In Bishop's House Early Years Centre (Kennington, London) the team have considered carefully how to help babies and very young children to feel secure. Janice Smith (centre manager) and Lorraine Slade (acting deputy manager) explain that children's sense of security is supported through developing good partnership with parents. 'If you can make the parents feel comfortable, then the child will feel secure. You need to support parents' feelings about their baby or child attending your centre.' Partnership between the centre and parents begins with a home visit that helps to create continuity between a baby's care at home and their time in the centre. The staff gather information about the baby or toddler's care. As Janice and Lorraine say, 'It's the little things that matter most, like a child's special blanket or that we follow a feeding routine that's familiar.'
In Bishop's House Early Years Centre (Kennington, London) the team have considered carefully how to help babies and very young children to feel secure. Janice Smith (centre manager) and Lorraine Slade (acting deputy manager) explain that children's sense of security is supported through developing good partnership with parents. 'If you can make the parents feel comfortable, then the child will feel secure. You need to support parents' feelings about their baby or child attending your centre.'
Partnership between the centre and parents begins with a home visit that helps to create continuity between a baby's care at home and their time in the centre. The staff gather information about the baby or toddler's care. As Janice and Lorraine say, 'It's the little things that matter most, like a child's special blanket or that we follow a feeding routine that's familiar.'
The staff explain the centre's routines and answer any questions. But they also reassure families that, especially in the baby room, the team fit in with what the child needs day by day. Lunch can wait if a child needs a nap now. Routines are there to support young children and help them feel secure.
The home visit is followed by a visit by the family to see the whole centre, not only the group that their child will join. Then a flexible settling-in period enables the child and parent to feel content about this new move. Janice and Lorraine stress that the key worker system is very important in enabling personal contact between a parent and a familiar face, as well as personal care for children. Once parents leave their young child, they are welcome to telephone or pop in to reassure themselves.
