Policies

Settling-In Policy Statement

Rationale and Policy Considerations:

Settling-In, in relation to an early-years service, means the procedures in place to facilitate the integration into the service of a child when they first attend the service; their progression within the service; and their transition from the early-years service to the primary school.

Transitions, in relation to an early-years service, occur as children move within the setting; from one room or area to another; or from one type of activity to another (for example, active play to tidy up time to eating time). They also occur as children move between settings (for example, from home to the early-years setting; or from the early-years setting to primary school).

Little People’s Academy (LPA) recognises that changes can be stressful at any stage in life, but for babies and young children they can be particularly challenging; and major changes can have a lifelong impact. The time from birth until six years of age is an incredibly significant time in a child’s life. Research shows that the early years of childhood are critically important for brain development. The brain develops more rapidly during these years than at any other later period and we know that this development is significantly affected by the child’s early environment and experiences.

Moving on to different surroundings makes demands on young children, as they must learn to cope with new situations. Little People’s Academy (LPA) recognises that parents/guardians also need support to cope with change and with new situations. The sensitive care and attention given to planning and ensuring smooth transitions and settling-in is extremely important. Young children learn from every experience, including routines and transitions and can develop new skills if these new routines and transitions are well-managed.

Many young children are experiencing a wide range of transitions each and every day. Because of the many different experiences they have, it is especially important that there is some continuity and similarity of approach in the ways in which the important adults in their lives behave and interact, not only with the children themselves, but also with the other adults who are involved with them.

The purpose of our Settling-in Policy is to ensure that there is sensitive planning and management of transitions during the settling-in processes, consistency in key relationships, liaison within and between settings and the close involvement of parents to ensure positive experiences and continuity for children (Síolta Standard 13). It is essential that relationships and routines are consistent, predictable and responsive to support each child's attachments, their sense of trust, security, competency, identity and belonging, their social skills and sense of independence.

Policy Statement:

Little People’s Academy recognise that successful experiences during early transitions can increase a child’s ability to adapt to changes in the future and can provide a more secure base for their learning and development.

Little People’s Academy works to develop strong relationships between the family and the service through frequent communication and sharing of information and goals.

Strong connections between each child’s home and the service help ease the settling-in processes and transitions into new or different settings, routines and/or relationships. We maintain continuity of relationships as far as possible and carefully plan all introductions to new settings, routines and experiences for the children to help ease any anxiety associated with change. We do our best to ensure that we provide a secure base that supports the children’s focused attention, curiosity about exploring their world and their emerging independence.

Major transitions are not one-off events. These transitions go on over a period of time and everything that a young child experiences prepares them for other transitions to come. We consider it essential to enable parents and our early years staff to jointly support and facilitate successful transitions through responsive relationships that are secure, consistent and continuous. All predictable transitions are planned with sensitivity to each child’s individual needs and interests, and children are supported to develop the dispositions and skills needed to make major transitions successful.

We aim to provide relationships and routines that are consistent, predictable, and responsive to support each child's sense of trust, security, and identity. We consider it essential that the staff member assigned to their care (their Key Person) can read and respond to each child's cues.

At Little People’s Academy we always,

Consider transitions from the perspective of the wellbeing, learning and development needs of each child.
Assign a Key Person to each child whose role is to aid in the child’s ‘settling-in’ processes during their time at LPA (see our Key Person Policy)
Build partnerships with families to support the development of responsive, respectful relationships among children and staff.
Individualise routines and practices to support each child's needs, interests, temperament, their own and their family’s circumstances and their preferences, their culture and first language.
Use routines and transitions as opportunities to promote children’s learning and development.
Plan for transitions and placements that provide consistency and continuity for children and their families.
Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of transitions using various means, including observations of the children and feedback from their families.
Support parents in being or becoming advocates as they transition with their children both into this service from home or other settings [such as a childminder] and from this service to other settings, especially school.
Ensure the most appropriate transition to other environments and services from participation in this service by beginning transition planning as early as possible prior to the child's move.
Liaise with other settings appropriately and provide any relevant information (via parents or with parents’ consent) that is helpful in ensuring a successful transition from this service to other settings such as school.
We use the national template (NCCA, 2018) for transfer of information from this setting to primary school.

During the Settling-In Period Families are Encouraged to Share:

Information about their child's temperament and dispositions.
Information about what upsets their child and what comforts them.
How their child reacts to strangers, familiar adults and other children.
How they handle routines such as eating, toileting and sleeping.
Relevant information about themselves and their culture.
Information about their child's previous experiences.
A brief developmental and medical history of their child – from birth to the present – that includes social, emotional, physical and language development information.
How parents/guardians prefer to communicate different types of information (for example, in person, by telephone, by notice board or individually in writing).
How they wish to be involved in the service/programme.
How they would like to see the transition period happen.
Their hopes for their child.

Little People’s Academy invite parents to take an active role in settling their child into the service we believe if parents/guardians can help their child, they will also ease their own feelings of separation.

Communication:

Our services policies, statements and procedures are accessible and communicated to all, using a variety of media, e.g., handbooks, posters and pictures. They are communicated in a way that ensures that they are understood according to the levels of literacy and understanding of every child.

All parents/guardians are informed of the services Settling-In Policy on enrolment. Staff members check with parents/guardians that they have read and understood the policy and provide any assistance needed.

A summary of this policy is included in the Parents’/Guardians’ Handbook. This policy will also be included in staff induction and annual staff training.

A copy of all policies will be available during all hours of operation to all staff and to parents/guardians in the Policy Folder located in the branch manager’s office.

Parents/guardians may receive a copy of the full policy at any time upon request. Parents/guardians and staff will receive written notification of any updates.

Further Information on the purpose and function of our service:

If you require more details regarding our services purpose and function, or / and our services policies, you can contact our General Manager by email littlepeoplesacademy@gmail.com

Signed: Tara Hutchinson Furey (GM) Date: 04th January 2022

(On behalf of the company Little People’s Academy)

This policy was ratified in May 2021 and updated in January 2022.

Planned Review Date: January 2023