Working in Partnership with Parents/Carers

Policy

 Nursery practitioners at SRC Community Nursery are committed to working in partnership with parents and carers. It is essential that parents/carers and practitioners work together to support the child to progress to their full potential and to ensure the child’s individual needs are met. Practitioners believe that parents are the child’s first educator and an essential part of nursery life. Parents/carers are encouraged to be involved in nursery life through the nursery adopting an open door policy, where parents/carers can visit the nursery throughout the day to spend time with their child. Parents/carers can also arrive and collect their child at any time between the hours of their agreed sessions. Staff also encourages information sharing between home and nursery, making contributions and suggestions on planning for their child’s development.

 Procedure               Documents used.

 In order to develop and maintain a consistent and healthy partnership with parents, nursery practitioners will ensure:

·         The nursery is a warm, welcoming environment where parents/carers and practitioners can build strong relationships.

·         Parents/Carers feel comfortable in the nursery and staff are approachable so that the parent and practitioner can provide excellent childcare, thereby meeting each child’s individual needs

·         Parents/carers share information on the child which is recorded on Entry profiles along with ‘The Unique Child’ document and discussed with the key person; this enables the keyperson to have a clear picture of the Unique Child which assists in the key person to plan for their settling within the setting.

·          A few concept sharing:  trips, books, cooking, celebrations, performances 

Planning and provision sheet.

·         Parents/carers share and discuss children’s progress on a regular basis through parent/carers progress reviews on their child’s development  and are encourage to share views and again make contributions of concepts to support their child’s learning and developing within the setting as well at home. This is also a method when making transitions to rooms and children that are to attend schools (transition record of achievement )

·         Learning Journeys: are produced by the key person along with parent/carers input during the child’s attendance at SRC Community nursery. Parents/carers are encouraged to make observations/take photos of their child’s activity to establish the child’s interest at a time where they do not attend the setting. This enables the parent/carer and keyperson to plan around the child’s interest (using interest sheets) within the setting and parent/carer input is welcome, this enables the parent/carer to be a part of the child’s time within the nursery.

·         Parents/carers have the opportunity to share their skills/talents with the nursery team and children, e.g. by being actively involved in activities for example: cooking, music, storytelling, and attending trips with the nursery.

·         Parents/carers share established care plan procedures with key person within the setting to ensure the health and well- being of the child.

·         Support parents/carers with SEND by completing CAF & EHCP and work with outside agencies to help their child develop and learn to their full potential.

·          Nursery practitioners complete accident sheets and communication sheets for parents/carers to read and sign.

·         Information is exchanged between the parent and keyperson at a time that is convenient to the parents.

·         All parents/carers are aware of the arrangements for the admission and settling of children into nursery.

·         All parents/carers are encouraged to take an active part within the nursery; the parents/carers are part of our managing body (management committee).

·         All parents/carers have access to the nursery’s policies and procedures in paper form or via email or our web site. . 

·         The nursery will seek support for parents/carers where English is their second language and where necessary, the nursery will access information in different formats from outside agencies to support parents and children.

·         To be as flexible as we can for parents/carers within the setting.

A Complaints Procedure is in place to ensure any complaints are investigated and dealt with appropriately.

Responsibility

The nursery employs a keyperson system that ensures each child has a nominated practitioner who has a responsibility for the child’s welfare. The keyperson is the first point of contact for parents/carers should they have any concerns they would like to discuss or share any achievements or progress the child has made at home.

The keyperson has the responsibility of planning for children’s individual learning and development according to the child’s interest. The keyperson will work with parents to obtain their knowledge and expertise of their child/children in order to plan effectively for their learning and development. In addition, parents/carers are encouraged to make observations (photos included) to add to their child’s/children’s learning journey in order for practitioners to make a more concise and wider assessment of the child’s/children’s development. This enables Parents/carers and keyworkers to consult on the next best strategic and realistic targets for the child’s/children’s development in order for the child/children to progress to another level, this process is also to identify needs the child/children may have in order to access advice and methods to use from outside agencies, speech and language, SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) from the local authority and others.

The keyperson maintains the children’s transition and assessment profile and ensure parents/carers have access to their child’s profiles.

The keyperson have individual meetings with parents and carers this provides the opportunity to discuss their child’s progress with their child’s keyperson this happens twice yearly. These meetings also provide an opportunity for parents and carers who do not normally visit the nursery to meet key persons and other nursery practitioners.

Order of Reviews:

Settling

At parent/carers request

Termly

Transitioning to School

Nursery practitioners must consult with the nursery manager to:

Receive prior permission from the parent to share any information regarding their child with an external professional i.e. child’s health visitor, the early intervention teams or other settings and agencies.

Obtain prior written permission from parents to carry out activities such as going on outings and using photographs of their child for purposes outside the normal activities of the nursery. Such activities include using the child’s photograph on the nursery’s web pages or articles for the media.