Effective communication with children, young people and families

The text below is taken from the Common Core of Skills and Knowledge for the Children's Workforce. You can also download a PDF version of the document.

Good communication is central to working with children, young people, their families and carers. It is a fundamental part of the Common Core. It involves listening, questioning, understanding and responding to what is being communicated by children, young people and those caring for them.

It is important to be able to communicate both on a one-on-one basis and in a group context. Communication is not just about the words you use, but also your manner of speaking, body language and, above all, the effectiveness with which you listen. To communicate effectively it is important to take account of culture and context, for example where English is an additional language.

Effective engagement requires the involvement of children, young people and those caring for them in the design and delivery of services and decisions that affect them. It is important to consult with them and consider their opinions and perspectives from the outset. A key part of effective communication and engagement is trust, both between the workforce, children, young people and their carers, and between and within different sectors of the workforce itself.

To build a rapport with children, young people and those caring for them, it is important to demonstrate understanding, respect and honesty. Continuity in relationships promotes engagement and the improvement of lives.

The skills and knowledge highlighted here and throughout the prospectus are intended to provide a basic description of those areas you may need to develop through training, learning or experience in order to do your job well.

Skills

Listening and building empathy

• Establish rapport and respectful, trusting relationships with children, young people, their families and carers.
• Develop and use effective communication systems appropriate to the audience.
• Communicate effectively with all children, young people, families and carers.
• Be aware that some children and young people do not communicate verbally and that you need to adapt your style of communication to their needs and abilities.
• Understand the effects of non-verbal communication such as body language, and appreciate that different cultures use and interpret body language in different ways.
• Build rapport and develop relationships using the appropriate form of communication (for example, spoken language, play, body and sign language).
• Build open and honest relationships by respecting children, young people, parents and carers and making them feel valued as partners.
• Hold conversations at the appropriate time and place, understanding the value of day to day contact.
• Actively listen in a calm, open, non-threatening manner and use questions to check understanding and acknowledge that you have heard what is being said.
• Understand the role and value of families and carers as partners in supporting their children to achieve positive outcomes.

Summarising and explaining

• Summarise situations in the appropriate way for the individual (taking into account factors such as background, age and personality).
• Understand how to present genuine choices to young people and how to obtain consent to sharing information.
• Explain to the child, young person, parent or carer what kind of information you may have to share with others.
• Explain what has happened or will happen next and check their understanding and where appropriate, their consent to the process.

Consultation and negotiation

• Consult the child, young person, parent or carer from the beginning of the process.
• Inform, involve and help the child or young person to assess different courses of action, understand the consequences of each and, where appropriate, agree next steps.
• Understand the key role and value of parents and carers; know when to refer them to further sources of information, advice or support.
• Identify what each party hopes to achieve in order to reach the best possible and fair conclusion for the child or young person.
• Share reasons for action with the child or young person and those caring for them.
• Provide support and encouragement to children and young people.
• Know when and how to hand over control of a situation to others.

Knowledge

How communication works

• Know that communication is a two-way process.
• Know how to listen to people, make them feel valued and involved, and know when it is important to focus on the individual rather than the group.
• Be aware of different ways of communicating, including electronic channels, and understand barriers to communication.
• Be aware that the child, young person, parent or carer may not have understood what is being communicated.
• Know how to report and record information formally and informally in the appropriate way for the audience concerned, including how the use of the Common Assessment Framework for Children and Young People (CAF) helps communication between practitioners.

Confidentiality and ethics

• Remember and understand the procedures and legislation relating to confidentiality issues that apply to your job role.
• Understand the limits of confidentiality that apply to your job role and that sometimes it is necessary to go against a child or young person's expressed wishes in their best interests and, where this is the case, ensure that the child or young person understands what is happening and why.

Sources of support

• Know where education and support services for parents and carers are available locally.
• Know when and how to refer to sources of information, advice or support from different agencies or professionals.

Importance of respect

• Be self-aware: know how to demonstrate a commitment to treating all people fairly; be respectful by using active listening and avoiding assumptions.