SETTLING CHILDREN INTO THE CENTRE

RATIONALE

To ensure children and their families experience an environment where they know they have a place.

Source – Belonging – Goal 2 Te Whāriki

PRINCIPLES

To enable children and their families to develop a feeling of belonging and have a right to belong to Curious Minds Early Learning.

The centre acknowledges that each child is an individual and the settling process may vary from child to child.

To specify the procedure for settling children into the centre.

PROCEDURES

• Parents-whānau are consulted regarding the settling process during an initial enrolment meeting with the Administrator and set up of suitable times and dates.  Centre routines, programme, policies, philosophy, and enrolment information will be sent in advance.
• Parents-whānau complete an enrolment form before settling period begins and complete a family information sheet and consent forms during the settling in period.  This allows staff to prepare for the new child.
• Parents-whānau and children are introduced to staff and shown around the classrooms.
• All staff are responsible for meeting, greeting, and settling children into the programme. Parents-whānau are offered 5 days settling in during the week prior to starting in the centre.  Additional settling in days may be offered when required.
• If siblings settling in together, Parents-whānau will need to divide their time between rooms.
• A profile teacher is assigned to the new child and family upon enrolment.  This teacher sensitively goes through a settling in checklist with the parents-whānau and completes a Home Routines Form and a family information form with them.  This ensures clear information is shared between the centre and the family. A Home Routines Form is shared and signed by all teachers by the end of the settling in period.
• Parents-whānau are asked to stay with their child for the full session on the first two days minimum of the settling in period.  Settling can be flexible depending on the child.
• The child’s profile teacher will encourage the Parents-whānau to leave the Centre for a short period on subsequent days when the child is comfortable.
• Profile teacher to complete centre specific settling in checklist.