Case Study

William appears shy and on the side-lines of children’s play; he watches the play but rarely joins in. This week his mother has raised her concerns that other children in the setting frequently leave her son William out of their games. You decide to complete a more detailed observation and make an assessment to decide how you can support William with relationships with his peers.

Upon observing the situation, you notice that it is often William himself who holds back and does not join in. You talk to Mrs Briggs at the end of the day to report your findings and to suggest that William appears afraid of getting dirty or being hurt, and this may be why he sometimes appears to be sitting on the side-lines.

1. How can you support William to develop resilience to tough and tumble play?
2. How can you work with Mrs Briggs to support William to develop resilience to rough and tumble play and overcome his fear of getting dirty?
3. How can you support all the children to include William in their play?

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.