We believe that children settle best when they have a key person to relate to, who will get to know them, and who can meet their individual needs. Research shows that a Keyperson approach benefits the child, the parents, the staff and the Setting by providing secure relationships in which children thrive, parents have confidence, staff are committed and the Setting is a happy and a dedicated place to attend or work in.

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We want children to feel safe, stimulated and happy in the setting and to feel secure and comfortable with staff. We also want parents to have confidence in both their children's well-being and their role as active partners with the Setting.

 

We aim to make the Setting a welcoming place where children settle quickly and easily because consideration has been given to the individual needs and circumstances of
children and their families.

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In practise this means:

 

• We try to allocate a Keyperson before the child starts.

 

• If a home visit is requested before the child starts, this is done by the Managerand the Keyperson.

 

• The Keyperson is responsible for the induction of the family and for settling thechild into our Setting.

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• The Keyperson offers unconditional regard for the child and is non-judgemental.

 

• The Keyperson works with the parent to plan and deliver a personal plan for thechild’s well-being, care and learning.

 

• The Keyperson acts as the key contact for the parents and has links with othercarers involved with the child, such as a childminder, and co-ordinates the sharingof appropriate information about the child’s development with those carers.

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• A Keyperson is responsible for developmental records and for sharing information on a regular basis with the child’s parents to keep those records up-to-date, reflecting the full picture of the child in our Setting.

 

• The Keyperson encourages positive relationships between children in her/his key group, where possible spending time with them during each session.

 

• We provide a back-up Keyperson so the child and the parents have a key contact in the absence of the child’s Keyperson.

 

• We promote the role of the Keyperson as the child’s primary carer in our Setting, and as the basis for establishing relationships with other staff and children.