Every child’s development is a journey full of unique milestones and achievements. With the Child Development Review and Management Tool, you can take an active role in nurturing this journey. Whether you’re observing early communication skills, tracking motor development, or recording creative achievements, this tool helps you document, review, and act on the progress of each child.
From seamless tracking to personalized insights, this feature equips you with everything needed to support and celebrate every child’s growth. Let’s explore how to make the most of this invaluable resource!
If your institute follows one of our supported frameworks it is important for your teachers to make observations, assessments, and two-year progress checks.
Availability
The Child Development Review and Management Tool is available on both the portal and the app.
Note: The portal will be used as the default reference for this guide, but any significant differences in functionality on the app will be clearly highlighted.
📖 Table of Contents:
Understand the sources of observation posts and how they are recorded in the system.
A detailed overview of how the tool helps track child progress, document learning, and facilitate educator-parent communication.
Steps to Apply Filters – Filter observations to quickly find relevant entries.
Available Filters – Learn about the different filtering options for refining observation searches.
The Next Steps feature helps track future actions for child development plans.
How Are Next Steps Recorded? – Understand how educators record follow-up actions for children.
How to Access the Next Steps Record Page – Navigate to the Next Steps section to review progress.
Available Filters and Their Use for Next Steps Records – Use filters to sort Next Steps entries based on specific criteria.
Access and analyze detailed reports on child observations.
What is Detailed Reporting? – Understand the purpose and key features of detailed reports.
Steps to Access Detailed Reporting – Learn how to navigate and open reports.
Using and Reading Detailed Reporting – Discover how to interpret data for better decision-making.
Detailed Report Filtering Options – Apply filters to customize reports and find relevant information faster.
Learn how educators and administrators review, edit, and approve child observations.
Accessing Development Observations Awaiting Review – Find and manage pending observations that need approval.
Editing Observations Sent for Review – Modify observation details before approval.
Approval and Feedback for Pending Observations – Approve, reject, or provide feedback on observations.
Learn who has permission to view, edit, and approve observations, ensuring secure access control.
Customize what observations are recorded, displayed, and accessed within the system.
How to Access Observation Settings – Navigate to settings to adjust observation preferences.
🔹 Available Settings Options:
Deactivate 2-Year Progress Observations – Disable automated 2-year progress tracking.
Hide Journey Tab from Parents – Remove the Journey tab from parent views, restricting access to observation records.
Things You Should Know Before Using the Child Development Management Tool
Child Development Information
Developmental updates are uploaded and shared in two key areas of the system:
1. Newsfeed
A central hub for sharing developmental observations with parents and staff.
How to Get There:
Navigate to the menu on the far-left side of the portal or app.
Select Newsfeed from the list of tools.
Select "Add Observation" and start writing
2. Child’s Profile
A dedicated area for storing and accessing detailed records of a child’s development, available to authorized staff and parents.
How to Access:
Navigate to the Children’s List from the menu.
Search for and select the specific child to open their profile.
Go to the "Portfolio" section:
Here, you can upload, review, and download development updates and related information or that child.
What the Child Development Tool Does
The Child Development Management Tool is designed to give educators and caregivers a comprehensive view of children’s developmental progress. Here’s what it offers and how each feature is beneficial:
1. Displays All Created Development Posts and Updates
What It Does:
Centralizes all posts and updates related to children’s developmental milestones in one view.
Use and Insight:
Provides an organized way to review observations, ensuring no important milestones are missed.
Allows staff to monitor trends, such as recurring behaviors or skills being developed over time.
2. Reports on the Next Steps for Development
What It Does:
Highlights actionable next steps for each child based on their current progress.
Use and Insight:
Guides educators and parents in supporting the child’s growth, such as recommending activities to strengthen fine motor skills or improve social interaction.
Ensures a proactive approach to achieving developmental goals.
3. Provides Filters for Specific Children or Posts
What It Does:
Allows users to search for specific children or development posts using filters like name, type or status.
Use and Insight:
Saves time by narrowing down to relevant records, making it easy to track progress for individual children or specific areas of development (e.g., cognitive or physical milestones).
Helps educators focus on high-priority cases or children needing additional support.
4. Detailed Reporting on Children’s Progress
What It Does:
Generates detailed reports on a child’s developmental progress over time, including milestones achieved and areas of improvement.
Use and Insight:
Offers a data-driven approach to understanding a child’s journey, providing clear evidence of growth.
Helps parents and staff visualize progress, fostering collaboration and shared goals for the child’s development.
Why These Features Matter
Holistic View: Combines observations, updates, and actionable insights into one tool, enabling better decision-making.
Collaboration: Strengthens communication between educators and parents, ensuring everyone is aligned on the child’s developmental needs.
Efficiency: Saves time by organizing data, offering filters, and providing clear reports for targeted actions.
Overview of the Observation Tool
The Observation Tool provides a centralized page where all posted and pending observations are displayed. To help users efficiently manage and review observations, the tool offers filters to tailor the displayed list. Below is an overview of the available filters, their uses, and insights.
Steps to Apply Filters
Select Criteria:
Pick the desired options in each filter field (e.g., Type, Observation Status, Classroom, etc.).
You can mix and match filters for a more tailored view.
Leave Fields Empty if Needed:
Leaving a filter field empty is equivalent to selecting all options within that filter.
This is useful when you want to apply specific criteria for one filter while including everything else.
Apply Filters:
Once you’ve chosen your desired criteria, click the purple "Filter" button located next to the filter fields to apply your changes.
Available Filters
1. Type
Options:
Staff Observation: Observations created by staff members.
Use: Track professional insights into developmental milestones or learning progress.
Insight: Useful for educators to share detailed, curriculum-based progress updates.
Parent Observation: Observations submitted by parents.
Use: Capture at-home behaviors, achievements, or moments missed in the center.
Insight: Fosters collaboration between staff and parents, enriching the child’s development profile.
Two-Year Progress Observations: Focuses on tracking a child’s two-year developmental journey.
Use: Helps ensure that long-term goals are being met and milestones are adequately supported.
Insight: A great tool for identifying areas requiring additional support or celebration.
Up to Speed: Displays milestones 100% covered by a specific child.
Use: Helps monitor children who are fully up-to-date on expected milestones.
Insight: Ideal for identifying children ready for the next stage of development.
2. Observation Status
Options:
Changes Requested: Observations requiring edits or updates before they can progress further.
Use: Review and ensure observations meet quality or policy standards.
Insight: Maintains consistency and clarity across shared developmental updates.
Pending Review: Observations awaiting approval from an authorized staff member.
Use: Tracks posts in progress, ensuring timely follow-up and publishing.
Insight: Helps prevent delays in sharing developmental insights with parents or staff.
Published: Observations that have been finalized and shared with relevant parties.
Use: Offers a reference point for reviewing completed updates.
Insight: Serves as a historical record of developmental achievements.
3. Classroom (Inconsistency Concern reported)
What It Does:
Filters observations based on the classroom associated with the child.
Use: Narrow down observations to children in a specific classroom.
Insight:
Ensures focus on children within a teacher's direct responsibility.
Facilitates discussions about group milestones or classroom-based strategies.
4. Child (Inconsistency Concern: Names and Status)
What It Does:
Filters observations to focus on specific children.
Use:
Easily review updates for an individual child or compare progress among selected children.
Insight:
Provides a tailored approach to monitoring developmental progress.
Note:
Only active and upcoming children are displayed individually. Withdrawn children appear only when the "All" option is selected.
5. Author
What It Does:
Filters observations based on the person who created the post.
Use: Manage and track posts by specific staff members or parents.
Insight:
Useful for monitoring contributions, identifying active participants, and ensuring accountability.
Ensure accountability by reviewing observations tied to individual authors.
Limited to Active Authors:
Only names of staff who have created posts will appear in the filter.
Select all to have all posts made by either parents or staff
6. Key Worker
What It Does
Filters observations based on the key worker assigned to the child as their main caregiver.
Use: Focus on Primary Caregivers:
View updates and observations specific to children under the key worker’s direct responsibility.
Ensures that observations align with the developmental goals and needs of the children they primarily care for.
Insight
Streamlines Collaboration:
Facilitates communication between key workers and families by centralizing observations for assigned children.
Filter Limitation:
Only staff assigned as key workers appear in this filter.
The displayed observations are limited to children for whom they are the main caregiver, even if they’ve posted observations for other children.
Why These Filters Matter
Efficiency: Simplifies the management of large volumes of observations by narrowing results to relevant data.
Collaboration: Enhances communication between educators and parents by making key updates accessible.
Insightful Tracking: Ensures every child’s progress is monitored and aligned with developmental goals.
Next Steps in Child Development Report
The Next Steps section within the Development Tool is a key feature that records actionable plans for a child’s ongoing growth and development based on their observations. Here's how it works and why it's valuable:
What the Next Steps Section Does
Records Actionable Plans:
Provides a structured space to document specific strategies or activities to support a child’s developmental progress.
Enhances Collaboration:
Ensures that both staff and parents are aligned on what actions need to be taken to help the child achieve their milestones.
How Are Next Steps Recorded?
The Next Steps feature allows educators and caregivers to create actionable plans tailored to a child’s developmental needs. Here's how you can record and manage them effectively:
Add Next Steps
Where to Record:
Next Steps can be added while recording an observation in the Newsfeed or directly from the Child’s Profile.
What to Include:
Write specific, measurable, and realistic actions aimed at supporting the child’s growth.
Example:
"Encourage Noah to participate in 10-minute group activities to build focus and peer interaction."
Examples of Next Steps
Examples of Next Steps
1. Social Skills
Observation: "Emma played alongside peers but struggled to take turns."
Next Step: "Encourage Emma to participate in turn-taking games during circle time. Reassess after 2 weeks."
2. Language Development
Observation: "Noah is using 2-3 word sentences but hesitates to ask for help verbally."
Next Step: "Model phrases like 'I need help' and reinforce their use during activities."
3. Fine Motor Skills
Observation: "Lila struggled to hold a crayon correctly."
Next Step: "Provide fine motor practice using threading beads and larger crayons."
How to Access the Next Steps Record Page
Follow these steps to navigate and use the Next Steps Record Page efficiently:
Steps to Access
Go to the Child Development Tool:
Navigate to the Child Development Tool from the menu.
Click "View Next Steps":
Locate the purple "View Next Steps" button above the development list and click it.
Apply Filters on the Next Steps Page:
Once on the page, use the available filters to tailor the displayed list.'
Available Filters and Their Use
1. Classes
What It Does:
Filters next steps for children assigned to a specific classroom.
Insight:
Ideal for educators managing multiple rooms to focus on the progress of specific groups.
Example:
View all next steps for the "Preschool Room" to align goals with the group’s learning activities.
2. Children
What It Does:
Allows you to select specific children to review their assigned next steps.
Insight:
Enables personalized tracking of individual progress.
Note: Only active and upcoming children will appear in this filter.
Example:
Filter next steps for "Noah" to plan personalized activities addressing his social and motor skill development.
3. Keyworker Assigned as the Primary Caregiver
What It Does:
Displays next steps assigned to children under a specific key worker’s care.
Insight:
Helps key workers track and manage their assigned children efficiently.
Example:
Filter next steps for children assigned to "Ms. Sarah" to ensure she can follow up on her specific responsibilities.
4. Made After Date
What It Does:
Shows next steps recorded after a specific date.
Insight:
Useful for reviewing recent progress and ensuring follow-up actions are taken promptly.
Example:
Filter next steps created after "January 1, 2024" to prioritize recently observed developmental needs.
Apply Filters
Once you’ve set your criteria, click the "Filter" button next to the fields to display the tailored list.
Real-World Scenarios for Using Filters to Manage Next Steps Records
Real-World Scenarios for Using Filters to Manage Next Steps Records
Filters in the Next Steps Record Page are powerful tools for prioritizing and organizing developmental goals for children. Here are insightful, real-world examples of how they can be applied:
1. Filter by Classes
Scenario:
A teacher managing the Toddler Room wants to ensure all children are meeting their motor skill milestones.
How to Use:
Select Toddler Room from the Classes filter.
Review the next steps to identify children who need additional activities, such as crawling tunnels or balance exercises.
Outcome:
The teacher can focus on activities that address common developmental needs for the entire group, saving time and aligning efforts with the room’s curriculum.
2. Filter by Children
Scenario:
A parent raises concerns about their child, Emma, struggling with sharing during group activities. The key worker wants to track Emma’s next steps.
How to Use:
Select Emma from the Children filter.
View her next steps related to social skills, such as participating in turn-taking games or role-play activities.
Outcome:
The key worker can provide tailored updates to the parent and adjust Emma’s goals to ensure progress in sharing and social interaction.
3. Filter by Keyworker
Scenario:
Ms. Sarah is a key worker responsible for multiple children and wants to track her workload and ensure she addresses all assigned next steps.
How to Use:
Select Ms. Sarah from the Keyworker filter.
View all next steps she’s responsible for across her assigned children.
Outcome:
Ms. Sarah can prioritize tasks for her assigned children and avoid missing important follow-ups or reviews.
4. Filter by Made After Date
Scenario:
The program director wants to review all next steps recorded after a recent parent-teacher meeting to monitor progress on newly discussed goals.
How to Use:
Enter the date of the meeting in the Made After Date filter (e.g., February 1, 2024).
View all next steps added since the meeting.
Outcome:
The director can assess how well the center is implementing action plans from the meeting and provide feedback to staff.
5. Combine Filters: Classes + Made After Date
Scenario:
A classroom leader wants to review new next steps added for the Preschool Room since a recent curriculum update.
How to Use:
Select Preschool Room from the Classes filter.
Enter the curriculum update date in the Made After Date filter.
Outcome:
The leader can track whether new activities align with the updated curriculum and identify areas requiring additional focus.
6. Combine Filters: Children + Keyworker
Scenario:
A program administrator receives a parent inquiry about two siblings, Noah and Mia, who are under Ms. Sarah’s care. The parent wants an update on their developmental progress.
How to Use:
Select Noah and Mia from the Children filter.
Select Ms. Sarah from the Keyworker filter.
Outcome:
The administrator can quickly gather detailed updates on the siblings’ next steps and provide a comprehensive response to the parent.
Detailed Reporting: Insight, Use, and Steps to Access
The Detailed Reporting feature in the Observation Tool provides an in-depth view of children’s developmental progress and ensures no child is overlooked in the observation process. Here’s what it offers and how to use it effectively:
What is Detailed Reporting?
Insight:
Tracks the total number of children observed and highlights those who lack any recorded observations.
Breaks down observation progress, providing detailed metrics for each child’s developmental milestones.
Use:
Enables educators and administrators to monitor observation coverage across classrooms or groups.
Identifies gaps in the observation process, ensuring every child receives the attention and support they need.
Benefit:
Promotes equity by ensuring no child is left behind in developmental tracking.
Facilitates accountability for educators to complete observations within specified timelines.
Steps to Access Detailed Reporting
1. Navigate to the Observation Tool
Go to the main page of the Observation Tool from the menu.
2. Locate the Overview Section
On the right side of the screen, you’ll find an overview section that reports:
The total number of children observed.
The number of children lacking observations.
3. Open the Detailed Reporting Page
Click the "Detailed Reporting" button below this overview to access a more granular report.
Using Detailed Reporting
1. Monitor Observation Progress
View individual progress for each child, including:
The number of observations made for each child.
The areas of development that have been covered (e.g., Belonging, Well-Being).
The progress percentage of milestones completed in each area.
Any missing or overdue milestones, highlighting areas that need attention
2. Plan Next Steps
How to Use the Data:
Prioritize Children: Focus on those with few or no observations to ensure equitable attention.
Adjust Schedules: Allocate time or resources to ensure every child is observed within a reasonable timeframe.
3. Review Development Areas in Detail:
Select a Development Area:
Click on a specific area (e.g., Engagement, Expression) for the child whose progress you want to review.
View Milestones:
1. Milestones Covered
What It Does:
Displays a detailed list of all milestones linked to the selected developmental area (e.g., Belonging, Engagement).
Includes the date each milestone was last updated
Why It’s Useful:
Allows educators to track which milestones have been achieved and when.
Ensures accurate record-keeping for developmental monitoring.
2. Progress Percentage
What It Does:
Shows the completion percentage for each milestone within the developmental area.
Provides a corresponding developmental description for context.
Why It’s Useful:
Helps identify milestones that are partially complete or require more focus.
Gives a clear picture of overall progress, ensuring no developmental areas are overlooked.
Example
Milestone Area: Engagement
Covered Milestone: "Focuses on tasks for 10 minutes."
Date Completed: January 10, 2024
Progress Percentage: 80%
Developmental Description: "Child is working on sustaining attention in group settings."
Mark Areas as "Up-to-Date"
When to Use:
Use this feature when all milestones within a specific development area (e.g., Belonging) have been successfully completed.
This indicates that the child has achieved the goals and no further observations are required for that category.
What Happens:
Milestones Automatically Updated:
All milestones within the category are set to 100% progress, reflecting completion.
Developmental Area Marked Complete:
The child is marked as having fully achieved the progress for that developmental area, such as Belonging, Well-Being, Engagement, or Expression.
Tracking Update:
The category will now appear under the "Up to Speed" type filter on the main observation tool, making it easy to track completed areas.
Detailed Report Filtering Options
The Detailed Report feature provides multiple filters to help educators and administrators focus on specific data points and analyze developmental progress. Here's an explanation of each filter, its use, and the insights it offers.
Available Filters
1. Progress Date Range
What It Does:
Filters observations and progress updates made within a specific timeframe.
Use:
Track recent developmental updates or identify children who need follow-ups within a particular period.
Insight:
Helps focus on progress achieved during enrollment periods or specific project timelines (e.g., quarterly reviews).
Example:
View all progress updates between January 1 and March 31 to monitor trends over the term.
2. Room
What It Does:
Filters progress data for children in a specific classroom or group.
Use:
Allows teachers to focus on their assigned group of children and classroom milestones.
Insight:
Ideal for comparing group achievements and identifying areas where the classroom curriculum can be improved.
Example:
Check the progress of the Toddler Room to see how the group is performing on key milestones like social interaction and motor skills.
3. Child
What It Does:
Filters progress for individual children, allowing for personalized tracking.
Use:
Focus on specific children who may need additional support or whose parents have requested detailed updates.
Insight:
Ensures that no child is overlooked and helps create targeted action plans for developmental areas requiring attention.
Example:
Search for Emma to review her milestones in Engagement and identify next steps.
4. Author
What It Does:
Filters observations based on the educator or parent who recorded the updates.
Use:
Identify trends or gaps in reporting based on specific contributors.
Insight:
Useful for accountability and ensuring all team members contribute observations regularly.
Example:
Check observations logged by Ms. Sarah to ensure all assigned children are covered in her reports.
5. Gender
What It Does:
Filters progress based on the gender of the child (e.g., male, female, unspecified).
Use:
Analyze gender-specific trends or focus on groups for tailored interventions.
Insight:
Highlights differences in developmental progress and ensures equal opportunities for growth.
Example:
View progress for all female children to check how they’re advancing in Expression milestones.
6. Key Worker
What It Does:
Filters observations and next steps assigned to a specific key worker.
Use:
Helps key workers manage their responsibilities by focusing only on their assigned children.
Insight:
Ensures accountability and streamlines the workload for individual staff members.
Example:
Select John Smith to view progress updates for the children under his care.
How to Review, Approve, and Request Changes for Observations
The Observation Tool enables authorized educators and administrators to review, update, approve, or request changes for observations efficiently. Here’s how to manage the process:
Accessing the Development Observations
Navigate to the Development Main Screen:
Open the Child Development Tool from the menu.
On the main screen, you’ll see a list of observations.
Use the Status Filter:
Apply the Status filter to focus on:
Pending Review: Observations awaiting your approval.
Changes Requested: Observations that require updates before they can be approved.
Why These Filters?:
Streamlines the review process by isolating observations needing action, ensuring timely follow-ups.
Apply the Filter:
Once you’ve set the filter, click the "Filter" button to narrow down the list.
Locate the Observation:
Scroll through the filtered list and select the observation you want to review.
Editing Observations Sent for Review
When you select an observation, an editorial view opens on the left side of the screen, allowing you to make changes.
Actions You Can Take:
Recipients:
Add, remove, or update the recipients of the observation.
Example: Apply the observation to multiple children if relevant.
Change author: Assign the post to you
Text Body and Next Steps:
Edit the main content of the observation, including the text body and Next Steps section.
Example: Adjust the Next Steps to include specific timelines or add additional actions.
Development Links:
Update the linked developmental areas:
Add new links.
Remove existing ones.
Include more areas of evaluation if necessary.
Share with Parents:
Toggle the "Don’t share with parent" option:
Enable sharing to send the observation to the parent portal.
Disable sharing for internal use only
Attachments:
Add or remove attachments, such as photos, documents, or videos.
Save Updates:
Click "Update" to save your changes:
Without Approving or Requesting Changes: Keeps the observation in the Pending Review or Requesting change
Approval and Feedback
Approve and Send:
Use the "Approve and Post" option on the right side of the editorial view:
Publishes the observation immediately.
Useful if no additional changes are needed.
Request Changes:
If adjustments are required, use the "Request Changes" to request adjustment from the author:
Sends the observation back to them with your feedback.
Add Comments:
Provide specific feedback by adding comments directly to the observation.
Why Add Comments?
Helps the author understand your requested changes or clarifications.
Facilitates collaboration and maintains transparency.
Manage Comments:
Add multiple comments as needed.
Remove or edit old comments using the "X" icon next to them.
Important Note
The author of the observation will receive a notification or update in the following cases:
Request for Changes:
A notification will prompt the author to update the observation based on the requested changes.
Observation Approved and Posted:
Once the observation is finalized and posted, the author will see the update reflected on the private Newsfeed.
Who Can Access and Manage Observations?
Access and management of observations depend on the user's role and permissions within the system. Here's an overview:
1. Company Owners
Access Level:
Full access to all observations across all locations.
Details:
Can view, edit, review, and manage observations for all children and classrooms within the company.
Why:
Ensures company-wide oversight and consistency in developmental reporting.
2. Location Admins
Access Level:
Full access to all observations within their assigned locations.
Details:
Can manage observations for all children and classrooms in their specific location.
This includes the ability to review, approve, and request changes.
Why:
Provides localized management for streamlined operations within the admin’s assigned location.
3. Staff with "Review and Send Observations" Permission
Access Level
Access is restricted to their assigned location(s) but includes all classes and children within that location.
Details
Staff must be granted the "Review and Send Observations" permission to access the Observation Center.
With this permission, staff can:
View, create, review, edit, and manage observations for children and classrooms in their assigned locations.
Staff cannot access or manage observations for locations outside their scope.
Why This Permission is Important
Focus: Ensures staff concentrate on their specific responsibilities.
Accountability: Tracks contributions within their assigned areas.
Access Control: Prevents unauthorized access to observations in other locations.
Managing Observation Settings
The Observation Settings section allows you to configure key options for managing and displaying observations within the Observation Tool.
How to Access Observation Settings
Go to the main page of the Observation Tool.
Click "Settings" at the top of the observation list.
Available Options
1. Deactivate 2-Year Progress Observations
What It Does:
Removes the option to post observations related to the 2-Year Progress milestone.
This setting specifically affects the ability to post such observations under the Portfolio section of the child's profile.
Important Note:
Previously generated 2-Year Progress observations can still be printed or downloaded as needed.
Why Use It:
Useful for centers that want to limit or pause the use of 2-Year Progress tracking for reporting purposes.
2. Hide Journey Tab from Parents
What It Does:
Hides the Observation Journey (Portfolio) from parents on their portal or app.
The Journey includes all posted developmental observations for the child, serving as a record of their progress over time.
How It Works:
The Journey/Portfolio will still be visible and downloadable for staff or administrators from the center’s end.
Parents will lose access to the Portfolio section on the child’s profile.
Parents will no longer receive observation-related posts
The option to share observations with parents, typically located next to the comment enable button on the post, will be disabled and hidden from staff when creating an observation post.
Why Use It:
Useful for centers that prefer to keep observations internal for staff use only, ensuring parents do not view sensitive developmental information.
What is the Observation Journey?
Definition:
The Observation Journey (or Portfolio) is a comprehensive record of a child’s developmental milestones and observations.
It documents the child’s growth and learning progress through posts, activities, and achievements over time.
Purpose:
Provides a detailed timeline of the child’s development, shared between educators and parents.