Settling Policy
Rationale
“As the child’s supporting adult, everything you do for young children should promote, support and safeguard their wellbeing. You will have the day-to-day knowledge of how a child is settling in and progressing. You may also be a first line of contact for the parent or carer. The key to success for the child and family is building professional caring relationships. Your unique role in engaging and involving the child and family is important.” (Realising the Ambition – Being Me)
Aims
To support children and their families with the process of settling into nursery; and to ensure existing children can acclimatise to new children and adults in the playroom.
Objectives
- To ensure any children who are settling into the nursery are supported to feel safe, secure, settled, and comfortable.
- To ensure the pace of settling depends on the individual child, considering their needs, life experiences, and motivators.
- To support families to understand our child centred ethos whilst, as much as is possible, supporting their work commitments.
- To ensure existing children and the staff team in a playroom feel supported and involved in the settling of a new child(ren).
Guidelines
- SLT will allocate a nursery visit, home visit, and start date and time for a child.
- The key worker will greet the child and family on the first day. Through initial discussions between key worker and parent/carer and depending on how the child manages their first session, a start time and session length for the next day will be agreed.
A family member must be available to support the child with settling until such time as they are comfortable and secure. On day one and two a parent/carer must remain in the building. From day three onwards the keyworker will gradually build up the length of time the child stays.
- On the home visit, the Management and Keyworker will compile the Child’s Individual Care Plan with the parent/carer. The development of the Child’s Plan will be undertaken within the first 28 days of the child starting nursery.
- Children should attend nursery every day in their first week of settling (and beyond if necessary) even if their regular sessions are not Monday – Friday. This is to give the child continuity as much exposure to the new environment and people as possible.
- The keyworker will meet with the parent/carer 6 weeks from the start date to discuss the transition from home and to establish plans for collaborative learning.
Success Criteria
The policy and guidelines will support children, families, and practitioners with the settling in process and ensure the transition from home to nursery is as smooth and nurturing as possible. The long-term health, wellbeing, and security of the child should be established in the early days of the settling process.