste to minimise the spread of infections.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- 1. Understand current legislation, national guidelines, policies, protocols and good practice guidelines related to supporting parents/carers to care for babies during their first year2. Understand the need for developing positive relationships with children and young people3. Be able to establish positive relationships with children and young people4. Be able to provide information and advice to children and young people
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for demonstrating understanding of current legislation (e.g., UNCRC, Children Act 2004) and national guidelines relevant to building relationships with children and young people.
- Award credit for explaining the need for positive relationships, including the impact on trust, emotional security, and how this contributes to holistic care and development.
- Award credit for providing evidence of establishing rapport through verbal and non-verbal communication techniques, such as active listening, appropriate use of language, and observation of the child's reactions.
- Award credit for demonstrating the ability to offer clear, accurate, and age-appropriate information and advice while respecting confidentiality and promoting the child's right to be heard.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡Reference specific legislation and frameworks (e.g., UNCRC, Children Act, GDPR) when explaining how to establish relationships; this demonstrates underpinning knowledge.
- 💡In assignments or reflective accounts, always include concrete examples of how you adapted your communication and behaviour to meet a particular child’s needs and the positive outcome achieved.
- 💡When discussing information and advice, emphasise how you assessed the child’s capacity and ensured their consent, distinguishing between situations requiring parental involvement and those where the child can consent independently.
- 💡Use a reflective model (e.g., Gibbs, Kolb) to structure your evidence, showing how you evaluated your relationship-building approaches and learned from feedback to improve future practice.
- 💡Use real-life examples from your work placement to illustrate your answers. For instance, when discussing communication, describe how you adapted your approach for a patient with hearing loss or dementia. This shows you can apply theory to practice.
- 💡Always link your answers to relevant legislation or policies. For example, when explaining how to maintain dignity, reference the Human Rights Act 1998 or your organisation's dignity policy. This demonstrates depth of understanding.
- 💡In exam questions about 'duty of care,' remember to balance it with the individual's right to take risks. Explain how you would support a person's choice while fulfilling your duty to keep them safe, using a specific scenario.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Failing to maintain professional boundaries, such as becoming overly familiar or sharing personal information, which can compromise the therapeutic relationship.
- Assuming that developing a positive relationship is solely about being friendly, rather than building trust and enabling effective support within professional limits.
- Overlooking the need to adapt communication methods to the child’s age, developmental stage, and communication needs, for example, not using simple language or visual aids for young children.
- Neglecting to check the child’s understanding of information given or failing to involve them appropriately in decision-making, contrary to the principles of the Mental Capacity Act or Gillick competence.
- Misconception: 'Healthcare support workers don't need to understand legal frameworks.' Correction: You must know key legislation like the Health and Safety at Work Act, Mental Capacity Act, and Equality Act, as these directly impact your daily practice and accountability.
- Misconception: 'Confidentiality means never sharing information.' Correction: You can share information without consent in specific situations, such as when there is a risk of harm to the individual or others, or as required by law (e.g., safeguarding disclosures).
- Misconception: 'Person-centred care is just being nice to patients.' Correction: It involves actively empowering individuals, respecting their choices, and adapting care plans to their unique circumstances, which requires skilled communication and observation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for BIIAB Develop positive relationships with children and young people
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •Basic understanding of health and social care values, such as those covered in the Care Certificate (e.g., privacy, dignity, respect).
- •Familiarity with communication skills, including active listening and non-verbal cues, as these are foundational for all care interactions.
- •Knowledge of key legislation like the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Data Protection Act, which underpin many of the diploma's units.
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- 1. Understand current legislation, national guidelines, policies, protocols and good practice guidelines related to supporting parents/carers to care for babies during their first year2. Understand the need for developing positive relationships with children and young people3. Be able to establish positive relationships with children and young people4. Be able to provide information and advice to children and young people
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