2.3 Explain own role in the process of how targets are set, monitored and evaluated along with specialist

This guide will help you answer 2.3 Explain own role in the process of how targets are set, monitored and evaluated along with specialist.

Targets in a children and young people’s setting are clear goals for a child’s learning, development or behaviour. These may be linked to education, health, social or emotional skills. As a worker in the field, you play an active role in ensuring these targets are realistic, achievable and suitable for the individual child or young person. Targets give a clear focus and a way to measure progress over time.

Your role involves working closely with colleagues and specialists to agree on the right targets, monitoring progress, and evaluating whether targets are met. Each of these actions must be done in line with organisational policies, legal duties, and best practice.

Setting Targets

As a worker, you contribute to setting targets through observation, record keeping, and professional discussion with colleagues and specialists. You will likely be the person who sees the child most regularly in their learning or care environment. This means you are often the first to notice strengths or areas of difficulty.

You help set targets by:

• Observing the child or young person in different situations and documenting what you see
• Identifying skills that need development and recognising achievements already made
• Using assessment frameworks or tools adopted by your organisation
• Communicating with parents or carers and gathering their views
• Consulting with specialists such as speech and language therapists, health visitors, educational psychologists or SENCOs (Special Educational Needs Coordinators)
• Making sure targets are realistic, clear, and measurable

You should ensure targets are broken down into small achievable steps rather than being too broad. For example, instead of “Improve reading skills”, a measurable target could be “Read and understand five new words per week”.

The targets you help set need to match the child’s abilities, be relevant to their stage of development and be agreed in partnership with all involved.

Role in Working with Specialists During Target Setting

Specialists often offer knowledge in a specific area of need. Examples include:

• Speech and language therapists for communication issues
• Occupational therapists for fine and gross motor skills
• Educational psychologists for learning difficulties
• Behaviour specialists for behaviour management strategies

During target setting, your role is to share detailed observations, keep accurate records, and give feedback on how the child responds in different environments. This helps specialists create targets that are personalised to the child.

You may also gather information from family members. They can provide insight into behaviours at home that may not be seen in the setting. Together with specialists, you help create a joined-up plan of targets that supports the child in every area of their life.

Monitoring Targets

Monitoring means checking progress towards meeting the agreed targets. This step is continuous and requires careful attention.

Your role includes:

• Regularly observing the child during activities linked to the targets
• Recording evidence of progress or areas where the child is struggling
• Keeping records consistent and factual, avoiding personal opinions unless these are clearly stated as such
• Talking with the child or young person about their progress in a way that supports motivation
• Maintaining ongoing communication with specialists, parents, and other staff members

Monitoring also means recognising any challenges that might be preventing the child from meeting their targets. This could include changes in health, personal circumstances, emotional wellbeing or home life.

Where possible, you support the child by adapting activities or approaches to better meet their needs.

Using Monitoring Tools

You may make use of formal monitoring tools such as:

• Individual education plans (IEPs)
• Developmental checklists
• Behaviour logs
• Progress reports
• Specialised assessment tools from therapists

Your role is to make sure these tools are completed accurately and on time. Clear records allow everyone involved to see the progress and any barriers so they can make decisions based on evidence.

Communication During Monitoring

Ongoing communication is key during the monitoring stage. You provide regular updates to those involved in the child’s care and education.

This communication may be:

• Formal meetings to discuss progress or challenges
• Informal chats with parents to share successes or discuss concerns
• Written reports for specialists that detail specific achievements or difficulties

Your role is to make sure information is clear, complete and respectful of confidentiality. You follow organisational policies on information sharing and data protection.

Evaluating Targets

Evaluation happens after a set period of working on the targets. This is where you and others review progress and decide whether the targets have been met, need to be adjusted, or replaced.

Your role in evaluation includes:

• Reviewing the evidence collected during monitoring
• Comparing progress with the original target criteria
• Giving honest feedback about what worked and what did not
• Discussing next steps with specialists, parents, carers, and the child (if appropriate)
• Suggesting new targets based on current abilities and needs

Evaluation is not just about whether the target was met. It is about understanding why it was or was not achieved. This helps improve the support offered to the child in future.

The Importance of Working Alongside Specialists During Evaluation

Specialists bring in professional analysis that can explain why progress occurred or why certain targets were not met. For example, a speech therapist may notice that a child’s lack of progress in communication is linked to hearing difficulties. A behaviour specialist may uncover triggers that have been overlooked.

Your role is to share accurate day-to-day experiences with the child to help specialists form a complete understanding. You may provide examples of behaviour, work samples, or feedback from activities. This collaborative approach ensures evaluation is realistic and well-informed.

Adapting Targets After Evaluation

If a child makes faster progress than expected, targets can be increased. If a child is meeting repeated barriers, targets can be simplified or changed entirely.

Your role is to support any changes agreed in evaluation meetings, to communicate them effectively to all stakeholders, and to adapt your day-to-day practice so the child continues to be supported.

Maintaining Professional Practice Throughout the Process

Throughout target setting, monitoring and evaluation, you need to:

• Follow organisational policies
• Maintain confidentiality for all records and information
• Keep communication respectful and supportive
• Record facts accurately and avoid bias
• Work in partnership with specialists, parents, carers and the child (where appropriate)
• Reflect on your own practice and be open to feedback

Professional practice ensures that targets are meaningful, progress is tracked correctly, and evaluations are fair.

The Impact of Your Role on the Child’s Progress

Your role directly impacts how well a child meets their targets. By accurately observing, recording, and sharing information, you help specialists and colleagues make informed decisions. This leads to better support for the child and creates stronger outcomes.

Effective involvement from you can:

• Improve the child’s learning and development
• Build their confidence and self-esteem
• Help remove barriers to progress
• Create a more coordinated support plan

Challenges You May Face

Common challenges include:

• Lack of time for detailed recording or observation
• Parents or carers not engaging with the process
• Communication breakdown between professionals
• Targets that are too ambitious or unclear
• Changes in the child’s circumstances affecting progress

Part of your role is to identify these challenges quickly and raise them with the right people so adjustments can be made.

Working to Support Individual Needs

Every child or young person will have different needs. Some may require very specific targets, while others may work towards general developmental goals. Your role is to recognise the individual nature of these needs and adapt your support accordingly.

For children with additional needs, the setting may agree an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). In these cases, you play a part in implementing agreed strategies and recording evidence for the local authority reviews.

For children without identified additional needs, you still work with age-appropriate developmental milestones and targets set within the curriculum or organisational framework.

Building Strong Partnerships

Targets are most effective when all parties work together. You help build these partnerships by:

• Establishing trust with parents, carers, and specialists
• Sharing updates in a clear and timely manner
• Listening to others’ views and respecting their expertise
• Encouraging the child or young person to be involved in their own progress

Reflecting on Your Own Practice

Reflection is an important part of your role. After each target cycle, think about how your actions contributed to the outcome. Consider if your observations were thorough, if your communication was clear, and if your records were as complete as possible.

Good reflection leads to better future practice, stronger relationships, and more effective support for the children and young people you work with.

Final Thoughts

Your role in the process of setting, monitoring and evaluating targets, alongside specialists, is central to ensuring positive outcomes for children and young people. You are often the person who sees the child most regularly, which means your input is highly valuable and directly shapes the interventions and support provided.

By working closely with specialists, parents, and carers, you create a joined-up approach that keeps the child at the centre of decision making. Detailed observation, accurate recording, and honest feedback provide the foundation for realistic targets and genuine progress. This collaborative way of working supports development, learning and wellbeing, helping each child to reach their potential in a way that is right for them.