Settling in Policy

Rationale

Research shows that children learn best when they are healthy, safe and secure, when their individual needs are met and when they have positive relationships with the adults caring for them. In order to achieve this for the children we care for, we aim to provide enough time for children to get to know us and our childminding setting before parents/carers leave their child with us.

Procedure

We will discuss with parents/carers the individual needs of the child before a place can be offered to ensure that the needs of all children can be catered for. Copies of all policies and procedures will be given to parents/carers before a place can be confirmed in order to help parents/carers decide if the setting is their choice of childcare provision.

Settling in visits both with and without parents/carers are provided to help the child become familiar with the setting, the routines, the other children and adults in the setting. This will also start to help us to build an emotional attachment with your child, which will be needed for your child to thrive in our setting. Settling in visits will be timed to allow the child to experience all aspects of care and routine including feed times, nappy changing, sleep times, outings and play. This will reassure parents/carers that their child is familiar with and happy for these routines and care to be carried out in parents/carers’ absence.

Settling in visits will be carried out over as long a period of time as needed for both the child and the parents/carers, but are expected to take several weeks. Written information about the child, along with written parental consent and a contract need to be in place before the child can be left without parents/carers.

We will work with parent/carers to ensure we have adequate information about parents/carers’ wishes for their child and will adhere to them wherever possible including likes, dislikes, routines, favourite activities and how to comfort them when needed. We offer a written daily diary containing information about babies feeding, sleeping and play alongside verbal information exchanges.

Within our setting we operate a key person system. The key person must help ensure that every child’s learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs. The key person must also engage and support parents/carers in guiding their child’s development at home. Within a childminding setting predominately the key person is the childminder, however when working with other childminders or assistants the key person role may be distributed equally.