Childhood is a universal experience. However, experiences of childhood differ greatly depending on the context of the society and family in which you are raised. Transitions and ‘Rites of Passage’ in childhood remain a constant theme throughout cultures and history. In contemporary British society, one example of a Rite of Passage is starting in an Early Years Education and Care (ECEC) setting. Transitions have been the focus of much research in recent years, concerning children’s transitions to starting primary school. This is often referred to as ‘School Readiness’ where we focus on preparing the child to start their formal education journey. However, many see this transition as being more broadly concerned with preparing not just the child and their family, but also the setting, ensuring it is ready to meet the needs of each child.

A quick look at the bigger picture

The focus on the role of parents and carers in their children’s lives and education has never been as strong (Nomaguchi & Milkie, 2020). The ‘Cost of a Child in 2022’ report (Hirsch & Stone, 2022) argues that “Families in 2022 are facing the greatest threat to their living standards in living memory” (p. 3) and that childcare has become an increasingly large component of the cost of raising children. The UK policy approach to ECEC places a significant burden on families to meet the costs of such care (New Economics Foundation, 2020). Parents are eager to secure places that not only meet their needs in terms of facilitating working arrangements, but also value the support and pastoral care that settings offer in terms of their children’s development and well-being. This is the bigger picture in which the transition from home to setting exists.

Reflecting on the role of the Key Person

Research continues to highlight the importance of effective communication and relationships with parents, carers and children in support of outcomes for children (OECD, 2010; Sylva et al., 2004). Central to this is the Key Person approach, based on understanding that children benefit from special relationships with key adults who support their Personal Social and Emotional Development and enable them to develop trusting relationships. This is informed by the work of John Bowlby (Bowlby, 1969), Mary Ainsworth (Ainsworth et al., 1978) and more recently Eleanor Goldschmeid (Goldschmeid & Jackson, 2005).

It is important to review our Key Person practice in relation to transition. It has become popular in some settings for a child to begin their settling sessions, forming a relationship with a particular practitioner during that time who is then assigned as their Key Person after the settling period. Following a child’s preference in this way appears child-focused but does pose some broader concerns. I would encourage settings to consider the opportunities to support the child and their family before starting, using this as the time to build and establish the Key Person's relationship.

More concerning is the challenge posed by workload and staffing, where already stretched practitioners might potentially avoid forming relationships with children within those first weeks, for fear of being assigned an additional Key Child where their workload is already excessive. This could particularly impact children with additional support needs, or those with English as an Additional Language (EAL), or who are experiencing distress.

How can educators promote effective practice to support transition from home to setting?

This section offers some practical ideas to enhance our practice around the transition experience from home to setting. Current issues facing the workforce may impact the capacity to adopt some practices, such as home visits. But there remains lots that can be done to develop relationships and aid transitions.

Recognising and Responding to Worries

Encourage parents, carers and children, to raise their worries or concerns about starting in your setting. Ensure that you can refer to your setting policies and practices to enable them to recognise the professional nature and skills of practitioners and your caring approach.

·         Consider the context in which you explore these. For example, you may not wish to identify potential concerns in front of children and plant a seed of worry unnecessarily.

·         Whilst upholding confidentiality, use examples from previous children to illustrate how you can support specific concerns.

·         If you are using ‘All About Me’ tools to capture information, can you include a question to explore ‘things that worry me’?

Key Person Matching

Consider how you allocate your Key Persons to children and their families. Help build relationships by sharing details about the Key Person with the family, highlighting their expertise and experience, interests and hobbies. It can be tempting to allocate Key Persons to children with specific support needs based on that person’s previous experience with a child with the same support needs. Remember that no two children will present the same. Working with children with additional support needs with the guidance of the wider team can aid staff development and upskill practitioners. Seek to allocate the Key Person at the earliest opportunity, so that they can support the transition to starting in the setting, taster sessions or home visits, and can develop a relationship from the outset.

·         Consider a Buddy Key Person system to ensure the child and family know someone well and can be supported should the Key Person not be available.

·         Try to plan for any periods of staff absence or holiday by informing the children and family beforehand.

Home Visits

If you are able to undertake home visits, consider their purpose. Does the team see them as a chance to complete paperwork and gather information to inform a baseline assessment? Or is it to build trusting relationships with the family?

·         Take provocations with you on home visits. Perhaps a developmental stage appropriate toy or activity to engage the child e.g. if you know the child likes construction activities, take a special bag with some Lego and ask them to create something to bring in and show on their first day.

·         Ask the child to tell you their favourite story and share a story time with them during the home visit, ideally from a storybook they have at home.

·         Take some open-ended craft/art resources and ask them to create something to bring in to display.

Transition Objects

We are all familiar with transition objects, the idea that children have emotional attachments to objects that provide comfort. But these can sometimes pose stress in settings for fear of becoming lost or damaged.

·         Consider ways to represent the child’s early years setting life in the context of their home. You could invite a child to create a picture frame and take a photo of them and their Key Person to take home. Encourage the parent or carer to celebrate this and share with family and friends, supporting the child’s sense of belonging in the setting.

·         Allocate a special object for the child to take home from the setting and return with each day.

Daily Transitions

If a child is struggling with daily separation, there are a few things that might help.

·         Is the arrival time a particularly busy moment in the setting? Perhaps you could adjust the child’s time to offer a more relaxed arrival, enabling the Key Person to be fully available to support the child to arrive and settle calmly?

·         Think about ways to engage the child soon after they arrive. Could you facilitate a daily activity for them to get stuck into? This could be a familiar story to share with you, or a task such as setting out some resources, or helping with the day’s snacks.

·         At the end of each day, agree with the child what their first activity will be on arrival tomorrow, so they know what to expect.

A Sound Start

We often have a prospectus that informs parents and carers of our setting, but could you create a child-friendly version? This could explain toileting arrangements, snack and refreshment details, as well as celebrating some activities and play opportunities. Your prospectus could also help children become familiar with the team and start to learn the names of key staff before they join. Add photos, or film a video guided tour for children.

·         Involve older children in your setting to shape what’s included in a video tour and prospectus.

A Warm (& Fun) Welcome

Take a closer look at the journey children make across the threshold of the setting each day? Can you add some awe and wonder to this arrival? Some ideas could include:

·         Decorating your doorway.  

·         Creating an eye spy activity from the carpark or site entrance.  

·         Add sound effects/instruments each day for children to use to signal their arrival.

·         Create a fun arrival activity with pavement chalk, adding provocations, or giant feet to follow.

·         Bubble machines, wind-socks, tinsel curtains and tunnels can all make the arrival experience more fun.

·         Use a soft toy that children will be excited to discover is up to different things each day (similar to Elf on a Shelf).

Feeling Special

Ensure that children understand who their Key Person is. How do you help children to recognise that they are held in mind’ and special to someone in the setting.

·         Send postcards from the setting during long breaks, to reassure children that you are looking forward to welcoming them back upon their return.

·         Aid children’s sense of belonging in the setting, seek to ensure they feel represented.  

·         Create areas that help children feel they belong in the space: their own peg, tray, or basket, with images or items from home.

Communication is key

One of the keys to supporting children and their parents/carers is a two-way sharing of information, whilst ensuring we are not overwhelming families.

·         Consider the balance of information provided to parents and carers, whilst also listening to them and gaining the information you need.

·         Seek feedback from parents and carers about how you could improve two-way information sharing. What barriers to engagement might they be experiencing? 

·         Ensure families know the method of maintaining a dialogue with you, who they should approach, when and how. Is pick-up time better for discussions, or is morning drop-off preferable? Can you offer confidential spaces and opportunities to talk if need be? In what ways are you able to support communication for families with EAL? 

·         How do you engage with parents and carers who don’t live with the child, or who are unable to attend the setting? How could you ensure their voice is heard and they are included and informed?

·         Could you offer opportunities for out-of-hours catch-up conversations for working parents?

Open days to engage with the wider family

Often our engagement with the family is reduced to rushed handover times. Are you able to hold events/activities for meeting up with the wider family? Open days and activities that welcome extended families to your setting can also be helpful as potential recruitment opportunities, by extending the invitation to prospective families.