Introduction
At Ladybird Pre-School Nursery we work in partnership with parents/carers and with local and national agencies to promote the well-being of all children.
Partnership with Parents/Carers
Please Note – when the term ‘parents/carers’ is used in this policy it includes all parents and carers of children in the Nursery. It incorporates all parents including working parents, parents who live apart from the child, step parents, same sex parents and foster parents.
We recognise and respect that parents/carers are their children’s first and main educators in their early years and can appreciate that they know more than anyone about their unique child. We aim to support parents/carers and involve them in their child’s early education and help them feel part of the Nursery.
In order for all staff to form relationships with parents/carers they:
- Respect parents/carers individual views and opinions with regard to the care and welfare of their child.
- Build close and trusting relationships with all parents/carers.
- Recognise that parents/carers have very different priorities and expectations in respect of their child’s upbringing.
- Respect families religious and cultural backgrounds and beliefs.
- Welcome parents/carers sharing any anxieties, concerns or queries they may have at any time.
- Are available at the beginning and end of the day for parents/carers to share information regarding their child.
- When more sensitive issues need to be discussed a mutual time between the parent/carer and Key Person will be arranged.
- Ask that parents/carers respect others needs and are patient if necessary when waiting to speak to staff.
- Ensure that all suggestions, worries or complaints are always received in a positive and open manner.
- Accommodate parents/carers choices and requests whenever this is feasible and in the child’s best interests.
- Liaise, listen carefully and record accurately the information parents/carers give them about their child.
- Operate a Key Person system to enable close working relationships.
Sharing Information with Parents/Carers about their Child
We will share information with parents/carers by:
- Consulting with parents/carers to find the best way of communicating and involving them with their child’s progress and development to suit their individual needs.
- Offering a home visit before a child starts at Nursery where the child’s Key Person is available to discuss a child’s individual needs and answer any queries. If a home visit cannot be offered then a virtual meeting between the child’s Key Person and parent/carer will be offered.
- Arranging settling in sessions before the child starts at the Nursery.
- Welcoming and encouraging all parents/carers to discuss and share information on their child’s progress and development or issues that have arisen.
- Compiling Learning Journeys using Tapestry, for each child which contain observations, photographs, artwork etc. together with assessment records of their progress and development.
- Welcoming and encouraging contributions from parents/carers to their child’s Learning Journey via Tapestry.
- Completing a two year old check on their child and feeding back to parents/carers on a mutually convenient date and time.
- Making ongoing assessments to ensure that any child who may be facing challenges and could require additional support is highlighted and discussed with parents/carers.
- Writing transition reports to help parents/carers and children gain confidence in the transition.
- During times of restrictions the Nursery will ensure that regular contact is made to the Parent/Carer to support learning and development.
Sharing Information about the Nursery
The Nursery strives to keep parents/carers informed of all Nursery events and activities by:
- Providing an informative Prospectus and Welcome Pack.
- Displaying posters and relevant information on the notice boards located outside the main Nursery entrance.
- Holding parents/carers information evenings to introduce parents/carers to different aspects of early years education and care that relate to the Nursery.
- Regularly updating the Nursery website and the dedicated Nursery Facebook page to keep parents/carers in touch with Nursery activities and provision.
- Distributing a biennial Nursery Questionnaire in the summer term which provides a valuable insight from the parent’s perspective on all aspects of the Nursery.
Parents/carers are actively encouraged to join the Management Committee and be a part of the registered body in order to contribute to the successful organisation and operation of the Nursery.
Parents/carers are also invited and encouraged to help on the Fundraising Committee to raise money for the Nursery and to help organise social events.
Privacy and Confidentiality
To maintain privacy and confidentiality the Nursery will:
- Securely store information relating to children and families and ensure it is kept confidential.
- Get all staff, trustees, members of the CIO, students and volunteers to sign to abide by the Nursery’s strict Information Sharing and Confidentiality Policy.
- Request that parents/carers keep the Nursery Manager and/or Office Supervisor informed of any changes to personal information which may have an affect on the Nursery’s ability to care for their child, such as: change of address, telephone numbers, emergency contact details, medication, injuries, allergies, food intolerances etc.
- Request parents/carers keep their Key Person informed of any changes which may possibly affect their child’s emotional wellbeing such as: family bereavement, parental separation, absent parents, illness in the family etc.
- In the case of parental/carer estrangements seek to provide both parents/carers with access to their child’s learning journey and assessment record through Tapestry.
Partnership with other Agencies
At Ladybird Pre-School Nursery we work in partnership with local and national agencies to promote the well-being of all children. This is achieved in the following ways:
- Having procedures in place for sharing information about children and families with other agencies. These are set out in the Information Sharing and Confidentiality Policy, Safeguarding Policy and Special Educational Needs Policy.
- Information shared by other agencies with the Nursery is regarded as third party information. This is kept in confidence and not shared without consent from that agency.
- When working in partnership with staff from other agencies, we make those individuals welcome in the Nursery and their professional roles are respected.
- We follow the protocols for working with other agencies such as when dealing with a child protection case.
- Staff from other agencies do not have unsupervised access to the child they are visiting or observing at the Nursery and do not have unsupervised access to any other children during their visit or observation.
- Our staff do not casually share information or seek informal advice about any named chid/family.
- When necessary we consult with local and national agencies who offer a wealth of advice and information. This helps us develop an understanding of issues facing us and who can provide support and information for parents/carers. For example; Health Protection Agency (HPA), Pre School Learning Alliance (PLA), Norfolk County Council Early Years Team, Early Childhood and Family Service – Fakenham (ECFS).
