Settling In Policy v2
Settling In Policy for Number One Pre-school
Last Updated: 4th December 2015 Settling In Policy v2 Statement of intent Number One Pre-school acknowledges that children develop in individual ways and at varying rates. We offer a settling in procedure that is flexible to meet those needs.
Friendships and relationships are an important part of children’s development. At Number One Pre-school every interaction is based on caring, professional relationships and respectful acknowledgment of children and their families.
We are aware that many factors will influence children’s and families social ability. They may feel tired, stressed or be trying to communicate in more than one language.
Children need to feel safe, stimulated, and happy to develop and grow emotionally, socially and physically. They need to feel secure and comfortable when in the setting with Number One Pre-school’s practitioners and feel a sense of belonging in the setting. We also want parents and carers to have confidence in their children’s well-being whilst they are in the setting and to work with parents in a partnership to achieve this.
We encourage children to bring in an object or comforter from home. Not only does this help them to settle, it is a transitional object that can help the child throughout their time at pre-school as at times they could become upset.
Aim Staff aim to make the pre-school a welcoming place where children settle quickly and easily because consideration has been given to the individual needs and circumstances of the children and their families.
Methods
Before a child starts to attend the pre-school, we use a variety of ways to provide the parents/carers with information. A prospectus is available for every prospective parent to take home, and they are invited to attend a tour of the setting and are given time for any questions they may have.
Every child will be allocated a Key Person before they begin to attend the setting. o A key person has a responsibility for working with a small group of children, giving them the reassurance to feel safe and cared for whilst also building relationships with their parents. It is also the responsibility of the Key Person to maintain the child’s Unique Learning Journal. o A second Key Person (buddy) will also be allocated to your child so if the child’s Key Person is unavailable there is a familiar and trusted person who knows the child well. o Number One Pre-school has a facebook page, which you are welcome to join. We post up to date information on here about the pre-school and any activities during the week.
Before a child starts, it is mandatory that parents/carers ‘stay and play’ for part of a session. This gives us the opportunity to discuss with the parent/carer any concerns or settling aids (comforter, dummy, toiletry needs, etc.). Settling In Policy v2 For the first session the child attends we only allow them to stay for one hour, giving the child time to adjust to the setting without their parent/carer present and allowing staff to observe how well the child is adjusting to being in a new setting.
On collection from the first one-hour session the child’s Key Person will discuss with the child’s parent/carer what we feel would be the best plan of action for future sessions until the child is fully settled. This could be extra one-hour sessions until both parent/carer and Key Person are happy the child is ready to attend a full session.
The child’s Key Person will then observe the child and monitor them throughout their sessions to make sure the settling process is working in the best interest for the child. The child’s Key Person will work with the parents/carers to achieve any changes to this settling plan.
We ask that during the settling process parents/carers are available to collect the child at short notice following a telephone call from the pre-school if it is in the child’s best interest to leave earlier than arranged (i.e. should the child not be settling). We will never allow an upset child to remain in the setting for a whole session.
Home visits are also available (by appointment) and can be beneficial for children who find it hard to settle. This enables the child and Key Person to form a positive relationship away from the setting and in an environment in which the child feels safe and secure. The child’s Key Person will come to the home bringing a selection of information and toys from within the Pre-school based on the individual child’s likes and dislikes.
Signed:
Name: (Pre-school Manager)
Date:
Version History Date written: #: Written/updated by: Comment(s): November 2012 v1 M Kerwin New policy to be implemented by pre-school staff December 2015 v2 L Gamage New policy to be implemented by pre-school staff