Enrolment Procedures and Settling in Procedures
On the first day you bring your child to the centre you will be asked to complete an enrolment form. This provides us with all the essential information that we need to know about your child. It is essential that this information is accurate and that all emergency contacts/medical requirements etc. are completed at this time.
The need for a settling in procedure is to ensure all children feel happy and secure within the centre. If children are happy within this setting, parents are usually happy and confident their child is having a positive learning experience.
A “settling in” time will vary from child to child or family to family.
The following information is a guide and may change depending on individual children.
1st Day – Parent and child come along to the centre. You will meet your child’s key worker and fill in an enrolment form which gives us all the essential information we need about your child. You will also receive a welcome pack. This provides you with the essential information you need to know about the centre. On the first day you will usually spend up to an hour in the playroom with your child. This gives your child an opportunity to explore the room and also helps staff to observe how confident your child feels within their new environment and how your child may settle. During this time it is essential that the parent stays in the playroom with their child.
2nd Day – Parent and child come back to the centre. Again you and your child will spend up to 2 -3 hours in the playroom. During this time the parent may be able to leave their child for a short period of time to go to the parent’s room. This is in close negotiation with staff and would only happen if staff felt sure that the child would be ready to move into this stage of settling. During this time staff will be able to observe how your child copes with this short period of separation. Dependent on this, staff will discuss with the parent what the next step would be for the following day.
3rd Day – Parent and child return to the centre. Parent will settle child into the room; staff may have discussed the next step for settling the child or may wait to see how the child has separated on this particular day. Staff will discuss with the parent how they feel the child is progressing and will discuss the proposed next step. This could be that the parent remains in the centre a short distance away in our parent’s room, or on some occasions the child may be settled enough for the parent to leave the centre for a short period of time. In consultation with staff a decision will be made on when the parent should return.
For Children under 3 years, the settling in procedure may take a different approach, depending on the child and the family’s needs.
Parent Tips & Useful Links:
https://www.parentclub.scot/articles/top-tips-getting-ready-start-nursery
