BSBINN502A: Scenarios On Innovative Practices

[NANDU]

Hi
Can somebody help me with this two scenario questions.

1. At the Orange Blossom Children’s Service staff meeting, Katrina, the Director, informed the staff that the management committee had approved the construction of a paved area around the sand pit. A much needed improvement which everybody was excited about. The following conversation ensued:
Jane asked “What sort of paving?”
Katrina: “Oh, the usual terra-cotta garden pavers. It will look lovely and be easy to sweep off the spilled sand.”
Jane : “Yes it will be great, but I wonder if we could do something more interesting with the paving. Maybe a pattern, a serpent, hopscotch, or rainbow?. It was just a thought!”
Robert “Oh yeah, but how much extra do you think that’s gunna cost?”
Beccy: “I think it’s a great idea. Don’t be such a ‘stick in the mud’, Robert.”
Darren: “I agree that it’s a good idea but who’s going to decide on the pattern? I can see lots of arguments about who wants what!”
Meg: “True. I also wonder about how much extra time we would have to wait for the paving?”

The question is under traditional business thinking and the answer has to be provided for innovative thinking. I have tried answering this.
Questions - Traditional business thinking
a) What should she say right now, at the Staff Meeting?
Answer : She should talk about the goal of building a paved area around the sand pit that everyone has been waiting for. She should try and understand what other staff think is going to happen and the reason. Give them factual information and keep them informed.

b) What plans could she put in place?
Ans : She can give them current, factual information which may serve to challenge the staff's perceptions. Seek clarifications of ideas of the staff members. Get the plans of each staff and ask them about the design. She can have a team meeting about the ideas again or have private discussion with each staff member to know what they think of the idea.
c) What could she say to the team regarding Innovation and Creative thinking?
She could appreciate staff for their innovative and creative thinking but discuss about what is practical and feasible for that situation and consider in what other ways can this be done.

Is this okay? Please help.

Scenario 2
Innovative Practices
Susanna has recently been appointed as Director of the Little Angels Early Learning Centre, after having worked at this centre for five years as a Room Leader. Susanna knows that most of the families using the centre have English as a second language and many have no extended family close by.

When Susanna was working on the services Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) the educators identified Standard 6.2 as one area where improvement could be made. At present to engage with families they have ‘Day Books” near the parent sign in/sign out folder, they have parent ‘Open Days” twice a year and they send home a service newsletter once a month.

Susanna has read about an innovative idea another service is using to engage with families informally by creating a parent lounge where they hold “coffee mornings’ to discuss parenting and share child rearing practices. Susanna decides share this idea with the educators and to ask for other ideas that are innovative and creative to support the involvement of parents that shows respect for the families’ values, beliefs and offers a chance to make connections with other families.

Question. Describe two innovative practices that would increase engagement with families.
My answer which I am pretty sure is not right

Responses to customer needs - Individual children's services can use innovative practices to become more responsive to the needs of families and children; for example, by
- arranging for a mobile hairdresser to visit the service to cut the children's hair
- organising a health professional to visit the service to cut the children's hair
- organising a clothing pool where parents can buy or swap children's clothing, toys and baby equipment.

Please guide me with this.

Thank you very much.

[Lorina]

I actually think your responses are alright.

Organising a clothing pool where parents can buy or swap children's clothing, toys and baby equipment.

That's a great idea!

You could also do a Mummy and Me yoga class where parents come and does yoga with thier child once a week with a yoga instructor.

,
Lorina

[NANDU]

Thank you very much for your support Lorina.

[Jean1112]

Hi Lorina,
for scenario 1, I answered something similar to the answers above and get the feedback as below:

Please note the scenario is staff meeting. Informing staff about paving is not the agenda. There will be a lot to address. What can Katrina say to staff for now and what plans she can put in place for staff to express their ideas.

Kindly advise what I should put the right answer?