Role of Key Person and Settling In- College Nurseries

1. Purpose

   Safeguarding and Welfare Requirement: Key Person Each child must be assigned a key person. Their role is to help ensure that every child’s care is tailored to meet their individual needs, to help the child become familiar with the setting, offer a settled relationship for the child and build a relationship with their parents

2. The Role of The Key Person and Settling In

   • 2.1 Nursery Statement

     • 2.1.1 We believe that children settle best when they have a key person to relate to, who knows them and their parents well, and who can meet their individual needs. Research shows that a key person approach benefits the child, the parents, (the staff) and the nursery by providing secure relationships in which children thrive, parents have confidence, staff are committed and the setting is a happy and dedicated place to attend or work in.

     • 2.1.2 We want children to feel safe, stimulated and happy in the nursery and to feel secure and comfortable with staff. We also want parents to have confidence in both their children's well-being and their role as active partners with the nursery. We aim to make the nursery a welcoming place where children settle quickly and easily because consideration has been given to the individual needs and circumstances of children and their families.

     • 2.1.3 The key person role is set out in the Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Each child must have a key person. These procedures set out a model for developing a key person approach that promotes effective and positive relationships for children.

   • 2.2 COVID-19 Update

     • 2.2.1 During the COVID-19 outbreak it is likely that some children will not have their usual key person. Where this is the case, the principles of the key person role are followed as closely as possible. The Key Worker will remain vigilant and sensitive to the child and the family’s personal coping mechanisms during the Covid19 outbreak.

     • 2.2.2 Any temporary staff must be trained to proficiently and safely administer medication and medical procedures for individual children. They must also adhere to the guidelines and procedures on caring for the individual needs of children with SEND, as detailed in their Health Care Plans. Prioritised Place Risk Assessment should be used to identify any risks that may be incurred due to a change in key person for such children.

3. Procedures

   • 3.1 We allocate a key person before the child starts.

   • 3.2 The key person is responsible for:

     • 3.2.1 Providing an induction for the family and for settling the child into our nursery.

     • 3.2.2 Completing relevant forms with parents, including consent forms.

     • 3.2.3 Explaining our policies and procedures to parents with particular focus on policies such as safeguarding and our responsibilities under the Prevent Duty.

     • 3.2.4 Offering unconditional regard for the child and being non-judgemental.

     • 3.2.5 Working with the parents to plan and deliver a personalised plan for the child’s well-being, care and leaning.

     • 3.2.6 Acting as the key contact for the parents

     • 3.2.7 Developmental records and for sharing information on a regular basis with the child’s parents to keep those records up-to-date, reflecting the full picture of the child in our nursery and at home.

     • 3.2.8 Having links with other carers involved with the child and co-ordinating the sharing of appropriate information about the child’s development with those carers.

     • 3.2.9 Encouraging positive relationships between children in their key group, spending time with them as a group each day.

   • 3.3. We provide a back-up key person (buddy) so the child and the parents have a key contact in the absence of the child’s key person.

   • 3.4. We promote the role of the key person as the child’s primary carer in our nursery, and as the basis for establishing relationships with other staff and children.

   Settling-in

   • 3.5. Before a child starts to attend the nursery, we use a variety of ways to provide their parents with information. These include written information (including our prospectus and information about our policies), displays about activities available within the setting, information days and evenings and individual meetings with parents.

   • 3.6. During the weeks before a child is enrolled, we provide opportunities for the child and their parents to visit the setting.

   • 3.7. We allocate a key person to each child and their family before they start to attend; the key person welcomes and looks after the child and their parents at the child's first session and during the settling-in process.

   • 3.8. We use pre-start visits and the first session at which a child attends to explain and complete with their parents the child's registration records.

   • 3.9. When a child starts to attend, we explain the process of settling-in with their parents and jointly decide on the best way to help the child to settle into the setting.

   • 3.10 We have an expectation that the parent, carer or close relative, will stay for most of the session during the first week, gradually taking time away from their child, increasing this as and when the child is able to cope.

   • 3.11 Younger children will take longer to settle in, as will children who have not previously spent time away from home. Children who have had a period of absence may also need their parent to be on hand to re-settle them.

   • 3.12 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 their 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.

   • 3.13 When parents leave, we ask them to say goodbye to their child and explain that they will be coming back, and when.

   • 3.14 We recognise that some children will settle more readily than others but that some children who appear to settle rapidly are not ready to be left.

   • 3.15 We expect that the parent will honour the commitment to stay for at least the first week, or possibly longer, until their child can stay happily without them.

   • 3.16 We do not believe that leaving a child to cry will help them to settle any quicker. We believe that a child's distress will prevent them from learning and gaining the best from the nursery.

   • 3.17 We reserve the right not to accept a child into the setting without a parent or carer if the child finds it distressing to be left. This is especially the case with very young children.

   • 3.18 Within the first four to six weeks of starting we discuss and work with the child's parents to start to create their child's record of achievement (Learning Journey).

   The progress check at age two

   • 3.19 The key person carries out the progress check at age two in accordance with any local procedures that are in place and referring to the guidance A Know How Guide: The EYFS progress check at age two.

   • 3.20 The progress check aims to review the child’s development and ensures that parents have a clear picture of their child’s development.

   • 3.21 Within the progress check, the key person will note areas where the child is progressing well and identify areas where progress is less than expected.

   • 3.22 The progress check will describe the actions that will be taken by us to address any developmental concerns (including working with other professionals where appropriate) as agreed with the parent(s).

   • 3.23 The key person will plan activities to meet the child’s needs within the setting and will support parents to understand the child’s needs in order to enhance their development at home.

4. Useful Pre-school Publications

   • Play is What I Do (2010)

   • Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage: With supporting documentation (2017)

5. Communication and Review

   • 5.1. This policy will be shared with parents and reviewed every three years.