Settling In Policy

Statement of intent

For many children starting pre-school is their first step towards independence. In the absence of their parents we want children to feel safe, stimulated and happy at pre-school 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 setting.

Aim

We aim to make pre-school 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.

Methods

In order to help children settle comfortably in our setting we use the following procedure:

• Before a child starts to attend the setting, we use a variety of ways to provide his/her parents with information. These include written information (including our prospectus), displays about activities available within the setting, open days or evenings and individual meetings with parents.
• We provide opportunities for the child and his/her parents to visit pre-school.
• We allocate a key person to each child and his/her family before she/he starts to attend; the key person welcomes and looks after the child and his/her parents at the child’s first session and during the settling-in process.
• We use pre-start visits and the first session at which a child attends to explain and complete with his/her parents the child’s registration records.
• When a child starts to attend, we explain the process of settling-in with his/her parents and jointly decide on the best way to help the child to settle into pre-school.
• We encourage parents/carers to stay for all or part of their child’s first session if they wish, and then, if the child is not yet ready to be left for a whole session, to gradually build up longer absences.
• When parents leave, we ask them to say goodbye to their child and explain that they will be coming back, and when.
• Reassure parents by giving them information about activities and welfare during the sessions when they come to collect their child. We may telephone parents/carers during the session to let them know that their child has settled.

• Contact a parent/carer if their child is unable to settle or becomes distressed.