Helping your child settle

How many visits can we have?

As many as you need. If you don't feel confident and reassured, then neither will your child. If it's the first time you've been apart from your child, we understand it can be an anxious time for both of you.

How long can I stay?

It depends on your child, but as a rough guide we suggest at least five sessions, made longer or shorter as needed.

1. Getting to know their key practitioner
2. Beginning to step back
3. In and out of sight
4. Goodbye and back again
5. Apart for a short time

I've never left my child before. What if they don't settle?

We may suggest starting in a younger or quieter room, where the ratios are higher, for a smoother start. We'd always talk this through with you first.

It helps if your child walks in, if they can, rather than being carried. It shows confidence and makes it easier for practitioners to engage with them. We will always phone you if your child is distressed.

What if my child is too upset to leave?

We'll ask you to stay for a short, agreed time, then hand your child to a practitioner. Say goodbye, tell your child you'll be back after lunch or snack time, then leave the room confidently and quickly. The practitioner will get your child involved in play.

If you like, you can sit in the manager's office for a while to recover. We'll keep talking through ways to help until you feel confident leaving your child.

My child starts crying when we turn towards nursery. What should I do?

Try not to talk about nursery on the days your child doesn't come, or the night before, as this can make them anxious without you realising.

Just before you leave home, keep it short and simple, like "It's nursery today, I'll come and get you after lunch", and don't keep repeating it. This shows you're confident and happy. Try not to ask your child why they don't like it. They don't have the words to describe it yet. All they know is that you leave, and that's what makes them anxious at first.

Should I bring a toy or blanket for comfort?

Yes. Try to make it small enough to hold in one hand, so the other hand is free to play. As your child grows in confidence they'll need it less and less, but if it smells of home and reassures them, that's great.

What does a key practitioner do?

• Builds a lasting relationship with you and your child
• Supports you both through settling in, and tells you about any concerns and successes when you collect
• Spends quality time with your child at mealtimes
• Plans and runs activities
• Is your first point of contact for how the day went

My child or I haven't gelled with our key practitioner.

We let your child choose their key practitioner naturally, to encourage a good relationship. If it's you who isn't gelling with the practitioner, we'll look at why and try to resolve it. If it's your child, we'll sort it straight away.

We want you and your child to be happy, but if you don't talk to us we can't fix it. Open relationships are everything.

Can I ring at any time?

Yes. We welcome parents ringing as often as they want. It builds a good working relationship.

My child has had an accident.

We'll contact you if we feel the accident is serious, and tell you whether you need to go to hospital. After any accident we fill in an accident form, explain it to you and ask you to sign it. You can ask for a copy.

If the accident involves your child's head, we'll give you a head injury checklist, which lists the signs and symptoms of concussion to look out for.

What happens if my child becomes ill?

We'll keep an eye on your child, fill in an illness form and note what we've done. If we feel your child needs pain relief, we'll always phone you for permission first, even though you'll already have agreed to it on your registration form. That keeps you informed, so you can think about booking a doctor's appointment if needed.

We may ask you to collect your child if they stay unwell, because the best place for a poorly child is at home. If your child is sick or has diarrhoea, we'll ask you to collect them straight away, and they can't come back until 48 hours after the last bout. The government poster in our main entrance lists all illness exclusion periods.