Guest Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Hello Not been on for a while - don't know where time has gone!!!!! Just wondered if anyone can share how they operate the KEY WORKER person in their setting please. We have 12 special needs children, 1 teacher and 4 TA's. Thanks a lot xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Hello Not been on for a while - don't know where time has gone!!!!! Just wondered if anyone can share how they operate the KEY WORKER person in their setting please. We have 12 special needs children, 1 teacher and 4 TA's. Thanks a lotxxx I work in a similar situation, 1 teacher and 2 to 4 TA's dependent on the level of need in class. The TA's are the Keypersons. I am the Keyworker. The keypersons have 2 or 3 children each and are responsible for the keyperson file. We all make informal observations in individual notebooks, each book having a section for the 6 learning areas. We all dip into every child's book to record things but the keyperson transfers the observations to the child's EYFS profile. I use the profile devized by Helen on the Forum here. I have identified time during the day when the TA's can be released for 10 to 15 minutes to do their recording, we also spend some time at the end of most days doing this as a team. I use my PPA time to moderate the records in the file on a monthly basis. The keyperson greets their child on entry and will comfort them if there is any distress, they toilet their own children only. The keyperson will write in their children's home school diary most of the time, I do this a couple of times a week.They will also speak to parent.s on the phone re day to day matters e.g any concerns re eating, toileting, achievements etc. I speak to parents re behaviour, achievements, education matters. Hope this helps! ps am an insomaniac!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Welcome to the forum (although I see you've been with us for almost a year - happy forumday) and congratulations on making your first post. This site is great for insomniacs! Our Key Persons (EYFS prefers 'Persons') have 7 or 8 children and I have 9. We spend time at each session in our groups playing a game or whatever after snack time, when we sit together too and have a chat. This can be an adult or child-led time and is usually a great opportunity for observations. The Key Person takes photographs and makes a label for annotating what was going on, so that when I print them out, the label can be stuck to it. They maintain the Learning Journeys for their key group, chat with parents and plan activities and next steps for their children. They write in the diaries, and I sometimes write in these too - always for my own children, but sometimes in other children's too. In short - they act like 'Mum' to these children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dublinbay Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 I'm a keyperson for 11 children. I keep their files and learning journey's up-to-date and also write termly progress reports. I write in their going home diaries and parents know they can come to me with questions and/or concerns. All staff do post-it obs for all the children but it's the keypersons job to place them in their children's files etc. We get 2 hours extra pay each week to do all the paperwork this requires. I have to say, 11 children is too many, but with 24 children each session and only 3 members of staff, this can't be helped (no money for an extra staff member). We also don't do group time as we're in one room with nowhere else to go. 4/6 children would be lovely!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dublinbay Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Forgot to say welcome to the forum rosiecar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 We also don't do group time as we're in one room with nowhere else to go. We're in one room too, for group time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam2368 Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 We're in one room too but take a group either into a corner or to a table or if outside, into a separate part of the garden. It is workable most of the time, although sometimes i spend more time worrying whether or not i can see the whloe room, and if there's a phone call or a visitor it knocks the routine slightly off kilter. The other staff manage their small group work really well & its great for the less confident children. I usually find the best time to do it is straight after registration. Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 welcome key person keyworker are the same thing key worker is an old term key person is more currently used our children are allocated a keyperson who has a specific day to work with their children although incidental obs are done all week we also have a buddy system to should that key person not be in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 In some training we were made aware that there could be a difference between the two.. Key person.. the person who the child relates to and who ensures they are safe and secure in their environment. settling them in etc, Key worker... can be the person who does the paperwork and observations etc... so anyone can be a key person who reports back to keyworker who does paperwork this allows the less qualified staff to not feel pressured into doing something they are unsure of or not yet skilled in. hence a child could have both a key person and keyworker, who work together that has been a suggestion of the difference and while a subtle distinction is helpful for some staff Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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