Key person policy

 

In order to ensure every child in the preschool is given the appropriate level of attention and care, a key person is appointed for each child. A key person is a named member of staff assigned to an individual child prior to settling in to support their development and act as the key point of contact with that child’s parents or carers. This will be watched closely  to ensure we have the right key worker for your child. The key person has responsibilities for a group of children, they build and develop positive relationships with their key children and their parents/ carers, so that the children have a familiar base to go to in the setting and the parent has someone specific to speak to. However, all staff will also maintain a relationship with every child to ensure that all their needs are met whilst at our settings. Other staff members will also take over responsibilities of a child’s key person if they are absent for holiday or sickness. 

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Key Person’s Responsibilities are: 

➢ To build a trusting relationship with their key children and their parents/carers. 

➢ The key person will help to ensure their key children feel safe, secure and confident, if they are to develop to their full potential. Their parents/carers need a trusted person who they can talk to about their child’s individual needs. 

➢ When a child settles into the preschool, the assigned key person will perform a starting points assessment of that child, which will be shared with parents and carers on Tapestry. 

➢ The key person is responsible for a group of children, but as a member of a room the key person is also responsible for all the children in their care. 

➢ To complete a ‘2 Year Old Check’.

➢ To ensure that parents/carers are kept informed of the child’s day to day experiences either verbally or writing the daily logs for children under 2 and a half. 

➢ To change and check key children’s nappies as required and to assist with potty training and other toileting or intimate care needs. 

➢ It is the Deputy Manager’s responsibility to ensure that the key person’s responsibilities are shared among other staff members during sickness or other key person absence. 

➢ The key person will assist the parent/carer and child with the settling process, taking time to listen to questions, and provide answers. 

➢ The key person will be planning for their key children during activity times. The key person is responsible for providing accurate observations of their key children and linking to the appropriate stage within the EYFS Development Matters guidelines. 

➢ The key person needs to record basic information about their key children such as sleep times, meal times and anything exciting or notable that happened during the day. This information is then passed on to the parent/carer at the end of the child’s session. 

➢ Writing progress summaries for key children – informing which area’s children could develop more and creating next steps from these. Ensuring there are no concerns in development, if there are; discussing these with parents/ carers. 

➢ Ensuring that they understand their key children’s allergies and passing this information on to all other 

members of staff. 

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CREATED: AUGUST 2019   REVIEWED: AUGUST 2021  NEXT REVIEW: AUGUST 2022