Category: Child

This essay is going thematically analyze and discuss the media response to the Rotherham child abuse scandal. I have decided to go for a different news story from what I had read about while completing my previous poster assignment but down a similar route. This is a different topic from what I studied in my previous poster, however, I will still be discussing the issue of moral panics, I just decided to change the news story because I figured there was much more I could write about regarding the Rotherham child abuse scandal as it was a bigger news story and more articles were written and an even bigger moral panic was created. I also was undecided before beginning my poster as to which news story I should do, it was between the Rotherham scandal or Alisha MacPhail. Also, I have a greater interest in this news story than I did with the Alisha MacPhail story.

The Jay report was a report that investigated many child abuse cases in 2014 and on August the 26th 2014, the Report was published, It was over a 16-year duration. This report recognized that around 1400 children were likely to have been victims of Child Sexual Exploitation or child abuse. As a result of this staggering number, the publication of the report drew a lot of attention to the town of ‘Rotherham’ considering many of the abuse cases were in Rotherham, which, in turn, created a moral panic. In this essay, I am going to explore the media response to the findings of the ‘Jay Report’ and the moral panic surrounding its findings. I will be examining in-depth news articles and looking out for widespread and frequent themes within the articles and information I perceive.

The term ‘moral panic’ emerged in 1973 by Cohen; he defined a moral panic as ‘’a condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests; its nature is presented in a stylized and stereotypical fashion by the mass media’’ (Cohen 1973:28). Social work and child abuse have often been a significant moral panic because child abuse and neglect are a major issue in society because children are just innocent and helpless. (Clapton and Smith 2015). For example, there was the huge news story of ‘Baby P’ with Peter Connolly (2007), who was a very young boy being neglected and abused by both his parents which left him bruised and battered, and eventually he sadly was murdered in the end. One of the main themes I noted was the fact that many of the articles I examined stated that social workers and other local authorities were rubbish and didn’t help out much with child abuse cases, therefore another significant moral panic was about the fact that social workers didn’t prioritize these cases, like with the baby P case, the social workers got much of the blame for not realizing soon enough what was going on even though it was obvious something wasn’t right in their household but arguably, they ‘ignored’ the problem and were blind to the abuse that was happening to baby P (and other abuse scandals) behind closed doors.

I studied around twelve main news articles in order to make up my data in order to begin my Thematic Analysis and I also read more little articles just to get a clearer and more vivid picture of the child abuse occurring in 2014 but haven’t quoted these in my analysis. Thematic Analysis as defined by Braun and Clarke is ‘a method for identifying, analyzing and reporting patterns within data.’ (Braun and Clarke 2006:79.) I took themes from the newspaper articles that described the Rotherham abuse scandal. I essentially followed Braun and Clarke’s process for conducting the thematic analysis. An example of their first step is for me to familiarize myself with the data, gathering different themes and sub-themes, and using mind maps to note each theme. Then, I finalized the themes I was going to use in my study and went on from there.

The Jay Report was a report which investigated the Rotherham scandal and many other child abuse cases. In 2014, the report inspected a sample of Child exploitation case files and interviewed a bundle of employees from local authorities and other agencies. From the Report, they found that around or over (unreported cases as such) 1400 children were sexually exploited in Rotherham from 1997 to 2013, this abuse involved rape, trafficking, abduction, and physical abuse and evidently, it was something that dragged on for a long period of time. This suggests that nobody managed to realize the extent of the child abuse in good time, meaning officials most likely weren’t doing their jobs properly which I will discuss later in this dissertation. In support of this, the report stated that there were massive failings in child protection and little support for those who were abused, as there was some victim blaming within the case, the Jay report also noted. He identified there was a poor response to services for instance, many police at the time lacked a real understanding of child exploitation and gave it no priority even though it was an important issue that needed to be addressed and seen. However, despite the Report mentioning that local authorities were too lazy, it also highlighted that in 2007, there were considerable improvements in the situation whereby the police aimed to deal with child exploitation and were more aware of events happening because the Rotherham scandal was a real eye-opener for police and local authorities that this was a growing problem and they needed to get to grips with the work they had to do in order to resolve the issue. Consequently, social workers and teams were now better trained and had a better understanding of child exploitation and essentially had more available, better resources for dealing with it, consequently, it became a work–in–progress.

Introduction

The death of a child under any circumstances is tragic and provokes strong emotions. Children are at the highest risk of homicide in their first year of life, four times higher than other age groups. The notion of child homicide will be explored covering the nature of violence committed and the prevalence of this phenomenon. Risk factors including age, gender and possible reasoning parents kill their own children will be scrutinised. Macro and micro level sociology contextual and situational factors will be describe outlining the risk factors which contribute to filicide.

Thesis Statement

Infanticide and neonaticides account for the highest infant homicide rates. Maternal filicide and paternal filicide account for the highest perpetrator percentages of filicide. Children are killed by single acts of violence, neglect and the culmination of abuse. Psychosocial factors such as family stress, social structure disadvantage, psychiatric stress and psychiatric syndromes explain the reasoning filicide occurs.

• Why do some parents, including stepparents, kill their children?
• Are all children at the same level of risk of being killed by a parent?
• Infanticide – killing of an infant less than a year old.
• Babies less than 12 months old are at the highest risk of any other year age group, child or adult.
• Neonaticides – killing of a baby less than a day old (highest rate).
• Nature and theoretical explanations of homicide

Are all children at the same level of risk of being killed by a parent?

Neonaticide and infanticide accounts for the highest risk of filicide. Australian Institute of Criminology (2019) publication into child homicide in Australia showed that on average 25 children are killed each year by a parent or stepparent. The highest risk of victimisation is children under the age of one year old (Mouzos, J & Rushforth, C 2003).

Approximately 95,000 children are murdered globally each year (Stockl, Dekel, Morris- Gehring, Watts and Abrahams 2017). The tragic act of child homicide is differentiated according to the age of the victim. Children and infant homicide victims are aged between 0-16 years old. Neonaticide refers to cases of filicide within 24 hours from birth. Murdering offspring is classified as prolicide which includes infants and fetuses in-utero (Brookman 2005). Infanticide refers to cases of filicide less than one year old. Infanticide and neonaticide are often referred to as infant homicide. Children are at the highest risk of homicide in their first year of life, four times higher than other age groups (Brookman 2000). Child homicide is the most extreme act of violence, often at the hands of the people that are tasked to look after them.

Child homicide victims are at the highest risk of being killed by a parent within their first year of life. Australian had 238 incidents of filicide out of 284 deaths of children between 2000–01 and 2011–12 (Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) 2019). Child parent statistic show that 84 percent of child homicides were committed by female offenders, Mothers or step Mothers and decreases to and the remaining 30 percent are killed by the Fathers or step Father. Boys have a higher child homicide victim rate approximately sixty percent than girls proportions at 40% (Brookman 2005). 8 percent of child homicide victims are killed by strangers (Brookman 2005). 6 percent of children killed in England and Wales between 1995-2001 were by other children. National homicide data collected by Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council (2018, p. 9) confirms that 60.2% of child homicide case most common offence location is the family home. Child homicides that were filicides in 2005-2017 in Queensland statistics showed the family home was the location the offence was committed 79.7% of the time. Child homicide is the highest female accountability for all homicide categories in comparison to male offenders. Concepts in relation to the characteristics of victims and offenders are imperative in the development of criminological understanding in relation to child homicide.

Criminologists, psychologists, sociologists, law enforcement and the general public try to understand infanticide. Mental illness and social economic deprivation are contributing factors to the reasons a parent or step parents could kill their own child. Causes of infanticide can be maternal mental illness such as postpartum depression. Male mental illness caused by depression or rage, due to desertion in their mind of female partner due to the baby taking up the mother’s attention and time and murder suicide account for a large percentage of paternal filicide. Social economic factors such as single parenting, social deprivation, unstable violent relationships. Other reasoning would be an unwanted child, a young mother who may experience the stigma and financial issues due to poverty, unemployment and rurally (Shelton, Corey, Donaldson, & Dennison, 2011).

Criminologists Emile Durkheim social disorganisation and anomie theory drawn on theoretical perspectives, mainly social, to better explore other macro-level indicators. Control theory’s explain that weak and broken social bonds with members of conventional society will increase the likelihood of risk factors which contributes to filicide (Hirschi 1969). The inclusion of such variables increase our understanding of how contextual factors translate into differences in individual-level risks for children.

Understanding risk factors preceding child homicide incidents and the developing of copying mechanisms through counselling and education can reduce filicides. Women at risk of committing neonaticide are very difficult to identify as only 3 out of 11 cases have a psychiatric abnormality (D’Orban 1979). Post pardon depression and post pardon psychosis are often followed by suicide following the homicide. Substance abuse and mental health illness are often associated with child homicide offenders although difficult to determine if these factors were contributors to the homicide event. Unwanted pregnancy, illegitimate child and young Mothers can make the decision to not want the baby without a mental illness being present. Statistics have shown that women the month following childbirth is 25 times more at risk of becoming psychotic (Oates 1982). One in three new Mums have an episode of major depression in the year after giving birth. Alcohol and drug abuse antenatally and postnatally have been suggested to act in two ways in the reasoning for the infant homicide. Substance misuse has been suggested to act in two ways: first, drug-exposed newborns and infants are often described as irritable, with poor feeding and irregular sleeping patterns making them difficult to care for; secondly, substance misuse can impede people’s ability to evaluate their own behaviour and is correlated with aggression. A rare psychiatric disorder that can lead to infant homicide is Munchausen syndrome by proxy (D’Orban 1979).

Australian maternal hospitals statistics found that abusive mothers had emotional disturbances recorded on their maternity notes. We’re often under 20 years old and had been referred to social worker at the hospital. Hospital staff had concerns of mothering capacity and health visitors identified risk factors to child abuse (Oates 1982). Education, home visits and counselling are imperative to reduce the risk factors which contribute to infanticides.

Nature of the violence, reasons, risk factors and prevalence of this phenomenon

Pathological child murder is when the offender has an altered state of mind, a homicide-suicide, or when a parent or caregiver was suffering from a mental illness, depression, or acute psychosis (Alt & Wells, 2010; Bourrget & Bradford, 1990, as cited in Putkonen et al., 2011; Resnick, 1969). Unwanted child murder is when the mother denies or conceals the pregnancy prior to the murder, or neonaticide (Alt & Wells, 2010). Accidental child murder includes various forms of abuse and neglect such as shaken baby syndrome or battered child syndrome (Alt & Wells, 2010). Revenge or retaliation child murder involves revenge or retaliation against the spouse or girl/boyfriend and usually involves the father as the offender (Alt & Wells, 2010). Altruistic child murder occurs when the child has a disability, or the offender feels nobody will be available to love and care for the child (Alt & Wells, 2010). Non- accidental child murder would include sudden infant death syndrome or Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (Alt & Wells, 2010). A final classification motive is religion (Alt & Wells, 2010), which would include denial of medical intervention.

Mayhew (2007) claims that most child homicides are a result of frustration and lack of appropriate expectations of children, but others are calculated acts of violence. child murder and fatal cases of child abuse are undercounted (Herman- Giddens, Brown, Verbiest, Carlson, Hooten, Howell, & Butts, 1999). This underreporting is accounted for by poor documentation, infanticides reported as SIDS deaths, lack of death certificates, unfound corpses, and undocumented births due to pregnancy denial

Mayhew (2007) asserts that beatings are the primary cause of child murder, but mentions that neonaticide generally occurs from suffocation (being wrapped in a towel or placed in a box), abandonment, or drowning, especially if born into a toilet.

typical families with child abuse fatalities are poor, rural, and white (Jason & Andereck, 1983). impact of community-level factors and social stressors has not often been addressed in previous literature, and the inclusion of these ecological variables in an appropriate analysis may increase our understanding of how contextual factors translate into differences in individual-level.

Both the percent divorced and separated, as well as racial/ethnic heterogeneity, significantly increased the rate of child homicide. From a social disorganization theory standpoint, it has been suggested that individuals who reside in areas that are characterized by impoverished conditions and low income and education levels, among other issues, are more likely to experience deviance 20 percent of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) could be the incorrect cause of infant death, subdural haemorrhage could be the cause from abuse or an accident. NSPCC recommends all child deaths to be investigated.

Homicide event characteristics

Children are vulnerable due to small physical structure and fragility. Hands and feet of the offender are often the cause of the fatality. Newborns to infants are likely to be suffocated, drowned or shaken to death. Older children are commonly beaten and weapons can be involved, such as a sharp instrument (Crimmins, S., Langley, S., Brownstein, H.H. and Spunt, B.J. (1997). In 58% of cases where a parent committed the homicide, crying was the reason stated (Brewster 1998). Other reasons-used for child homicide were the euthanasia of a disabled child or terminally ill, physical abuse being an accident, neglect due to substance abuse and mental illness which murder suicide is the outcome.

Links to mental illness

Child homicide association to mental disorders psychiatric disorders environment and psychosocial stressors. In one off three cases female offenders who committed child homicide psychiatric disorders were identified (Falkov 1996).

Conclusion

The social situation of offenders such as poverty and social exclusion can lead to stress, depression and psychiatric disturbances which unfortunately can lead to committing homicide. Programs aimed at educating parents about appropriate parenting behaviours are one such measure that can be taken. These programs may educate parents about the vulnerability of children and their susceptibility to unintended injury, offer support services for young inexperienced mothers or teach parents non-violent coping skills (Scott 1995; Mouzos 2000). Other prevention strategies include:

• the use of home visitation programs for the families of children who have been deemed to be ‘at risk’ of abuse; or
• the use of child protection orders for children who have come to the attention of their jurisdictional community services department, and the careful monitoring of children under these orders.

Human services, law enforcement and other related agencies all play a role in the prevention of child homicide. The early recognition of warning signs of unsafe family situations would enable protective or supportive services to be provided (Lawrence & Fattore 2002, p. 142), thus minimising the risk of homicide, Children are not just at risk of homicide through fatal abuse incidents; family breakdown has also been identified as a precipitating factor in some filicides. The improvement of counselling and support services for separating parents may play an important role in reducing child homicide in these instances. Other family and friends may also play a vital role by raising the alarm if they notice a family breakdown affecting the parents’ mental health and by encouraging the parents to seek medical or other assistance in dealing with possible illnesses such as depression resulting from the separation.

References

• Mouzos, J & Rushforth, C 2003 Last modified 5 March 2019 Australian Institute of Criminology 2019
• Theoretical perspectives variables can be drawn from social disorganisation and anomie theories. (Tetzlaff-Bemiller 2013)

Growing up, the majority of adolescents are taught how to resolve disagreements in a gracious manner, encouraged to analyze all sides of a difference, as well as to find a solution to an issue. But what happens when a disagreement spirals out of control that it leads to a child committing murder? Who is to be held accountable? The one committing the crime, the child. During the years of 1980 through 2008, children under the age of fourteen made up 0.5% of murderers in the United States. Studies have shown children just at the age of eight, know the differences between committing malicious acts and what is the morality of murder is. When a child commits murder, it always tends to be a personal act due to something that may have occurred that caused the child to get upset. In 2016, an eleven-year-old boy shot and killed an 8-year-old girl, because she refused to let him see her puppy. Many children also take advantage of their age, because they believe that their actions may not result them in serving jail time. There have been known cases when underage kid believed that they would avoid serving a jail sentence due to the fact they are still not considered an adult. A child committing a murder always leaves people baffled, but it does happen and they have to take responsibility.

Whenever there are news when a child commits murder it always leads to assume that this child must have suffered a horrific childhood, have had drug addicts for parents, or simply did not hold the mental capacity to know what murder really meant or the consequences for this act, but what people have yet to realize that our brains are already 90% developed by the age of 5; meaning that we can differentiate between pushing another kid to murdering them. A developmental psychologist at Macquarie University, Kay Bussey, decided to conduct an investigation after the case involving a 10-year-old boy who killed his friend in 1998. Kay Bussey and one of her students gathered and studied 132 men and woman from four different age groups, those being between the ages of eight, twelve, sixteen, and adults. Each individual, was presented with various short stories, consisting of criminal acts that demonstrated the endangerments to the persons life was placed under and the other stories consisting with acts that did not cause harm to someone. The study concluded that 8 year olds were just as aware as the older age groups, that the criminal acts where one was endangered were considered unlawful rather than those that did not put ones life in harm. Children are aware of the meaning of murder and are able to tell how it does cause harm to another person.

Not only do adolescents know the meaning of murder, the majority of the time when they commit the senseless crime it was something personal and planned. Back in 2006, a 12 year old girl, who cannot be named, went on to kill both of her parents and 8 year old brother simply because they did not approve of her relationship. The relationship caused turmoil in the house between the parents and daughter since those were rules set out to her. In order to commit a senseless crime, it takes time and plotting. She was able to produce this hatred towards her family, plot out their murder, and carry on with the attack. At any given time she could have gone with an alternative, as waiting to turn 18 and leaving the house to just accepting the fact that her parents had rules she had to follow. She believed that if she made it seem as if it was a random attack towards her family she would go on and be with her boyfriend, but investigators were able to find evidence of the plotting the girl did in order to carry out the crime without leaving any trace. It takes an immense amount of skill and thinking to know what she was about to do was a crime that had consequences. She was able to convince herself that if she was able to destroy any evidence that lead back to her detectives could not prove she was involved; simply meant she knew the consequences that were responsible to her since she was aware and understood that she was to be held accountable for her crime and what she had done was capital murder.

There have been numerous amount of times, not only does a child try disposing of evidence that cannot lead back to them from a crime but another portion is able to convince themselves since they are not considered an adult, they cannot be charged with murder as an adult. In an episode of, “Killer Kids,” a teenage boy went onto killing his whole family to collect family inheritance believed he would serve a short sentence due to his age, the states age of being considered an adult, making him believe he was not fully held accountable, and would still receive the family inheritance. He should be able to take responsibility for the murders, because when a child is not held accountable for his or her actions they go on and do it again. Who is to say that a couple years from now he will not do the same thing. For every action there is a consequence, no exception should be made for him. He is attempting to take full advantage believing that he can get away with it, he is also aware that what he has done is wrong. One must suffer the consequences for all of our acts.

All in all, whenever we see a person has been murdered we are mortified by the idea that someone did such gruesome act and the one responsible for the crime should be convicted, but once it is revealed a child did it many opinions start to vary. When in reality it should not, when a child goes on to commit murder they should be accountable because they are aware of what they have done. The individual was able to plot and carry on with the act. Just at the age of eight, we can distinguish between a criminal acts that causes harm to an act that is not dangerous to ones life. Being held accountable for our actions is part of everyday life no matter the age. We should learn from our mistakes no matter the age. A child held accountable for murder is effective in order for it not to happen again, since they are aware of the significance of murder.

The right no is hit, is also a child’s right. A child is an abridged adult with a right that cannot be abridged. ‘Spare the rod, spoil the child’, this phrase has been prevalent in our society since a very long time. It is majorly believed that if a child is not punished for his misdeeds he will end up being a brat or undisciplined. Corporal punishment is just not restricted to the physical form of violence, but encapsulates mental torture such as humiliation, threats, scapegoats, scares and ridiculing a child in any given manner. Usually, infliction of such harm is done on the child dubbed as love and care, and in the best interest of a child, due to which a child never realises the need to report it. The parents often forget, that when they punish their child, they take the responsibility of misbehaviour away from the children and give it to themselves. Corporal punishment violates child rights guaranteed to the children under the Right to Education Act, which prohibits any child being from being subjected to physical punishment or mental harassment.

The problem is deep and serious. As part of their daily lives, children all over India are spanked, slapped, hit, smacked, shaken, kicked, pinched, punched, caned, flogged, belted, beaten and battered by adults – mainly by those whom they trust the most. Such violence may be a deliberate act of punishment or just an impulsive reaction of an irritated guardian or a teacher. In all such cases, there is a breach of fundamental human rights. Respect for humanity and the right to the physical integrity of an individual are universal principles. Yet social and legal acceptance of the physical infliction of pain and other humiliating treatment of children by adults persists in most countries across the world including India. According to a survey conducted in 2007 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in the thirteen states in India, the studies showed that 2 out of every 3 children are physically abused and, every second child faces emotional abuse in some form or another. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) define the Child Rights as the minimum entitlements and freedom that should be awarded to every citizen below 18 years of age regardless of their race, national origin, colour, gender, language, religion, opinions, wealth, birth status, disability, and/or other characteristics. All these rights encompass freedom of children and their civil rights, family environment, necessary healthcare and welfare, education, leisure and cultural activities and special protection measures. According to the UNCRC fundamental human rights that should be afforded to the children that suitably cover all civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights of every child. The physical form of punishments has shown to hurt a child’s cognitive development. This may certainly be due to the effects of early experiences of stress and fear on their developing brain. Results from neuroimaging studies show that experiencing harsh physical punishment reduces the volume of the brain’s grey matter in areas associated with performance on a scale used to measure intelligence. Punishing a child gives rise to the plethora of harm physical, psychological and educational outcomes.

Such misdoings infringe the various rights guaranteed to the children including their fundamental rights. Corporal punishments interfere the Right to Education Act’s which prohibits any child from being subjected to physical punishment or mental harassment. Article 15(3) of the Indian Constitution mentions the special provisions for children. Article 39(e) safeguards children against abuses and Article 39(f) talks about the opportunities and facilities for children to develop healthily, conditions of freedom and dignified childhood and youth and protection against moral and material abandonment. A child has right to invoke the various sections of the Indian Penal Code to get justice such as the section 352 that talks about the punishment for assault or section 323 and 325 that talk about voluntarily causing hurt. Right of not getting hit is also a child’s right.

There are various other methods of disciplining a child and making them realize about their mistakes other than punishing them physically or mentally. Developing a good rapport with the child from a very early age to be able to talk to them on a personal level as parents. Being vocal about the consequences of the act that the child indulges in also helps the child to differentiate between the right and wrong acts. The method of positive discipline such as rewarding good behaviour and curtailing negative behaviour. Teaching children about how to become responsible, respectful and resourceful inculcates a spirit of self-discipline. Punishing a child might not guarantee discipline but it does guarantee a lost childhood.

Murder. It’s a horrendous crime no matter the age of those who are commiting the crime. Through this essay I will be reffering to the crime murder, defining what it is and the consequences of commiting it. I will discuss adult prisons and young offenders insitutions stating the differences between the two and the purposes of them both. My main objective Is to investigate why child murderers aren’t conviced the same as adult murderers due to age. The law states that anyone under the age of 18 can’t be sent to an adult prison but are sent to young offenders insitutions; I will discuss why.

The dictionary definition of murder is “the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another”. Murder is also known as homicide which is defined as the taking of human life. Murder has several sub-catogries; First degree murder, second degree murder, manslaughter, voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. First degree murder is the most common as well as second degree murder, and is the most consequential of all murder charges. It results in the murderer planning on killing the victim, with an outcome of life in prison. Second degree murder is similar with the murderer intending to kill but hasn’t planned it, some situations of someone acting reckless and leading to the death of another human being, can also be classed as second degree murder too. This can also result in life in prison for the offender or a harsh but realistic sentence. Manslaughter is a crime in which the offendent didn’t intend or plan for the victim to die due to their actions. Their conviction will widely depend on the circumstances. Voluntary manslaughter is an act of killing someone that does not amount to murder, but the killer can receive fines, 10 years or less in prison or even both. Involuntary manslaughter is the killing of a human being without the intention of doing it for example killing someone why driving recklessly.

For a killing of a human being to be classified as murder it can’t be in a situation of self defence, under the Queens peace, so not in the circumstances of war or in police matters and the killer has to have intended to kill or bring great harm to the victum. In the situation of war a soldier who has been trained to use a loaded weapon is allowed to kill If they can see imminent danger/threat to a human life, this would then not be classed as murder.

Adult imprisonment rates have risen by 69% in the past 30 years, however, this has dropped in the last 2 years. In western Europe, Scotland has the highest imprisonment rate, with 48% of them returning to prison within a year of their release. There are six different sentences; Short term, Long term, Extended, Indeterminant, life sentences and in some cases an order for lifelong restrictions may be applied. Angus Sinclair is best known for the killings of Helen Scott and Christine Eadie, in October 1977. It is believed that he killed 8 women/girls within 7 months; Frances Barker 37 years of age, Hilda McAuley 36 years old, Agnes Cooney aged 23, Anna Kenny 20, Catherine Reehill ages 7, Christine Eadie, Helen Scot and Mary Gallacher who were all ages 17. After murdering Helen Scott and Christine Eadie he moved the bodies 6 miles apart in east Lothian the next day, leading to the biggest man hunt in Scottish police history. Angus was sentenced to a minimum of 37 years the given a chance of parole 20 years in his sentence and was given another life sentence after being found guilty to murdering Mary Gallacher. He was given the largest sentence in Scottish history.

The reoffending rate of young offenders is 38% and has increased by 2.3% in the past 10 years, however, has decreased by 1.3% in the last year. There are 3 types of secure centers for young offenders; young offenders insitutions which caters for those aged 15 to 21, secure training centers are for offenders aged up to 17 and secure childrens homes for children aged 10 to 14. Jamie Patrick Bulger is a 2 year-old boy or was adbducted, battered with bricks, stones and peiecs of metal leading to his death. In 1993 John Vendables and Robert Thompson both ages 10, took Jamie from a shopping center at bootle and made him walk 2 miles to his death. After beating Jamie to his death they then placed his body on a railway line for a train to eventually come and cut his body in two. They were released at the age of 18 meaning they only spend 8 years being punished for the crime they commited, only because their age if they were an adult they would have received life in prison. Jon never learned his lesson about crime commiting as he was inprisoned again in 2010 and 2017. After leaving both murderers got given new identities, and given a life long lisence.

The purposes of a young offenders instituitions One purpose is they are seen to be able get rehabilitated. Many of those who kill at a young age have been abused, seen abuse or just not had a great childhood and have never been told right from wrong and are just angry kids. Child killers’ identities are kept anonymous to be given the chance for them to rebuild their lives after the are released. Boris Johnson Is introducing tougher sentences for the worst crimes, i.e. murder which should allow child murderers to get life just like those of an older age. Another purpose is they are treated differently is that adult murderers should know what they are doing is wrong and have and understanding of what it is they are doing. Whereas children are seen as they don’t understand what they did was wrong and that a smaller punishment is enough for them to learn. This isn’t always true as there are many examples of child murderers being sent back to prison. Between the age of 10 and 17 those who commited a crime are treated differently from adults and are dealt with by youth courts and sent to a young offenders institution. Thirdly due to the law they aren’t actually classed as adult till they are 18, so can’t be tried the same as an adult.

Purposes on why and why not child murders should be sent to an adult. One point on why child murderers should be sent to an adult prison is they commited the same crime so should receive the same punishment. One purpose why they shouldn’t be sent to an adult prison is it could be to violent for them and could lead to them getting bullied inside. Another point for against child murderers being sent to an adult prison the reoffending rates of adult offenders reoffending is higher than young offenders reoffending so could be a bad influence of them and they could commit a crime again. Second point on why child murderers should be sent to an adult prison is it could show offender the negative impact they can make on the future.

So, why aren’t child murderers convicted the same as an adult murderers? It is all to do with age really, this affects the way the judge looks at the killer, impacting the sentence. My judgement on the topic is that child murderers should be convicted the same as an adult murderer. This is because a murderer is someone who has taken a life no matter the age of the killer, if I was related to someone who got murdered by a child, I believe they couldn’t be punished enough for what they have done, because once they have served their sentence they can still live a life with only a drop of guilty under the surface.

From watching a video of a child named Jamie I grasped an understanding that is it crucial for social workers to have good observation skills. This is because it enables them to gain an understanding and insight into child development and the structure of a relationship in different cultures and families (Linnet McMahon, 2003). The method of observation I applied while conducting research was the naturalistic approach, which Michael V Angrisano states in his book (Angrisano, 2016). That ‘naturalistic observations enable social workers to understand how an individual’s actions and phrases are placed in their proper form’. However, this approach has its negative factors due to the fact the observation can be biased as different observers may have different outcomes. (Angrisano, 2016) During this observation, I looked out for Jamie’s actions, including his surroundings, movements, and speech, and I applied the work of Jean Piaget, John Bowlby, and Albert Bandura to examine Jamie’s stages of development.

Consider the importance and rationale of observations in social work and why child observation is important in social work-what literature say?

Observation is the deliberate noticing and systematic evaluation of a participant’s behavior and is often carried out in social work settings to identify habits of actions and patterns that necessitate action. (Neil Cowie, 2009) When making observations, social workers weigh and factorize aspects such as the place of the observation, the name of the individual they may be observing, their age and race, including the level of development at which the individual being observed might be for them to make a precise observation. According to literature and conductive research, the action of observation is used frequently and subconsciously by social workers, ‘to reflect and understand meanings of what is seen’. (O’Loughin,2015, Fawcett, 2009) Observation skills enable and assist social workers to comprehend other individuals through non-verbal interactions. The use of system and attachment theories through observation assists social workers in gaining insight and alternative perspectives of conscious and unconscious aspects of relationships. (Journal of Social Work Practice, 2016) In social work, Observing is very salient, because it is the base and foundation on which all social work practices are based, therefore this is used as an ongoing practice to educate those in the social work field (O’Loughlin, 2015). Literature and research also state and conclude that observation is essential as it allows for the sensitive and critical application of theoretical knowledge and procedures to be put into practice (Fawcett, 2009). Another reason why the skill of observation is important in social work is due to it is a way in which people learn how anti-discriminatory principles are put into practice as they develop a clear and precise explicit apprehension of different events that affect and impact children and adults. (Fawcett and Watson, 2016) In the social work profession, social workers may also carry out childhood observations, which is the most common form of observation in social work. Childhood observation isn’t merely watching what is happening around them, it also includes listening to children and acknowledging their outlooks, mindsets, and opinions as well as honoring and validating their ideas, as this implies that they’re being taken seriously and sends the feeling of affection, value, and empathy. Childhood observation is extremely crucial in social work because it is an essential factor for fresh and deeper interpretation of the lived experiences and emotions of children. In many unfortunate cases of child abuse, social workers are specifically under investigation for their role in the event, as reports state that children need to be ‘heard and seen’ a lot more. Therefore, as social workers, we must carry out observations in which we necessitate children being listened to regardless of their ability to communicate and age. Another factor as to why childhood observation is important is due to it being a useful opportunity for social workers to adapt an understanding of the child’s achieved stage of development, by finding out how children interact vocally and non-vocally. This can be carried out by examining the children’s use of gestures and movements, such as eye contact and smiling, and the usage of their hands and feet as they communicate. This is extremely beneficial as it is an empowering intriguing and touching activity for the observer. Due to this observation, it may be indicated to the observer that the child being observed may have a form of special needs or developmental delay. This reinforces the importance and significance of childhood observation. Observation is a crucial aspect of work for anyone working in the field of social work and promotes and reinforces the ability to assess children efficiently which is why social work tends to be referred to as the ‘heart of work with children’. (Fawcett and Watson, 2016)

Discuss your method of observation- narrative naturalistic- what does the literature say about this? Include the pros and cons of adopting this in child observations and social work practice.

When carrying out my observation, I carried out and applied a naturalistic observation, which is the act of observation of an individual without interaction in their natural environment. Upon conductive research, Adler describes naturalistic observation as ‘the fundamental base of all research methods’ (Adler,1994). Naturalistic observation is carried out in social work to investigate individuals to put their actions into perspective, as this will allow social workers to consider and comprehend behavioral patterns that need improvement or attention. Throughout my observation, I ensured that I observed Jamie precisely and rigorously, whilst applying the technique of naturalistic observation, as Adler stated (Alder, 1994 pg. 378) that ‘we must learn to use all our senses to accurately perceive the whole picture’. As specified and enforced by (Thomas J Dishon and Isabella Granic, 2004) ‘Parents are often unaware as to which extent their child exacerbates their problem behaviors,’ This validates and represents how beneficial naturalistic child observation is, as this method of observation reveals the fundamental of potential relationship issues that may arouse in the future. Naturalistic observation is also beneficial in the social work practice because it gives social workers a sense of the child, as well as the understanding of the child’s nature, behavior, and mindset in which they are observing which increases the legitimacy of certain family aspects that may be unleashed to the knowledge of the social worker. (Bornstein et al., 2015). Naturalistic observation is also carried out in a natural environment which is extremely beneficial in observing an individual in their natural environment as they may feel the need to act out of their usual character due to being removed from their zone of comfort and stability. Lastly, another advantage of naturalistic observation includes being allowed to study something that cannot be studied in a lab, and breaking down the physical traits and words that are made in children and adults with an empathetic mindset.

Naturalistic observation tends to consist of studying people in the real world and although that may have its advantages which include descriptive analysis of the development of a child furthermore, the foundation of an Individual emotion. Naturalistic observation, of course, has its disadvantages which may include gathering inadequate information due to the circumstances. In other words, naturalistic observation does not always provide enough information about functional dynamics. Although naturalistic observation can be of use in analyzing a child in their natural environment, the observation may also include insufficient information due to the inability to always observe the child interacting with different individuals and therefore, the observation isn’t carried out from different viewpoints and perspectives. Naturalistic observation can also be viewed as biased due to the conscious or unconscious act of the child or guardian of the child trying to portray themselves in a good light. Parents may often purposely positively portray themselves or their children to seek and display a perfect parent image. (Oberzaucher, 2017). Another disadvantage of naturalistic observation in social work practice is that it can be viewed as intrusive to both the child and caregiver as they may feel uncomfortable with the observer being in their setting, especially if they aren’t familiar with or understand what the social worker is doing. It may be viewed as ‘stalking’ or breaching different forms of privacy, which creates potential discomfort in adults, but mainly children as they are not always comfortable around individuals who are not part of and are outside their support bubble. When carrying out a naturalistic observation, seeking consent may affect the natural element which is also a negative attribute as well as the bias that comes with this observation as different observers may have different outcomes.

Reflect on the process of observing the video and you’re recording by considering the emotions triggered by the video

As a social worker, it is crucial to be considerate of the factors that influence observation and apply that when carrying out your observation. When carrying out my observation, the factors which I used to influence and comprehend my observation were the personal information of the individual being observed such as the individual’s race, age, and gender. Another factor that can be used to influence observation is coming to an understanding of what developmental milestone the individual being observed may be at and assessing it. This enabled me, as an observer to gain a deeper insight and understanding of Jamie and make a precise and just observation. Throughout my observation, Jamie displayed a wide range of emotions which were excitement, frustration, and curiosity. At 7 months Jamie was surrounded by many objects such as rocks, fluffy material, metal objects, etc. She often put objects in her mouth which displayed her curiosity as children at this age often explore objects through their mouths, this is beneficial in improving their sensory-motor development. This made me as an observer feel content as this indicated to me that Jamie is making progress in her development. Jamie was often excited and happy when playing with the objects as she particularly liked playing with the cardboard box and shaking it due to the sound that was coming from this. Also, Jamie displayed good fine and Gross motor skills when reaching out for the objects which also reassured me as an observer that she is making positive signs of development, and showing interest and curiosity with the things around her. Although Jamie was happy playing with most of the objects, she displayed frustration at certain times which was when she was unable to reach her golf ball and when she was unable to lift one of the rocks. When Jamie was frustrated, she looked to her guardian for help which gave me insight that Jamie felt secure in her guardian and indicated that Jamie had a sense of attachment to her guardians as Bowlby’s attachment theory suggests that children rely on their parents to help them to survive. Therefore, children are biologically attached to their parents. This made me as an observer feel affirmed in Jamie’s developmental progress and reassured me as an observer that Jamie’s curiosity was active as his frustration in not being able to carry the rock indicated that she was not only curious to play with it, but apprehends that she, as a baby is willing to interact with these things around her no matter how big or small it is.

An observation of Jamie was also carried out at 23 months old in which I saw a significant change in her gross and fine motor development. This made me very optimistic as an observer as I witnessed Jamie stand up and walk to get a toy, which highlighted to me that she is no longer in need of the help of a guardian to reach certain objects, I could see that she was happy that she was able to carry out this task by herself which made me as an observer also feel cheerful as I was able to identify a significant change in her gross motor movement which gave me an insight of my childhood and how happy my parents must’ve been when I also made development in my gross motor movements. Upon further reflection Jamie became more complex in her play and would place cups and wooden rings in order, she was also able to grasp items properly and could place them where she required them to be in their order, this reinforced the significant positive change in her development and highlighted how she has matured to me as an observer. Jamie felt confident in her play when arranging the plastic cups and wooden rings and demonstrated this activity with confidence to achieve her goal attainment. When the task was carried out successfully, I could see that Jamie felt proud of herself and wanted to gain affirmation from her guardian this conveys the security that Jamie attains from her guardians which is a good sign of secure attachment and good development as it highlights that Jamie feels inspiration and motivation from her guardians, this made me feel assured and gleeful as an observer. Although Jamie was quite cheerful during this observation, she experienced some challenges when playing as she was unable to stack wooden rings together, I could see that she was angry during this part of the observation as this resulted in her crying. However, this did not stop Jamie from participating in play which informed me that Jamie has good perseverance and can move on from a situation that may cause her grief, this made me feel deep pleasure as it assured me that Jamie would be able to make very good progression in different circumstances due to her resilience.

Similarly, me and Jamie both portrayed some of the same attributes as children as I also explored objects by placing them in my mouth as a child. This is a common trait in children as children tend to place objects in their mouth to explore how soft or hard the object may be and the different sensations of the object, this helps children to develop sensory motor developmental skills. As a social worker, it is essential to look out for this when carrying out observation. A child who still places objects in their mouth past the age of two may be experiencing developmental delays. Furthermore, me and Jamie displayed more of the same attributes as children which also includes walking, most children start walking from 9-12 months onwards. When carrying out observation of Jamie when he was 7 months old, he was unable to walk however in the 23-month-old observation Jamie was a confident walker as he didn’t fall while making any attempt to walk which indicates he made great progress in development and experienced no delays, I also experienced no delays in my walking and started walking around 12 months. However, some children may experience delays in the ability to walk and it is essential social workers adhere to this as this is a sign of developmental delay and could be a result of excessive pampering.

Overall, the role of observation can be intriguing as well as challenging, due to the circumstance you are uninformed of what event the individual being observed might partake in next. The role of observation requires one to make a precise and detailed analysis of the developmental progress of an individual which can be quite overwhelming to an individual new to this role as it may be a challenge to identify the developmental issues an individual may have as well as the developmental progress. People new to carrying out this observation may have a sense of uncertainty on whether they’re carrying out the observation to the correct social work standard. The role of observation requires a lot of time, patience, and understanding and maybe a bombshell to anyone new to it as it requires you to be always alert due to the suspense of not knowing the activity in which the child may partake in that you may be faced with. Furthermore, although the role of observation has its challenges it is an extremely beneficial role in establishing how a child has made developmental progress and how they interact with the world, things, and people around them.

Abstract-

This observation was conducted to attempt to answer the following research question: ‘How do football spectators behave and what can cause a change in this behavior?’. The report will outline the main findings from the field observation which are that there are many different reasons why spectators behave the way they do and that there are many different factors in which a spectator’s behavior may be altered. It shows that there is a difference in behavior between the two different areas, corporate hospitality, and retail, and how one person’s behavior can alter that of those around them. With the aid of existing literature on the topic this report shows some already ongoing findings.

Introduction-

This observation was chosen because football is one of the main sports watched and admired by many in today’s society, it brings people together, but it can also cause conflict amongst spectators. This can be seen through spectator violence is often referred to as ‘football hooliganism’, or sometimes as the ‘English disease’. These terms have been more commonly used by the media and by politicians to label deviant behaviors which have become associated with English football from the 1960s to today (Frosdick, et al, 2006). Football hooliganism has been one of the leading factors in the introduction of legislation in the United Kingdom which began with the 1986 Public Order Act and has since been followed by the 1989 Football Supporters Act, the 1991 Football Offences Act, the 1999 Football (Offences and Disorder) Act, and the 2000 Football (Disorder) Act.

As part of these acts we have seen a rise in spectator protection which included things like alcohol bans and perimeter fencing that acted as a cage in segregating fans, however whilst it can be said that the fencing is likely to have prevented disorder within stadiums its did contribute to two major disasters in the 1980s, the first being the fire at Valley Parade in 1985 where 56 fans died due to a discarded cigarette and due to the treat of hooliganism fire extinguishers had been removed for fear of them being used against one another. The second was the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 when 96 supporters died due to the decision to alleviate crushing outside the stadium due to the overestimation of people in the minutes before kick-off, the opening of the gates resulted in thousands of fans rushing toward the middle section of the terraces and crushing those collected near the front by the fencing (Cleland, et al, 2016).

This observation will aim to look at the behavior of spectators to see if there is violence and discord there but to also see if there is still an increase in racism. It will also be looking into the behaviors of how certain spectators behave during a game and if there are any clear indications of what can affect those behaviours to investigate the topic further the following research question was developed ‘How do football spectators behave and what can cause a change in this behavior?’.

Research Design:

What is qualitative research?

Qualitative research has become very influential across many fields of social sciences, it can be defined as a research strategy that emphasizes words rather than quantification in the collection and analysis of data (Hammersley, 2013). Sandelowski says “Qualitative research is an umbrella term for an array of attitudes towards and strategies for conducting an inquiry that is aimed at discovering how human beings understand, experience, interpret, and produce the social world” (Sandelowski, 2004: 893).

Choice of research method-

The choice of observation was made for many different reasons, first of all, a person’s behavior can change if they’re aware that you’re observing them which can therefore affect the data that you’re collecting. Another reason for the choice of observation is that it’s best to collate data from a large number of people in one area and its data that can be collected in public to see how people interact with one another in their day-to-day activities. These are the main reasons why covert observation was chosen rather than that of interviews.

What is being observed?

To be able to answer the research question a covert observation was deemed the best course to see how spectators behave at a football match and if there are any contributing factors to why a person’s behavior may change whilst watching the game. By doing this observation the focus was on; the time, the actors- the role of all involved, the event- what is happening on the scene, the space- the physical layout as well as the atmosphere and overall feeling of the participants.

Collecting the data-

For the research question, the observation had to be discreetly done so that people didn’t notice me and change the way they behaved, this was done through work and by asking my area manager if I could observe at a different football stadium where I would not be working but could blend in to observe the behavior of the spectators around me. If Somebody knows that they are going to be observed, then they are more likely to change their behavior either to play up to the observation purpose or ‘clam up’ and become shy (Lugosi, 2006). To answer the research question, the researcher observed two particular areas, corporate hospitality and the kiosk (Retail).

A sampling of the research –

The observation was recorded with field notes as it was the most discreet way to record data. The position taken by the researcher was of ‘duty manager’ doing their match day checks with a clipboard so as not to stand out and draw attention to themselves, if the participants saw that they were being observed the research would not be conclusive as it may stop all together or people would behave differently. The observations were done across two different match days and two different areas so the researcher could get a clear observation of a person’s behavior and if being in the different areas had an effect on the behavior. The observation was also spread across two days as no one match day is the same as one match could be busier than that of another match, the day on which a game is played may also have an effect which is also why it is spread across two different days.

Barriers faced-

For this study one of the main barriers to the research was the high volume of people to observe and how best to observe them and gain the best I could out of the situation so where best to place myself for the best vantage point. Another barrier was at which game to observe as some games have a higher spectator attendance but may be a ‘quiet’ game whereas a lower attendance may have a ‘rowdy’ crowd, this meant that another barrier was observing across two areas of retail/kiosks and corporate hospitality.

Ethical Considerations-

When using this method of research there needs to be certain things taken into account concerning ethical issues, a researcher needs to know his or her ethical boundaries and the limitations of the area surrounding the study, therefore knowing what is morally right or morally wrong. When doing a cover observation ethical issues aren’t always easy to see. The main value of ethical research for this particular area of study is to make sure that as a researcher we respect the privacy of the participants so make sure that we remain confidential, for this study no names or any other identifiable features were gathered and it is clearly stated on the participant information sheet which was on hand ready to be given out should someone question the reason for the observation and need proof that what was happening was being kept confidential (Spicker, 2011).

Another ethical consideration is to avoid harm to participants, in this particular instance the case study was designed to avoid ethical issues surrounding avoiding harm to participants (Calvey, 2008). There was no physical contact between the researcher and the participants and as the researcher was constantly on the move due to the nature of the environment the observation was limited to 20 minutes in each area where the observation was carried out as any longer may have caused the researcher to be noticed which could have caused the participant unnecessary apprehension or stress. All precautions were taken so as not to intrude upon the privacy of the participants.

Analysis and discussion-

When analyzing the information gathered from the observations many different findings are relevant in helping to answer the question. Whilst undertaking these observations the researcher found that there was a large contrast in the behaviours of spectators across the two different areas studied. Because the observation was carried out in such a large public area, it was interesting to see different behaviors play out and how spectators seemed to bounce off each other, for example, one observation was that whenever there was a goal or a free kick in the teams favor chanting would break out amongst the fans and it would just take one person to start this which changed the behavior of those around them. Another thing I found quite noticeable was that if women and children attending the match in hospitality they were more likely to stay indoors and either watch the game from the screens around the room or sit around on their phones/ tablets compared to the women and children who attended the game through retail and sat in the stands getting involved in the game and the behaviors around them by chanting and shouting when those around them did.

I similarly noticed the different behaviors from big groups of men who attended the game to the families who attended the game, with rowdiness from the larger groups the occasional swear word was heard to which a parent responded with ‘Shut up, can’t you see there are kids here trying to enjoy the game’, this was a phrase quite often heard and whilst usually, the spectators in question quietened down others responded by being louder and ruder which resulted in warnings from nearby stewards. I also observed that behavior was often not only by the results of the game but the alcohol consumed during halftime, it was observed that some spectators would miss the beginning of the second half to ‘down’ another pint or two before proceeding to watch the game again, once back in the stands they often became louder and more ‘rowdy’.

It can be concluded that there are many different reasons for a behavior change, the most noticeable was the difference between the areas and the atmosphere, alcohol, and the actual result of the game if a certain team was winning the crowd would either be joyful or disappointed.

Why do we observe?

Understanding and supporting children’s learning can be determined by several factors, one of which is observations. Observations are important as they seek out the next steps for making progress in children’s learning. When professionals carry out observations, children should be consulted and involved as if they were being taught. They are often formal and systematic when taking place in an educational setting, conclusions are drawn to help professionals further develop strategies and programs to support children. There are numerous reasons why we observe, one being a way to identify the causes of changes in behavior, this could be due to challenging interactions with peers. Another reason why we observe is to understand how best to support the level of individual needs a child may have; this helps plan activities that stimulate and identify the next steps in their learning and development. Continuous observation of this nature shows not only the child’s journey but also the adult’s role in supporting the journey. With each observation, we can track patterns of behaviors and one day, find a cause of it. One significance of observing is, that children are learning from them, and professionals such as teachers and teaching assistants are encouraged to provide learning experiences that children can make links with their prior knowledge and understanding. From observations, we can then establish effective learning, acknowledging how they learn to make decisions about what happens next. (Koshy, 2010 cited in Stacey et al.,2016) suggests observation as a ‘continuous learning process with its main purpose to improve practice.

My observation

The child I observed was 5 years old. J is in the early years foundation stage within a primary school. His ethnicity is White and at the time of the observation, he has been in school for 4 months. His interests include dinosaurs, playdough, role-play (particularly in the home corner and outside), small world, construction, and building areas. Overall, J can be independent in many aspects of school life. Adult support is needed during whole class carpet input, to guide J into making the correct choices in both behavior and daily learning tasks.

What did I observe?

Within my observation, I shall be referencing Andrew Pollard’s four definitions (2014) Description, Dispassionate, Discerning, and, Diagnostic.

J was wondering about the classroom in search of something to do, the teacher encouraged J to explore the building area and prompted him to see if he could make something with the bricks. J chose the color bricks he wanted and started to make something with them. Another child came over to join J in making something, the other child asked, ‘Can I help you build it?’ J said very angrily, ‘No. it mine, not yours.’ J then turned his back on the other child and continued to build. As more children approached the building area, J threw his model in the brick box, ‘I go now’ and went off to play in the home corner. Once in there, J ran over to the kitchen and began to throw items around laughing and making silly noises as if it was a game. One child went up to J and told him to stop. He continued to throw. The teacher approached the home corner and asked J to stop, he then did so. J then saw a group of children playing together nicely, he jumped over to them and then rolled onto their laps to disturb the game. He lay there staring up at the ceiling, making ‘bedobedobedo’ sounds. The children in that group called for the teacher, they then removed J from the home corner and asked him to play somewhere else nicely in the classroom. J was approached by one of his friends who play together often, J began to crawl across the classroom floor saying, ‘Me dog, you play me, play J game’. They then both continued across the floor making barking sounds and laughing. J and his friend then went out into the corridor to find their coats. They both went outside to continue playing together.

The importance of play and creativity in learning

What do playful activities and creativity bring to the curriculum and school life more widely?

Playful activities and creativity have an important role in children’s learning, play allows children to understand the world whilst allowing them to make their own choices and explore opportunities within their ideas, this gives them control and can be hugely engaging for many. Play-based learning makes a significant contribution to the development of a child’s understanding (Pascal and Bertram, 1997; Martlew et al., 2011; Pramling Samuelsson and Johansson, 2006 cited in Hancock et al., 2016). One of the most important things about play is ensuring that children have a thriving, rich environment where they can invent and extend their play.

The significance of play leads to a part of children’s development, it allows children to step out of reality and engage in learning experiences to explore through their imagination, meanings, and understanding. Vygotsky suggests, that when children are playing, they behave beyond their average age, and their behavior, play allows children to be a head taller than they might when not playing (Vygotsky, 1978, cited in Hancock, et al., 2016) Alongside Vygotsky ideas, there is a huge emphasis on how powerful social interactions can be in children’s learning within the notion of the zone of proximal development (ZPD), suggesting how supportive peers and adults can be around children’s learning. When there are such sensitive and well-judged amounts of support, it allows children to feel that they are progressing positively in their way.

Creativity drives and sustains play. Children have a responsibility to determine what happens next in play. When play is maintained and developing, there is an ongoing creative and imaginative process that children feel. When children are creative together, there is a collective dimension to their thinking. Children engage actively when choosing and exploring their curriculum, learning through the discovery of experiences within a natural, social, and constructed world that goes beyond the classroom (Plowden Report, CACE 1967 cited in Craft et al., 2016).

In what ways do they enhance learning?

Playful and creative activities support healthy development in their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive needs and critical thinking skills. Children are encouraged by the activities to become motivated and independently confident to work well with peers, understand and take leadership in their learning experiences, and see how capable they are to apply their creative skills to other situations.

In the video ‘Number Songs’ the teaching assistant directed the playful activities for learning that differ from free-flow play. The teaching assistant linked songs to varying activities that involved parents supporting their children (The Open University, 2021a) The first song, ‘Ten in the Bed’ encouraged the children to follow actions as well as keep focused attention on the animal props. The children were involved and asked by the teaching assistant and parents to look after each animal as they ‘fell off the bed’. To establish learning through songs, the teacher had a specific link to Numeracy; counting and rhymes were entertaining and allowed the adults involved to use questions towards the children to encourage them to communicate and problem-solve. This is a good example of how play and creativity can enhance children’s learning.

Relating my observation to play and creativity

The activity observed was of the child during their independent learning time. This time allows for observation of a child’s most natural way of playing and being creative in the learning environment, to what the child finds most enjoyable at school. Observations of this nature can help adults to understand the effectiveness of the provision. Strengths, weaknesses, and inconsistencies within the curriculum can be shown through observation (Nutbrown, 2013). Furthermore, details from the observations can allow for plans to be put in place to support children through provision and teaching but to also identify the significant moments in a child’s learning to help shape a curriculum that supports child developmental concerns.

‘J’ had a keen interest in the building construction area inside the learning environment, the teacher knew this beforehand and therefore was able to direct J to the area she thought would be beneficial to his creative learning experience. During his time at the construction, area J was an independent learner exploring his interests. He used what was around him to show curiosity and the desire to explore with the bricks and make something he could play with. (Hall et al., 2016) Through independent learning, J was able to have first-hand experiences and experiment with what he wanted to at his own pace, he became an independent learner by allowing himself to choose what made him happy, building his knowledge through inquiries, and when a problem occurred, J was able to see this problem for himself and correct it by moving on to what he felt was most comfortable to him, another activity.

During the observation, there was little interaction between J and his peers, until towards the end a child approached J to ask if he wanted to play together. This allowed for both learners to be social and connect to maximize learning experiences. This showed J, that although he loves to be independent with little adult support to begin, he can play creatively alone and welcome peers to play alongside, especially those children who are of a similar developmental age as J himself. Social processes, the interaction between them, talking and thinking which allowed negotiating to take place to decide what they were going to do, then experienced together jointly through collaboration, the activity of role-playing which both learners took the responsibility of how and where to do their activity (Hall et al., 2016, p.90 -92).

Throughout the observation, various types of play occurred within the learning environment. There were elements of symbolic play; play allows control and exploration through understanding increased over time; this was the case at the beginning when J explored the construction area. Both communication play; words and gestures used, and socio-dramatic play occurred towards the end of the observation, an element of enactment of real experiences i.e., J crawling on the floor like a dog. The types of play almost all involve language development, children will use their language to describe and organize objects they are playing with and assign roles within role-playing to inhabit the world they create through play. (Hughes and Melville, 2002, cited in Hancock, et al., 2016)

There were some areas of the observation that were controlled and needed adult intervention at times. There were elements of team teaching involved in the observation which was carried out. Facilitating, additional adult helps to ensure the learning experience runs smoothly, the teacher facilitates creativity, by enabling activities in the classroom to be of children’s key interests at present. Other elements were, preventing; this happened when the teacher needed to visit the group of children playing in the house, J became disruptive to their play and the teacher had to step in to prevent their experience from becoming unsuccessful. Repairing too was an element that becomes necessary when an argument between children occurs, disputes need to be resolved so play can continue, and the relationship is repaired. (Wilson, 2004, cited in Craft, et al., 2016)

Overall, during the observation, there was an element of behavior management needed to support J in making positive choices in his behavior to continue his play experience during independent learning. It’s important to understand that whilst children are in school, they are required to follow the behavior policy. They are continuously learning about what is required of them when in school. According to Janet Kay, there are useful strategies in place to support this, verbal reprimands spoken in a firm tone, suggesting alternative ways of behaving, in this instance, J, was redirected to play in another area, somewhere far calmer with the addition of J having a responsibility to occupy him to play a game with a peer (Kay, 2013)

Conclusion

Working in a primary school, I have an insight into how play and creativity positively impact children’s development however now developing my knowledge further since studying E103. I understand more to play, which allows children to understand the world whilst allowing them to make their own choices and explore opportunities within their ideas, this gives them control in their learning. Creativity drives and sustains play; therefore, children have a responsibility to determine what happens next within their learning experiences. I have learned how and why extending play and creativity not only in the classroom but with parents is important as being creative, developing ideas, and then turning them into something meaningful allows them to see how their children’s achievements in development are positively impacted on day-to-day challenges.

Personal Reflection

Peer Assessment

Amy began her assignment with a brief sentence stating ethical considerations and referencing BERA (2018) and the UNCRC,(1989) guidelines. I felt Amy was able to write about what the initial question was asking ‘key theories and concepts about learning’. Amy talked about two theories and concepts of learning with given examples of her setting, however, I felt there could have been more references to the module materials, the six elements of scaffolding (Rogoff, 1990 cited in Hall et al., 2016) could have been used to support. Amy stayed within the word count given, a well-structured assignment showed she understood and planned what theories were relevant to the question asked. There were continuous links made to policies and practices and both theories were thoroughly detailed.

I found the activity challenging to begin with but shortly found I was able to make some constructive, formative feedback on the student’s work. The criterion stated at the beginning of the work helped guide my thoughts on what the feedback should look like. I feel the tool of ‘peer assessment’ is useful for primary school children as it allows pupils to get a better understanding of their work with instruction to look at peers’ work, referencing alongside the success criteria. This would be beneficial for older children; they would be effective commentators and therefore are much clearer and have a greater understanding of what good work in that task should look like. (The Open University, 2021b) William mentioned that he felt children giving feedback to their peers is far easier to handle as there is a strong relationship that has already been built between them, much harder for the teacher to understand.

Acting on feedback

Improving on previous work can be challenging, especially when thinking about how to develop what was completed last time and to make it better. Reading through the tutor’s feedback is important to understand how parts of the assignment could be improved for future writing. It makes the owner of the work think, about what specifically went well and what could be done differently next time. It details specific areas which could be improved to score a higher mark on the next TMA.

There were a few things to consider for this TMA to focus on, one was checking the E103 Cite Them Right Guide and tutor guidance to ensure my reference list and in-text referencing is correct. I hope that reading comments on my previous TMA will allow me to ensure I cite correctly within this assignment and carefully planning of the module materials, so they are suitable for parts of my assignment, alongside this, I have ensured there have been no direct quotes as I wanted to demonstrate deeper knowledge and understanding of what I have read. The writing style I also wanted to improve, at times I used grammar that was seen to not be of an academic style of writing, it was easy to follow and read however one comment made me think to not use contracted word forms, careful proofreading has allowed me to check for this.

This essay will discuss a child observation task that was completed by me. The child observation was based on a 2-year-old girl named Anna and the process was done one hour weekly for five weeks. This essay will explain how my own experience and reflections on the theory and practice of child observation will be useful in social work practice.

The essay will emphasize my awareness and use of self in engaging in the child’s world. The importance and impact of seminar group discussion in terms of child observation. This essay will emphasize my understanding of psychodynamic theory and its relation to the child’s world including the challenges encountered during the process.

Reflection

According to (Le Riche, 2006) self-awareness is a way of understanding oneself, through various disciplines, such as the interpretation of what reflective practice is differs considerably (Le Riche, 2006). The child observation I did was a new learning experience because it focused on the ability to do reflective thinking which explored my knowledge and improved my understanding in child development. It is the ability to assess the child’s development, emotional feelings, cognitive behavior, and physical and social interaction((McMahon and Farnfield, 2004)Therefore, the ability to be involved in reflection has been found to develop capability while preventing burnout and establishing extended learning within professionals (Le Riche, 2006). The child observation task gave me the ability to use reflection to analyze the child’s world because I have not been to a nurse setting before. ‘The observation method deepens our understanding of what it means to be reflective. It does so by focusing on the complex process of ”paying attention to”, ”being receptive to” and ”holding in the mind of the observer” what is being observed. (Le Riche, 2006). Proof from observation in this context (Le Riche, 2006) proposes that observation is also a resource for general learning, mainly in expanding an understanding of anti-oppressive practice.Ruch(2002) believes that it is important to offer a reflective learning experience, not only to enlighten and inspire the individuals involved in child development but also to help them prepare for practice where tolerance of uncertainty is necessary.

Self-awareness refers to the ability to understand our feelings, opinions, attitudes, characteristics of personality, personal values, behaviors, perceptions, abilities, limitations, and the psychological needs that influence our behaviors. This includes the ability to understand how we respond to environmental signals and how our emotions influence how we relate to others. About this, during the child observation task, some of my actions or behaviors were unconscious for instance, I compared Anna’s behavior and speech with my 3-year-old daughter, and there were some things I thought Anna could do as a 2-year-old that she has not. The experience was challenging at first because there were lots of children at the nursery and was thinking how I could tune into Anna’s world as I was feeling anxious and distracted. I reacted to this based on my emotional responses, personal valves, and perceptions but during the seminar discussion, I was able to be aware and reflect on my actions on how to perceive children and learn that children’s development is different. Also, I was able to develop my ideas and thinking towards reflection.

Both transference and countertransference can be used to understand the children’s world, however, it is understood that both processes help an observer in the aspect of thinking about what is happening around a beneficial relationship.

Introduction

I have chosen to complete my work placement in a playschool setting as I believe it will encourage my development as a childcare practitioner. There’s many different beliefs and values which are relevant for working in this area which I will highlight and discuss in detail throughout this essay. I will include beliefs and values which impact the child, parent and the practitioners themselves. There are many skills and abilities that are required for practice, throughout placement I would like to develop the skills I already have but also learn some new ones such as organisational skills. In my opinion engaging in reflective practice can be very beneficial as we can reveal what skills and abilities that need improvement and develop new skills which are essential for childcare practice. Reflection can also allow us to pinpoint an area of interest, for example, choosing a childcare setting that follows the philosophy which you value and believe.

Beliefs and Values

There are many different beliefs and values which are considered relevant for working in a childcare setting. These beliefs and values impact not only the child but also the parents and the practitioners. I am going to discuss the beliefs and values which I believe to be of major importance when working in a childcare setting.

To begin, I will discuss my beliefs and values for the children in a childcare setting such as a playschool. I believe children are educated greatly through play. In my eyes children have a right to play and the United Nations agree with me as they state, ‘States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts’ (The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, 2010). Play is essential in the development of a child’s emotional and cognitive development. Imaginary play also known as ‘messy play’ is essential for children’s cognitive development as they build creative and innovative skills in order to ‘transform objects and action symbolically’ (Gmitrova & al, 2003). Their emotions are developed by playing and interacting with children of the same age, as they learn to express feelings and to control them.

The beliefs and values which I believe are essential when dealing with the parents of a child in any setting is being a good communicator. Having good communication skills is essential for a childcare practitioner as they must discuss the child’s development with their parents. The parent is seen as the primary educator, “The Constitution acknowledges that the primary and natural educator of the child is the family” (Ready to Learn, 1999, p. 11). Having effective communication between the childcare practitioner and the parents allows a trustful relationship to form. This can be particularly useful if the practitioner must discuss a difficult topic with the parents such as delayed learning problems. The relationship must be based on trust, although the practitioner must follow confidentiality policies. ‘Practitioners need to respect the confidentiality of information they receive about children, while understanding that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed for example in cases involving child protection issues’ (Aistear, 2009, p. 7).

There are many beliefs and values which I believe are essential for practitioners of childcare settings to follow. Practitioners should respect the children they are working with and treat them as equals. As young children as not always able to express opinions, it’s the childcare practitioner’s responsibility to voice them in order to ensure they are treated as equals in society. In 1992, the United Nations Convention stated that ‘the child’s views must be considered and taken into account in all matters affecting him or her’ (The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, 2010). This Convention helps to protect children and ensure they are threat equally and with respect, I believe all childcare practitioners have a responsibility to follow this principle.

Skills and Abilities

Throughout my work placement I will implement many skills and abilities which I have already obtain and I will develop some new ones which will be useful when working in a childcare setting. Childcare practitioners require skills such as team- work skills, organisational skills and creativity in order to provide effective learning and development for the children.

Team-work skills are particularly important for a childcare practitioner to obtain as they will often have to work with several people, children, their parents and fellow co-workers. It is important when working with others to be patient and understanding particularly of their values. For example, a child may have different cultural beliefs and therefore it may be essential to work with their parents to ensure the child has alternative arrangements made which will give them a conclusive experience in conjunction with their cultural beliefs. ‘Understanding that children have individual needs, views, cultures and beliefs, which need to be treated with respect and represented throughout the early childhood services’ (Affairs, 2016). Therefore, it is clear to me that team-work skills are a prominent aspect of working in childcare setting. This skill ensures that all individuals, including children, parents and practitioners needs and wants met most of the time.

Next, I will discuss how organisational skills are very beneficial in a childcare setting such as a playschool or creche. Childcare practitioners must obtain the skill of being organised, working with young children can be difficult and I believe being organised is a great way to make things run a little smoother. Having good time-management is a large part of being organisation, it can be used to plan the timetable for the day, for example, what time lunch time will be. Co- workers often rely of fellow practitioners to be punctual. Many childcare settings are open from 7am to 7pm, therefore shift work is very common. ‘It is important you are on time so that you can relieve other members of staff, and you need to be prompt to make sure you don’t disrupt the work of the centre’ (Scott, 2008). It’s clear that organisational skills are required for practice, this skill is essential for the smooth running of a childcare setting.

The ability to be creative and innovative is important when working with young children. According to Piaget, children’s cognition is developed greatly through creativity and imaginary play (Mills, 2014). Creating tasks or games for children to explore in a playschool, creche or Montessori allows further development of their cognition. Imaginary play which is also known as ‘messy play’ is commonly used in a childcare setting as children can develop their imagination and socialisation skills. The practitioner must be able to make these tasks creative and exciting to keep the children’s focus as they have a short attention span at a young age. Being creative is an essential skill for a practitioner to have as they will encourage children to grow and develop their cognitive stage through multiple activities.

Importance of Reflective Practice

In my opinion, reflection is very important for a childcare practitioner. Reflection has many benefits; it can highlight the aspects of your practice which may need to be modified such as develop or improve skills, it can also help pinpoint a specific area of interest for the practitioner, for example, which philosopher’s approach they would like to work under.

I will discuss how reflective practice can be beneficial for a childcare practitioner. Reflective practice is a great way of identifying the aspects of practice which need to be modified as you can look back on the events of the previous day. Perhaps, a childcare practitioner needs to develop or improve certain skills such as communication or interaction skills. These skills can be highlighted through reflective practice. The Victorian Framework outlines that ‘Early Childhood practitioners continually develop their professional knowledge and skills to enable them to provide the best possible learning and development opportunities for all children’ (Malbina, 2009). There are certain skills which are essential when working with children as I have outlined in the above paragraphs. Skills such as communication and teamwork skills can be a major asset to a practitioner as these help a practitioner to create secure relationships with children, parents and co-workers.

Using reflective practice can also help a childcare practitioner to pinpoint an area of interest. There are many different approaches that childcare settings follow, they are often guided by the philosophies of theorists such as Freobel and Montessori. Freobel believed that children learn best when playing outdoors as this helps develop high levels of learning and helps children to connect with the environment. ‘Kinder garden can be translated as either ‘child’s garden’ or ‘children of garden’. Both meanings were used by Freobel and reflect his philosophy about young children’ (How Children Learn, 2008). Forest schools would often be guided by Freobel’s apporch. Montessori’s philosophy is another approach used by childcare settings which involved organised play. Maria Montessori believed in a more structured educational programme, where children’s day to day learning is based on practical life. ‘Guided play often involves specific toys with which a child can interact to gain knowledge’ (How Children Learn, 2008). Montessori schools are very common in Ireland as they follow the structured educational programme which many parents believe can be beneficial for their children before entering primary school. I believe reflective practice during work placement can allow a childcare practitioner to decide which philosophy they would like to work under in the future.

Conclusion

In conclusion I must say that I have chosen to complete my work placement in a setting which will help me develop as a childcare practitioner. I will complete my placement in setting where all individual’s beliefs and values are respects and followed, this is particularly important when working in a childcare setting to ensure all children learn and develop in a equal and secure setting. In my opinion, work placement will beneficial to be as I will use the skills and abilities which I already possess and I will develop new ones and as a result I will be able to use these skills to the best of my ability in the future as a childcare practitioner. I have also expressed the importance of reflective practice for childcare practitioners. Reflective practice is essential for all workers in order to improve their interaction and work with young children, it can also allow each worker to choose a philosophy which they value to work under. I trust that where you complete your work placement can have a major impact on your future as a childcare practitioner as it can be an eye-opening experience.

References

1. Affairs, D. o. (2016). DIversIty, EqualIty AND InclusIon Charte: GuIdelInes for Early ChIldhood Care AND EducatIon. Dublin: Government Publications.
2. Aistear. (2009). The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. Aistear.
3. Gmitrova, V., & al, e. (2003). The Impact of Teacher-Directed and Child-Directed Pretend Play on Cognitive Competence in Kindergarten Childre. Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 30, 241.
4. How Children Learn. (2008). London: Step Forward Publishing.
5. Malbina, L. (2009). Vicotrian Early Years Learning an Development Framework. Department of Education.
6. Mills, H. (2014). The importance of creative arts in early childhood classrooms. Retrieved from Childcare Quarterly: https://www.childcarequarterly.com
7. Scott, F. (2008). Working in an early education and childcare setting. In Pearson Education Limited (p. 6). Pearson Education Limited.
8. The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child. (2010, June). Retrieved from Children’s Rights: https://www.childrensrights.ie
9. The White Paper: Ready to Learn. (19991). Dublin: The Stationary Office.