Communicating with children
Learning Objectives
After considering this resource, you should understand some of the challenges and methods of communicating effectively with children.
Children use language in different and often unpredictable ways, and their use of vocabulary, idioms and expressions can at times be almost incomprehensible to adults.
Joanna Nicolas, an independent social worker, shares some examples from her experience of working with both younger and older children and particular challenges that might arise in each case.
Reflective Questions
- How would you need to change your communication style according to the age of the child?
- As a social worker, should you try to use the same slang or colloquial expressions that children use? Why or why not?
- What kind of non-verbal cues do you think are most important when working with children?
- What role should parents or carers play in your interaction with a child? How could their involvement enable or constrain you from communicating effectively?