Your child's Key Person and Buddy

At woodlands every child has a key person. Children thrive from a base of loving and secure relationships. It is the key person’s responsibility to form secure attachments with the child. Responding sensitively to the child's feelings, behavior and meeting their emotional, needs by giving reassurance. Initially it is the key person responsibility to change their child’s nappies, toileting etc.

The key person is assigned before the initial key person meeting with the parents before the child’s visits.

Role of key person:

 At the key person initial meeting the child’s all about me document is discussed in detail. Children are placed in typical age bands if appropriate and next steps are determined with parents.

The key person liaises with parents providing them with their child’s next steps. Arranging parent consultations and involving the child is making progress in the EYFS.

 Key person is involved with 2 year check if required

Woodlands also has a buddy system, this is to ensure that all children make a secure bond with their key person and their buddy in an event of their key person being unavailable.

Settling in your child

Settling-In without Tears

Starting at a new childcare setting is a big step for young children. It can also be a big step for parents too! Leaving your child with someone that you don’t know very well (yet!) is hard and so it is normal to feel anxious. At woodlands, our aim is to work with you to make the settling-in process as smooth as possible. The aim of our policy is therefore to settle the child in without any tears.

Working together

For your child to settle in, we need to work together. Settling in is a process. Your child must build a relationship with their Key Person (and other staff members) and feel comfortable before they will be ready to leave you. We will therefore need to work in partnership to make this happen.

Building a relationship

The starting point for settling is relationships. Children need to feel that their parents are happy and relaxed about them playing and being at nursery with their Key Person. You can help this process by letting practitioners play with your child, whilst you stand back. This sends the message to the child that their Key Person is a ‘safe’ person. Do not sneak off whilst your child is playing. This may stop your child and their key person making an attachment. 

Nursery is a place where my Key Person plays with me

It is important that children learn that nursery is a place where Practitioners play with them. It is not a place where they come, and Mummy or Daddy stay. This means that whilst we want your child to go and play, we ask you not to play with them, although we want you to stay around to help them feel secure.

It can be hard for parents to sit back and not play or join in with their child, so you might like to bring something to read or perhaps talk to other parents. Basically, the idea is that you sit in a corner and become a bit grown up and boring and this will help encourage your child to come and play!

If your child doesn’t want to play, don’t worry. They can stay with you. After a while children do get bored especially when they see others having fun. If you’re patient, they will eventually make their own decision to venture off and play. Your job is to wait. Do not push your child away or encourage them by talking – just stay boring!

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All children are different

Some children settle in to nursery very quickly, whilst others need more time. Please don’t worry – children are unique and develop at different rates. Settling in is not a race! Some of the exercises may need to be completed 10 or 15 times in a session. We will fully support you with this. You might also like to practice these ideas at home with trusted friends

Transitional Objects

Some children may benefit from bringing in a toy or special item from home (e.g. muslin or a blanket – even something of daddies like a scarf or set of keys!) This helps them feel secure in a new environment. You might even like to create a photo book with photos of familiar faces that we can share at nursery. This will help children ‘hold in mind’ special people who they are missing. We can add photos of their Key Person and room team which you can then discuss at home too!

Parents need to settle in too!

Many parents find leaving their children difficult. Don’t feel guilty about worrying but try hard to be positive and relaxed with your child. Remember, you

are welcome to spend as much time as you feel you and your child needs in the nursery.

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