Settling in process
Settling in process
Before a child starts to attend the setting, we use a variety of ways to provide parents with information. These include written information (including our prospectus and policies), displays about activities, information days and individual meetings. This information is included within the registration pack.
During the half-term before a child is enrolled, we provide opportunities for the child and their parents to visit the setting. We promote our 0-3’s group to new parents, encouraging them to bring their child along. This is to help to introduce the child to the setting and become familiar with it.
A key person is allocated to each child before they start to attend; the manager, deputy or the key person welcomes and looks after the child and their parents at the child’s first session and during the settling-in process
We have an expectation that the parent, carer or close relative, will stay for most of the sessions during the first week, gradually taking time away from their child, increasing this as and when the child is able to cope. Younger children may take longer to settle in, as may children who have not previously spent time away from home. An individual settling-in procedure will be agreed to meet each individual child’s needs.
We judge a child to be settled when they have formed a relationship with their key person; for example, the child looks for the key person when they arrive, goes to them for comfort, and seems pleased to be with them. The child is also familiar with where things are and is pleased to see other children and participate in activities.
Within the first 4 to 6 weeks of starting, we discuss and work with parents to begin to create their child’s record of achievement/learning journey.