Laser Lessons - Lesson

Be able to develop and maintain relationships with children and young people

Observe a group of children playing alone:

How do they respond to each other?
Is there an obvious leader?
Why do you think this is?
Do they communicate with words only?
What else do they use to assist their developing communication skills?

Table of Contents

Observe a senior practitioner interacting with children. Is he/she getting involved? How do the children respond? Can you see how he/she is extending their ideas and supporting them in their play? What does his/her body language suggest? Is he/she relaxed, happy, tense?
Observe a group of children playing alone:
Click on the link to read ‘Building rapport’ on the Skills You Need website. Consider how you can use these tips in your work with children and young people.
The American National Council for Mental Wellbeing has produced this document on ‘Building trust and rapport with youth’. You may wish to read the Search Institute’s framework for building developmental relationships with youth linked in the document, but be aware the organisations and statistics mentioned will be American.

Think And Challenge