Develop Positive Relationship with Children, Young People and Others Involved in Their Care
This element focuses on the core communication, interpersonal, and professional skills required to establish and sustain positive, supportive relationships with children and young people, as well as with the key adults involved in their care. It emphasises the importance of trust, emotional safety, and collaborative partnership working to promote the child's wellbeing and achieve shared care goals in a health and social care setting.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The ProQual Level 3 Award in Healthcare and Social Care Support Skills is designed for individuals working or aspiring to work in health and social care settings. This qualification covers essential skills such as communication, duty of care, safeguarding, and person-centred support. It equips learners with the knowledge to provide high-quality care while adhering to legal and ethical standards, making it a foundational step for roles like care assistant, support worker, or healthcare assistant.
This award is part of the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) and is recognised by employers across the UK. It focuses on practical skills and theoretical understanding, ensuring students can apply their learning in real-world environments. Topics include understanding the principles of care, promoting equality and inclusion, and maintaining confidentiality. Mastery of these areas is crucial for delivering safe, effective, and compassionate care to vulnerable individuals.
In the wider context of health and social care, this qualification bridges the gap between introductory awareness and more advanced practice. It prepares students for further study, such as the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care, and supports progression into supervisory roles. By developing a strong ethical foundation and practical competence, learners become valuable members of multidisciplinary teams, contributing to improved outcomes for service users.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Person-centred care: Tailoring support to the individual's needs, preferences, and values, ensuring they are active partners in their care.
- →Duty of care: A legal obligation to act in the best interest of service users, avoiding harm and ensuring their safety and wellbeing.
- →Safeguarding: Protecting vulnerable adults and children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation, following local policies and the Care Act 2014.
- →Effective communication: Using verbal and non-verbal techniques to build trust, share information accurately, and support informed decision-making.
- →Equality and inclusion: Promoting fair access to care, respecting diversity, and challenging discrimination in line with the Equality Act 2010.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- Explain the principles of effective communication when interacting with children and young people of different ages and developmental stages.
- Demonstrate strategies for building trust and rapport with children and young people in a care context.
- Evaluate the importance of maintaining professional boundaries while fostering warm and supportive relationships.
- Analyse the role of family members and other professionals in shaping positive outcomes for children and young people.
- Apply conflict-resolution techniques to address disagreements constructively with adults involved in a child's care.
- Reflect on own practice in developing and sustaining positive relationships with both children and partner adults.
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for providing clear, specific examples of using age-appropriate communication techniques (e.g., using simple language, visual aids, or play) to engage a child.
- Look for evidence of active listening skills, such as paraphrasing, maintaining eye contact, and responding sensitively to non-verbal cues.
- Assessors should check for documented instances of working in partnership with parents, guardians, or other professionals, including details of shared decision-making.
- Credit demonstration of how the candidate maintains professional boundaries, for example, by not over-sharing personal information while remaining approachable.
- In written accounts, award marks for critical reflection on a challenging interaction and how it was resolved or could be improved.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡In assessments, always ground your answers in real or realistic scenarios; give concrete examples from your placement or practice to demonstrate competence.
- 💡When discussing relationships with adults, explicitly reference legislation and guidance on confidentiality, information sharing, and working in partnership (e.g., Working Together to Safeguard Children).
- 💡For reflective tasks, use a structured model (such as Gibbs or Kolb) to show how you evaluate your interactions and plan for improvement.
- 💡Make sure to link the child's voice and participation rights (UNCRC) into your answers—showing you treat them as individuals with their own views.
- 💡Use specific examples from real care scenarios to illustrate your understanding of person-centred care and duty of care. This shows you can apply theory to practice.
- 💡When discussing safeguarding, always reference key legislation (e.g., Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005) and local policies. Examiners look for awareness of legal frameworks.
- 💡For communication questions, mention both verbal and non-verbal methods, and explain how you adapt your approach for individuals with different needs (e.g., dementia, hearing loss).
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Failing to adapt communication styles to the child's age, language ability, or emotional state, leading to misunderstandings.
- Overstepping professional boundaries by becoming overly friendly or forming a 'special' relationship that excludes other team members or family.
- Assuming consent or agreement without properly consulting the child (where appropriate) or the adults with parental responsibility.
- Not documenting interactions accurately or in sufficient detail, which can undermine continuity of care and professional accountability.
- Misconception: 'Person-centred care means doing whatever the service user asks.' Correction: It involves balancing their wishes with professional judgement, safety, and legal responsibilities, not simply complying with every request.
- Misconception: 'Confidentiality is absolute and can never be broken.' Correction: Confidentiality can be breached if there is a risk of harm to the individual or others, or if required by law (e.g., safeguarding concerns).
- Misconception: 'Duty of care only applies to direct care tasks.' Correction: It applies to all aspects of your role, including record-keeping, communication, and reporting concerns, even when not directly providing care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for PROQUAL AWARDING BODY Develop Positive Relationship with Children, Young People and Others Involved in Their Care
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 Level 2 qualifications.
- •Familiarity with the concept of confidentiality and data protection (e.g., GDPR principles).
- •Awareness of the roles and responsibilities of care workers, including the importance of teamwork.
Coursework AI Review
Self-check your coursework evidence against P/M/D criteria
Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- Child-centred communication
- Building trust and rapport
- Professional boundaries
- Multi-agency collaboration
- Conflict resolution
- Empathy and active listening
Ready to learn?
AI-powered learning tailored to this unit