Description

EEB309 – Wellness and Wellbeing Assessment item 2 – Case study

EEB309 – Wellness and Wellbeing

Value: 50%

Length: 2000

Submission method options: EASTS (online)

TASK

For this assessment, you will use the following scenario to examine issues around children’s wellness and wellbeing to determine appropriate strategies for early childhood staff.  Consider the following scenario then use the template to complete the assessment. Discuss the socialisation (families, peers, media) and environmental influences (physical aspects of the environment), as well as the equity issues related to children’s wellness and well-being in the case study. For each area, discuss how children’s wellness and wellbeing could be addressed and promoted by the early childhood staff and leadership:

Atta is 4 years old and has recently been assessed by his doctor as obese. Atta attends a long day care centre, four days per week. He lives with his mother and father in a two-bedroom apartment in Sydney. He has no siblings. He has difficulty standing up unaided from sitting on the floor and finds it difficult to take part in vigorous physical exercise outdoors, as this makes him breathless. Other children in the long day care centre notice that Atta looks different and are beginning to call him names and make negative comments about his weight. The staff are becoming increasingly concerned about Atta’s weight and the effect it is having on his general health. 

Atta normally has a packed lunch from home consisting of sweet biscuits, chocolate, and crisps. At morning tea time, the long day care provides the children fresh fruit and vegetables, but Atta will not normally choose to eat anything. At drop off time, Atta’s father, Farshad, has told the staff that Atta loves to eat sugary cereals in the morning, especially those that come in the brightly coloured boxes he sees on TV. Drop off time is normally a very busy and rushed time at the centre, so staff have not been able to discuss these issues with Farshad in any detail.

Atta’s mother, Amina,  attends four half day sessions at the local TAFE as she is learning to speak English more fluently and attending a workplace training course in the hope of returning to work when Atta starts formal schooling. She picks him up at the end of the day. Staff have expressed concerns to her about Atta’s eating habits. Amina says that she likes to ensure that her son has a meal he enjoys and cannot afford for him to waste any food. It is difficult for the family to afford fresh healthy foods on their income. She rarely takes him to the local playground because it is often vandalised and in a poor state and she feels uncomfortable because the playground is used primarily by white families who have made racist comments towards her. She and Atta rarely go out and have few friends or family in the area. Farshad often works long hours and is not normally home in the evenings. Amina confides that sharing sweets and crisps with Atta whilst watching videos is something they really enjoy together. 

(Adapted from Albon, D., & Mukherji, P. (2008). Food and health in early childhood: A holistic approach. Sage Publications.)

Instructions for Case Study:

• You will use the format in the template for presenting this assessment task.
• Word documents only to be submitted. PDF files cannot be marked appropriately.
• You are required to use an academic style of writing, which includes objective and formal language use.
• 12-point font is recommended with an easy to read font choice and 1.15 spacing.
• Ensure that you reference subject modules and assigned readings using APA 6^th edition referencing format. Adhere to academic integrity when citing the source/s of all information.
• A reference list is required at the end of the case study table/conclusion.

This template is available in Resources on your Interact2 site:

EEB309 Assessment 2 Case Study Template

Title 

Choose  an evocative title that will engage the reader; include a key aspect that encapsulates the overall message)

Overview (A short summary paragraph outlining what is going on in this case study. Include reference to literature here to support your statements)

Identify the socialisation influences (for example, family, peers, media) that could be contributing the wellness and wellbeing issues outlined in the case study. Use subject readings and materials to support the identification of these socialisation influences.	Identify strategies that early childhood staff and leadership could implement to address these socialisation influences to promote children’s wellness and wellbeing in the early childhood setting. Best practice is based on quality research and theory so include reference to these to substantiate your strategies.
Identify the environmental influences (for example, aspects of the physical environment) that could be contributing the wellness and wellbeing issues outlined in the case study. Use subject readings and materials to support the identification of these environmental influences.	Identify strategies that early childhood staff and leadership could implement to address these environmental influences to promote children’s wellness and wellbeing in the early childhood setting. Best practice is based on quality research and theory so include reference to these to substantiate your strategies.
Identify the equity issues that could be contributing the wellness and wellbeing issues outlined in the case study. Use subject readings and materials to support the identification of these equity issues.	Identify strategies that early childhood staff and leadership could implement to address these equity issues to promote children’s wellness and wellbeing in the early childhood setting. Best practice is based on quality research so include reference to this to substantiate your strategies.

Conclusion 

A short paragraph to sum up, draw conclusions, and/or suggest the next steps to promote wellness and wellbeing. This is another opportunity to further demonstrate your understanding by linking to subject content.

References (APA 7th)

RATIONALE

 

This assessment task will assess the following learning outcome/s:

• be able to examine the socialisation and environmental influences on health issues and how they apply to children and staff in early childhood settings.
• be able to discuss the role leaders and advocates in the early childhood profession have on ensuring conditions in early childhood settings that support the wellness and wellbeing of children and staff.

This assessment task also provides students with opportunities to:

• Understand and articulate the concepts of wellness and wellbeing from a health model perspective and how this pertains to the early childhood context.
• Recognise the impact that wellness and wellbeing has on the continuing development of the child.
• Analyse the socialisation and environmental influences related to children’s health issues in the early childhood setting.
• Consider theoretical and practical means for fostering the wellness and wellbeing of children in the early childhood setting.
• Recognise the role that early childhood directors and staff have in supporting children’s wellness and wellbeing.