Case Study

Sarah Louise is a lovely but very lively 2 year old. She always gets quite grumpy in the afternoon and a little bit aggressive with the younger children in the room. Her key worker thinks it’s because she no longer has a daytime sleep, a change made at the request of her mother.

Sarah Louise’s mother came into the nursery about 3 weeks ago stating that Sarah Louise must no longer have a daytime sleep as she was starting to play up at bedtime and it was causing tensions within the family.

The key worker, John, feels that there may be another reason for her ‘playing up’ because all the signs in nursery are that Sarah Louise cannot cope without a daytime sleep. In fact, John has found it tricky to keep her awake during the afternoon teatime. This means that Sarah Louise is crying and having tantrums at the end of the nursery day. This isn’t a nice experience for anyone, including Sarah Louise.

1. How should John approach the problem?
2. What should he say to Sarah Louise’s mum?
3. Should he insist that Sarah Louise is allowed to sleep at nursery?
4. How can he work with the Sarah Louise’s mother to find a solution to their problems at both home and nursery?

It is rare that there is just one way to respond to a scenario or situation, so do not consider that the response you have chosen to this scenario will be judged as right or wrong. Share your scenario with a work colleague and ask them to tell you if they think you have responded appropriately. Ask them to challenge your response if necessary. You do not need to submit this task for assessment unless asked to do so by your tutor.