For a successful transfer, children need practitioners who:
Give them time to become familiar with the idea of moving on, to talk about it, to absorb new information, to revisit and remember what went before, to adjust to the changes and to make mistakes without fear of judgement. (Wise practitioners know children need time for regression as much as consolidation.)
Listen to them to find out what worries or excites them about the move, how they would like the move to happen and when they are telling us they need help with things large and small.
Recognise the importance of attachment and emotional well-being and are able to recognise the needs of an individual child and their family in this respect.
Offer pro-active support, particularly to those appearing to cope. Children need practitioners who know that there is often a 'honeymoon' period for children settling in, and that some have less obvious ways of showing distress.
Show respect for a child's way of making it work for themselves, by listening to the child and their carers about how they want to handle the separation and adapting settling procedures to make the most of this.
Appreciate what the child brings with them and has learned at home or in a previous setting. They know this is important for the child's self-esteem as much as to set starting points for future learning.
Plan carefully for transition, making sure they gather, read and take notice of all the information passed to them by parents and previous settings. They know that some children will be more vulnerable than others at this time and plan accordingly.
Are creative in their approach to supporting transition, and, for example, ask outgoing children what would help the newbies.
- See www.nurseryworld.co.uk/ nursery-world/feature/1146931/abouttransitions
