Settling in Policy

1. Policy

1. Early Days Crèche and Day Care Centre are committed to the smooth transition of the child and the parents/guardian into the childcare services.  Settling in should be a positive experience as it will influence children’s self-confidence, attitude to relationships and socialising and will lay the foundation for life long learning.

1. Pre-admission

  Please see the Admission policy on services provided.

1. Early Days will learn from parent/guardians about child’s feeding, sleeping routine and rituals, preference, etc, and create close links with home, bringing familiar items/photos.
2. Parent/Guardians must complete registration Form with all the relevant details about the child, especially collection and contact details
3. It is Early Days policy to have an open door policy for parents/guardian and to encourage them to drop in the centre at various times during opening hours with their children to familiarise the children and themselves with the routine, the setting and the staff.
4. An information day will be held to discuss issues or concerns around the process of settling in.
5. We would advise parent/guardians to make arrangements to facilitate the settling in process. It is during this settling in period, that you the parent have an opportunity to discuss your child and impart relevant information about your child to his/her future carers – for example “when he is tired he likes to have his teddy”.
6. Early Days will stagger starting days and times for new children to help facilitate the integration of the child to the group.

First Day

1. The Key worker should greet the child and parent together.
2. The parent/guardian will be told that their presence is valued in this process.
3. Parents/guardians will be encouraged to stay for the child’s first hour. Some children may not be ready for a full session and the key worker can advise the parents/guardian on this matter.
4. Parents/guardians will be made aware of the importance for them to interact with their child and others to reassure the child in the different environment.
5. No pressure will be put on the child to get involved in any activity at this period of settling in.
6. Children must be collected promptly from the full or partial session on time.

Following stages

1. Parents will be encouraged to extend the separation period at the child’s pace.
2. We would also encourage that parents never leave the premises without saying goodbye.
3. Childcare service staff will be there to assist parents/guardian through this separation process, as an extended goodbye can distress the children.
4. The settling in time has no time limits and may need to be repeated if a child becomes unsettled.
5. When children are beginning to settle without parents/guardian, they should be supported in observing, experimenting and discovering for themselves, without any attempts to make them participate in activities.
6. A meeting will be set up daily and weekly for parents/guardians to discuss this process with the key worker.
7. Children who are still clearly distressed having following the above procedure, may need to have their attendance at the centre deferred for a trail period

These guidelines aim to help children and parent/guardians settle in happily to the service, enabling the children to gain maximum benefits from their experience.