Tips for Family Day Care Educators to Assist Parents and Children in Managing Separation Anxiety

Case Study 1
1. Geri is an experienced family day care educator. Starting next Monday, Lachie (6 months) will be in care
with Geri and 2 other children (aged 2 and 4) 3 days a week. Geri has already collected details about
Lachie’s needs, preferences and daily routine from his mother, Sue, and is now thinking about the
finishing touches she needs to make in preparation for his arrival.
Once Geri has set up the physical environment to make it welcoming, safe, and secure, she starts
thinking about how she will help Sue deal with dropping Lachie off for the first time. Sue and Lachie
have come to visit a few times, but this will be the first time she leaves him in Geri’s care. Sue is a
young, independent, single mum who is commencing study on a part-time basis. Lachie is her only child.
a. List five (5) ways Geri could assist and support Sue and Lachie to manage their first separation.
b. Describe a suitable separation routine that Geri could suggest to Sue to manage her and Lachie’s
separation.
c. Suggest to Sue to develop nurturing and secure relationship with Lachie,Geri and other children.
a.
i. Talk about the things which Geri can do later with Lachie to make the day enjoyable.
ii. Make comfort the child.
iii. Make understandable the parents and tell them not to worry about their child.
iv. Introduce the fun games as well as the activities.
v. Develop an effective communication with parents so that they will not worry about their child.
b. The separation routine which the sue have to adopt that she have to make her goodbyes quick as well
as positive so that Lachie will not fell anxious about the separation.

2. Lachie’s first day has arrived, and he has successfully settled into care. It is mid-morning, and Geri
notices that Lachie is rubbing his eyes and is a little unsettled. Knowing that Lachie is almost due for his
morning nap, Geri decides it is probably best to change his nappy in preparation for the nap.
a. Write a suitable nappy procedure that could be displayed in the changing room for Geri to follow
and to ensure that she practices proper hygiene.
b. Describe how Geri should interact with Lachie to help build a positive relationship with him while
changing his nappy.
c. Suggest what the parents /educators could do to help Geri adjust to his new routines?
a. Geri should change the nappy of Lachie in only the nappy changing area. She must ensure about the
correct lifting procedure or techniques.
b. Geri should interact with Lachie in a very positive way as well as she must develop an effective or
healthy communication with him so that he will not feel anxious.
c. Encouraging a child into care.
3. Geri has organised the environment and is now ready to put Lachie into his cot. He has his comfort item

with him, a dummy, and is sucking contentedly.
a. What are the steps that Geri must consider when putting Lachie to sleep safely?
b. What are the things that Geri should check in order to know that the cot Lachie sleeps on complies
with the Australian Standard AS/NZS 2172-2003, bedding and equipment standards?
a.
i. The educators always place the children on a firm mattress in a harmless crib.
ii. Place the children on the back for safe sleep.
iii. Secure sleep surface which is free from any harm.
iv. Ensure about the mattresses that they should be clean as well as in a good repair condition.
v. Keeping the pillows, blanket or bumper pads away from the sleep area.
b.
i. It includes such as make sure about that the cot does not contain any horizontal bars.
ii. It also does not contain the foot holds for the children as they will not use it to climb out.
iii. Must check the locking devices of the cots before use.
iv. Must check the stability of the cots before use.
v. Must check that the mattress is firm.
vi. Must check the mattress is fits comfortably into the cradles.

4. Lachie sleeps for almost 2 hours but wakes up crying. Geri promptly responds to Lachie’s cries,
reassuring him that she is there and that she will give him his lunch after his nappy is changed. Lachie
has recently started on solids which Geri will feed him at this time.
a. List four (4) foods that are suitable to feed babies of Lachie’s age.
b. Describe how Geri should safely prepare Lachie’s food.
c. List the four (4) safety features of a high chair that make it suitable for Geri to use when feeding
Lachie his solids.
a.
i. Iron encouraged infant cereals with the breastmilk.
ii. Smooth cooked vegetables such as potato.
iii. Smooth fruits such as apple.
iv. More finely mashed soft fruits such as banana and mango.
b. The educator must wash their hands thoroughly as well as the utensils. Then prepare the food which
they want to feed the baby.
c.
i. Ensure that crotch band is well protected.
ii. Must establish a daily routine of using this equipment for their meal.
iii. Do not leave alone the baby in the high chair.
iv. Educators must not allow the babies to stand on the chair or climb on the chair.
5. Lachie is still hungry after eating his solids, so Geri prepares him a bottle of infant formula.