1.2. Describe approaches to planning to meet individual needs of children in the: • short term • long term

This guide will help you answer 1.2. Describe approaches to planning to meet individual needs of children in the: • short term • long term.

Approaches to Planning to Meet Individual Needs of Children in the Short Term

Short term planning focuses on meeting the immediate needs of children. It looks at what will happen over hours, days, or a week or two. This form of planning helps children feel supported in their daily routines and activities, and allows staff to respond quickly to changes.

Short term plans are often shaped by daily observations. Early years workers observe the child’s mood, interests, development progress, and any current difficulties. Plans are adjusted promptly to fit these observations. This helps activities feel relevant and engaging for each child.

Short term planning might include:

• Adjusting play activities to match the child’s current interests
• Offering extra reassurance if the child feels unsettled
• Providing additional language support during group time if needed
• Arranging a quiet space for a child feeling tired or overwhelmed
• Giving extra help with a skill they are practising this week

Short term plans cater for:

• Physical needs such as rest, nutrition, and hygiene
• Emotional needs such as comfort, praise, or security
• Social needs such as opportunities to interact positively with peers
• Cognitive needs such as challenges that support thinking and problem solving

Workers use tools such as daily diaries, activity planners, or learning journals. These record what happened and inform next day’s planning. This keeps care consistent and focused.

Observations in short term planning are often spontaneous or informal. This means they can be recorded quickly during activities or immediately after. This approach helps the plan match the child’s current state, rather than being locked into a fixed structure. If a child arrives upset, their plan may include quiet play or one-to-one attention instead of group activities.

Short term planning can also address temporary events. Examples include preparing activities around a festival, arranging extra support for a child recovering from illness, or introducing a new play material the child has shown interest in.

Feedback from parents and carers is valuable for short term planning. Parents often share what has happened at home, such as a sleepless night or excitement about a family event. This information allows the setting to align activities and care for the child that day.

For babies and toddlers, short term planning often centres on routines such as feeding times, naps, and nappy changing. Changes to these routines are made quickly if needed to keep the child settled and healthy.

For older children, short term planning may also take into account their ideas and preferences. Asking children what they would like to do or learn during the week builds confidence and gives them a sense of choice.

Clear communication between staff members is important in short term planning. Handovers at the start and end of shifts make sure everyone knows about any changes or current priorities for each child.

Short term plans need to be documented in a way that other staff members can follow. This means using simple language, noting exact times or activities, and keeping information factual. This avoids confusion and keeps the focus on each child’s identified needs for that period.

Approaches to Planning to Meet Individual Needs of Children in the Long Term

Long term planning is about looking ahead to months or the whole year. It addresses the child’s development goals and anticipated stages of growth. This type of planning is guided by frameworks such as the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in England, or other relevant curriculum guidance across the UK.

A long term plan builds on detailed knowledge of the child. This includes their interests, strengths, learning style, and any areas where support is needed. It takes into account information from parents, carers, and other professionals such as health visitors or speech and language therapists.

Long term planning involves setting clear development aims. For example:

• Supporting a child to develop independence in self-care
• Encouraging confidence in speaking within a group
• Helping a child build fine motor skills for writing
• Supporting social skills to play cooperatively with others
• Enlarging vocabulary through themed activities over several months

These aims are then broken down into smaller stages that can be met over time. This helps staff track progress and keeps development realistic and steady.

Long term plans also consider transitions the child will make. Examples include moving to a new room in the setting, joining a nursery class at school, or adapting to a new sibling at home. Plans often include ways to prepare the child for these changes, such as visits to the new environment or introducing related activities.

A long term plan is usually recorded in a format that can be reviewed and updated. This may be part of the child’s learning journal or an individual development plan, which is shared and discussed regularly with parents.

Involving parents in long term planning strengthens consistency between home and the setting. For example, if a child is learning to dress themselves, parents can be encouraged to give similar opportunities at home. This builds skills faster and creates a united approach.

Children with additional needs may have long term plans shaped by an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or similar support plans. These provide targeted goals and list interventions or specialist input needed over time.

Long term planning may reflect seasonal priorities, such as preparing for learning topics linked to different months, or building stamina for outdoor play in varying weather conditions. These plans might include special events, visits, or projects that connect to wider developmental goals.

Staff training can play a role in long term planning. If a child needs special support in a certain area, staff may need to learn techniques or approaches to assist them over time.

Consistent monitoring is part of a long term approach. Regular observations feed into review meetings. This helps staff see if the plan continues to meet the child’s needs, or if adjustments are required.

Long term planning benefits from a flexible outline. While it sets broad goals, it respects the fact that children develop at different rates. This is why review points are built in, rather than following a rigid timetable.

Using the EYFS or equivalent as a guide ensures all areas of development are covered. These areas include:

• Communication and language
• Physical development
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

For each child, the plan reflects how these areas will be supported in ways that match their individuality. For example, a child interested in building might use construction play to practise maths concepts or fine motor skills.

Long term planning often includes family values, cultural background, and community links. This helps the plan feel relevant and personal, making learning experiences more meaningful for the child.

Sharing long term plans with all staff working with the child keeps the approach consistent. Everyone can contribute to meeting those goals day by day, feeding back on progress toward the wider aims.

Linking Short Term and Long Term Planning

Short term and long term plans work together. Daily planning feeds information into the bigger picture, and long term goals guide the shape of daily plans.

For example:

• A long term goal to strengthen a child’s social skills might lead to daily opportunities for small group play
• A long term goal to improve language may guide staff to plan regular storytelling and conversation time
• Long term aims for physical development could be supported through daily outdoor play and fine motor tasks

Short term changes often respond to immediate events. Long term aims keep those changes aligned with overall development progress. This means that while activities may change quickly day by day, they are still stepping stones toward the child’s bigger goals.

Documenting how short term actions connect to long term aims makes it clear for staff, parents, and the child themselves. This encourages a shared understanding of progress and priorities.

Factors That Support Effective Planning

To make planning effective, both short term and long term approaches benefit from:

• Detailed observations
• Clear recording of information
• Parent and carer involvement
• Working with other professionals when needed
• Flexible thinking to adapt if progress changes
• Setting realistic and measurable goals
• Involving children in choices where possible

A positive atmosphere in the setting supports these approaches. When children feel safe and valued, they engage more readily in activities and challenges aimed at their needs.

Planning should respect each child’s pace. It avoids comparison with peers, focusing instead on the child’s individual pathway. This builds confidence and motivation.

Regular review meetings help staff see whether current plans still match the child’s needs. This is especially important if circumstances change at home or in the setting.

Final Thoughts

Short term planning is about meeting the needs of children in the moment. It responds to how they feel, what they are interested in, and any changes in their routines or development. It is flexible, quick to adapt, and focused on daily wellbeing and progress.

Long term planning looks over months and years. It sets broad developmental goals and creates a structure for achieving them. It builds on thorough knowledge of the child and works in partnership with parents and professionals. It supports major changes and transitions, while keeping the child’s progress steady and meaningful.

When both types of planning are used together, they form a strong framework. This framework supports a child’s growth, learning, and happiness in a way that feels personal and responsive. In early years and playwork, meeting individual needs is a shared responsibility, and effective planning makes that responsibility clear and achievable for everyone involved.