Primary Care

Primary caregiving

Here at Star, this respectful practice is fostered by Primary Caregiving. By having one teacher follow the care of a child from nappy changing, to feeding, to sleep time, ensures continuity for that child and builds a trusting, reciprocal relationship between the adult and child. With the development of these close, respectful relationships children then feel safe, secure and valued in the environment and so confident to explore, learn and develop new skills. These relationships are not only between teacher and child but also between teacher and family. Often the relationship with the family is seen as a secondary focus to the child’s, however, to welcome, settle and build a relationship with a child, the family must also develop a relationship with the primary caregiver and feel secure and confident that the needs of their child are being met.

Team Approach

As primary caregiving involves unhurried, intimate moments of care, teacher’s work in partnership to build knowledge and understanding of a child, as well as build a relationship with them – it is imperative that this is a team approach. Primary caregiving will work best in a strong team who constantly communicate with one another about what they are doing and when they need support so as to spend some extra time with a particular child that may need it. Each child will also form a relationship with a secondary caregiver to support the child when their primary caregiver is unavailable.

Respectful Practice

At Star we believe that peaceful and pleasurable experiences are the key to respectful caregiving. We engage with infants, toddlers and young children in a way that demonstrates our respect every time we interact with them. Our goal is to help a child feel safe, secure, competent and appreciated, and begin to build up an understanding of themselves as an individual.

Sensitive Observation

To do this we must start with observation, watching and listening to ensure we are gathering all available information without missing important communication cues, signals or making misinterpreted assumptions. The more we observe children, the more we appreciate the speed at which they are learning in their first three years. Once we realise this we teach less and provide an environment for learning more.

Safe and Predictable Environment

Our learning environment is safe and predictable but also challenging, to allow children the freedom to explore in their own way and in their own time.  Time is important, allowing a child uninterrupted time and the freedom to play, showing us how much they are actually learning and growing. From this we can learn to trust the child’s competence. To not rush in and try to ‘rescue’, but to allow the child time to figure out and master something for themselves.

“If we give children enough space and possibilities for free movement, they will move as beautifully and gracefully as animals: nimbly, simply, confidently and naturally”
– Dr Emmi Pikler

Caregiving Times

During care routines such as feeding, dressing and nappy changing, we invite the child to be a part of this so that the routine is taking place with their permission and they are involved in the activity. Primary caregivers need to be wholeheartedly involved in these wonderfully intimate moments, so as the adult-child relationship is enriched and further strengthened. We believe for an infant, toddler or young child to be respected they need tender, intimate moments with someone who is fully present for them, every day.

Sourced from https://4es.nz/primary-caregiving-and-respectful-relationships/

How we promote primary caregiving at Star

As your child’s primary caregiver I will:

Learning Journeys and Whānau Involvement and Information