Home Visits

[Guest]

Hi everyone

My Head would like us to start Home Visits for our next class of Foundation Stage 2 children. Has anyone got any good advice for starting this? E.g. How long should each visit last? Is it for mostly chatting about the child or filling in forms about the child etc? Would really appreciate your views and ideas before I begin to send out the letters informing parents. How do you word it in the letter that suggest you visiting them at home...don't want to frighten them off!!

Thanks everyone

Brownie x

[Susan]

Good practise suggests that you go in pairs. Do NOT go alone.

We always refused refreshment, although I know others who think it polite to accept.

 

We used it as an opportunity to see the child in their own home, which was always advantageous and children talked about it alot and to allow parents to ask questions about anything they did not understand--sometimes easier one to one!

 

I found I needed to allow about 20mins maybe 30 to include travelling time for each one and that it was quite mentally demanding so dont try doing too many each session that you go out. 8 a day was a max number.

[mundia]

Hi Brownie

There have been a few conversations about this over the years, here here for starters.

 

 

Im a big fan of home visits, but always made sure we had a proper policy and procedure in place for those odd occasions when things dont quite go to plan.

[Guest]

Good practise suggests that you go in pairs. Do NOT go alone.

We always refused refreshment, although I know others who think it polite to accept.

 

We used it as an opportunity to see the child in their own home, which was always advantageous and children talked about it alot and to allow parents to ask questions about anything they did not understand--sometimes easier one to one!

 

I found I needed to allow about 20mins maybe 30 to include travelling time for each one and that it was quite mentally demanding so dont try doing too many each session that you go out. 8 a day was a max number.

 

Thanks for that. I have been told that the TA will not be joining me now but our parent liaison officer will be. Did you complete forms while you were there or did you do that at a different time?

[Guest]

Hi Brownie

There have been a few conversations about this over the years, here here for starters.

 

 

Im a big fan of home visits, but always made sure we had a proper policy and procedure in place for those odd occasions when things dont quite go to plan.

 

Thank you very much! I had already found the second one but not the first and that has been really useful. Will look into a policy as well...hadn't thought about that.

Brownie x

[Guest LornaW]

When I was in school we always did home visits. Each one we allocated 40mins some took less some a little more. In July we had an evening for all the new parents ( after the children have had some taster sessions in school) and at the evening meeting we opened up the classrooms and also give a little talk. We then introdueced all parents and children to their allocated Key person and at that evening parents would sign up for their home visit. The visit was always made by two people the key person and one other. We took a game or staory to share with the child if needed. It was a time for the parents to share their knowledge of the children and tell us about them. thsi ifno gave us a good insight into what we would need to set up for each child at the beginning of term so for example one question we always asked was what does your child like doing best as pre school/ nursery and what do they like playing with mostly at home? We could maek sure them we had these resources available when they started with us. We would also take a photo of the child at home with family members and this became the front of their learning journal and the info gained at this meeting was the first page in the journal.

 

It is a huge privilidge to visit children at home and was often a wonderful source of info to use if the child had difficulties settling as we could sit with them and talk about home.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Lorna

[Guest]

When I was in school we always did home visits. Each one we allocated 40mins some took less some a little more. In July we had an evening for all the new parents ( after the children have had some taster sessions in school) and at the evening meeting we opened up the classrooms and also give a little talk. We then introdueced all parents and children to their allocated Key person and at that evening parents would sign up for their home visit. The visit was always made by two people the key person and one other. We took a game or staory to share with the child if needed. It was a time for the parents to share their knowledge of the children and tell us about them. thsi ifno gave us a good insight into what we would need to set up for each child at the beginning of term so for example one question we always asked was what does your child like doing best as pre school/ nursery and what do they like playing with mostly at home? We could maek sure them we had these resources available when they started with us. We would also take a photo of the child at home with family members and this became the front of their learning journal and the info gained at this meeting was the first page in the journal.

 

It is a huge privilidge to visit children at home and was often a wonderful source of info to use if the child had difficulties settling as we could sit with them and talk about home.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Lorna

Thanks Lorna that has made me feel a great deal better about starting the visits now. We have been allocated 30 mins per child but that includes getting there and getting to the next child.

Brownie x

[Guest]

We always used to do home visits in the summer term, but we found that parents didnt really have any questions espesh if its their first child so this year we did them in the first week of the autumn term and because they had been in school for 2 or 3 days the visits were much more meaningful x Your visits sound lovely Lornax

[KST]

I do home visits too, I allow 30 minutes between each one with travelling. I don't fill any forms in but use it more of an informal chat with the parents and the children love to show you their toys or bedroom! I took some photos of the classroom and made it into a little book, it was a good starting point as some parents can be very quiet! I think it gives parents the opportunity to ask any questions that they wouldn't normally. I think home visits are such a valuable thing!

[Guest]

Hi Brownie

There have been a few conversations about this over the years, here here for starters.

 

 

Im a big fan of home visits, but always made sure we had a proper policy and procedure in place for those odd occasions when things dont quite go to plan.

 

 

Has anyone got a policy and procedure that they are willing to share please

[Guest LornaW]

Thanks Lorna that has made me feel a great deal better about starting the visits now. We have been allocated 30 mins per child but that includes getting there and getting to the next child.

Brownie x

 

 

We always did our visits in the first week of the Autumn term and the reception class children started after all the visits had been made. Over a 12 year period I only had about 2 parents complain! we could fit in 6 a day and then children had staggered start from the 2nd week

 

Lorna

[Guest]

I do home visits too, I allow 30 minutes between each one with travelling. I don't fill any forms in but use it more of an informal chat with the parents and the children love to show you their toys or bedroom! I took some photos of the classroom and made it into a little book, it was a good starting point as some parents can be very quiet! I think it gives parents the opportunity to ask any questions that they wouldn't normally. I think home visits are such a valuable thing!

 

Thanks for that. Might take on your ideas - something to share with them like photos sounds great.

Brownie x

[Guest]

that sounds alot like what we do Lorna, I like home visiting but boy do I HAVE to have a big cup of tea at the end!x

[KST]

that sounds alot like what we do Lorna, I like home visiting but boy do I HAVE to have a big cup of tea at the end!x

 

Ditto! They are great but exhausting!! x

[Guest]

Ditto! They are great but exhausting!! x

 

Forget the tea by the sounds of it I'm going to need a glass of wine!!!

Thanks everyone you have given me some inspiration to do this now.

Brownie x