Home Visits

[Guest]

We are working towards the Bristol Standard acreditatation scheme. Today's dimension was Parental and Community Liaison. Part of our discussion was about making home visits. We don't do them at present but a lot of local settings do. None of us have any experience of home visits but we are very divided on whether they would be of benefit to the children or not. Does anyone do home visits? What is the benefit for you, the child or the parents. Are there drawbacks?

 

Al

[Andreamay]

we dont do home visits (pre-school) and as a parent I would not of wanted a home visit either but I am interested to other points of view

[Gezabel]

We don't do them either and though it's been discussed it's not in the pipeline. I almost see them as an 'invasion of privacy' but am also very interested in others views.

 

I would love to hear from those that do them and why/how they are successful or benefit the child/parent.

[Inge]

we do not do home visits same reasons...while i can see some benefits the children always behave and act differently at pre-school to home.

we find lots of visits to us a better alternative, so they learn the environment and all staff supported by a parent or carer.

 

we did ask parents who saw it as 'spying on them' one comment, perhaps a survey in order for parents input that could also be part of this dimension. Focus on the benefit of this for the child rather than the parent or setting as this is the focus of the Bristol Standard.

 

remember that to do this you should not go alone but in pairs and work out how you would organise time and costs involved for additional wages and perhaps cover staff.

 

We recieved our Bristol standard in July with a comment that the submission was stunning (their words not mine) and I have been approached to work as a mentor.

 

Inge

Edited October 10, 2005 by Inge

[Guest]

we used to do home visits, they went really well and most parents wanted one.

 

our problem was WHEN to do them, staff are always in the setting and we dont get paid for "out of hours" work, so i could'nt except my staff to do it for nothing.

 

If you do have the chance to do home visits, i would recommend it.

[Guest]

We only did home visits if the child had a "special need" to see them in their home environment.

 

Staff are not too keen on doing them otherwise. BUT the local primary school does them and the teacher found them very useful.

[mundia]

Just me then? I love home visits, we have been doing them for 4 years, all our staff like to go and the families are over the moon that WE have visited THEM. We get to know the children on their home territory, which helps them to see us as not strangers; they settle in quicker; we get to see their home circumstances ( a real eye opener); it helps our parents feel more comfortable about approaching us and about coming to school. (half of our children come from first generation in UK families and have no experince of our schooling system). The chidlren may well hide under the settee but they still rememeber your visit months or even years later. We go to play not to fill in forms and the parenst often tell us things they wouldnt say out of their own homes.

I have only once had the 'are you checking up on us' attitude, and noone haas ever refused. In fact, they often ask when we are going again...

 

If you get the chance, I would highly recommend it, the benefits out weigh any logistics or uncomfortable feelings..

[Guest]

I agree with you Mundia! I am an NQT and just had my first expereince of home visits. I was unsure what to expect but found it extremely useful. The children talk about when you went to their house and now they come to nursery. It has helped me get to know the parents much quicker. I feel that I got to know about each child quicker because parents told me information at the home visit. I would recommend them!

[Susan]

As reception teacher we introduced home visits and the benefits as described by Mundia were amazing. It made a tremendous difference to the childs settling and to the parents attitude, they became more open and found approaching us easier.

 

We always offered every child a home visit and parents were always welcoming, they had been visited by feeder nursery too so knew what it was all about but we were always conscious that we were guests in their home and if for some reason a visit was refused we accepted that too.

 

I do admit to feeling slightly nervous every time I knocked on a door, unsure of what I was going to find on the other side as some homes were not always what one might wish for, but this was actually quite useful insight into the child and the family.

 

We went in pairs and I would always advocate this and we had a policy of refusing refreshment, although some families found this difficult to accept but also means you remain "comfortable" while out and about.

These visits are not an easy option though and if you can build them into your working day I am sure you and the children will benefit.

[Guest]

I agree with Mundia, Susan et al,

 

In fact I am off on a visit tomorrow morning, the parent & child have already visited the preschool. I use the time to play with the child, fill in the registration form and permission form ( this is really useful to go over the parent with such as permission to take photo's, etc because I can answer any queries, allay any fears and explain our main policies)

 

The parents have an option and as yet have not been turned down. Useful for all the reasons stated, especially surprised when even a year later a child will say to me, "You saw my dog" or " I showed you my toys".

 

I go ove rour main policies, verbally and leave a copy with parents, the policies I take with me are;

1/Settling-in

2/Parents as Partners

3/Child protection

4/Comments, Complaints, Praise-communication

5/ Complaints procedure

6/Curriculum

7/Overview of operational plan with terms and conditions

8/ Fees policy

 

The visits take about an hour. If they are after preschool hours my manager comes along with me, if not I do go on my own but I phone my manager when I arrive and call her back when I have finished. if she hasn't heard of me within an hour she will ring me. ( stops the waffling )

 

I highly recommend them if at all practicable. I think they benefit everyone, child, parents and preschool.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Hi Peggy,

 

Sounds like they are really worth while for you. One question what is in the policy number 4 Comments, Complaints, Praise-communication? I havent come across on that has praise-commumication in it

 

Thanks Gizzi

[Guest]

We've just started them this term for our new intake. All parents have accepted them with enthusiasm. For myself, I feel I know the children better in that I can picture them in their home environment, sometimes with their siblings etc. I get the impression that the children themselves feel more 'known' somehow too.

 

We've found we can do it in half an hour or so. One of us plays with the child, and if they draw a picture all well & good because then we can display it for when they start. We take something like a little beanbag toy that can be used as a transitional object - they have a choice.

 

The other one talks to the parent/s, using dialogue to fill in an initial profile. We also fill in the registration forms etc. Usually we go in the evnings but sometimes we do daytime ones. I wouldn't do an evening one on my own, especially now we're into the darker evenings.

 

Yes, as others have said I think, the drawback is paying for all this extra time.

[Guest]

We are working towards the Bristol Standard acreditatation scheme. Today's dimension was Parental and Community Liaison. Part of our discussion was about making home visits. We don't do them at present but a lot of local settings do. None of us have any experience of home visits but we are very divided on whether they would be of benefit to the children or not. Does anyone do home visits? What is the benefit for you, the child or the parents. Are there drawbacks?

 

Al

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Hi Al,

 

I wonder if you can give me any further info on the Bristol Standard accreditation scheme? I've been doing home visits for years (nursery) and am very keen to locate any info, recommendations etc on this very special aspect of early years education.

 

I would recommend them 100% and have always found home visits great - for me it is a way of empowering parents and demonstrating how much we value their input. The children adore it too.

 

Jane

[Guest]

Hi Peggy,

 

Sounds like they are really worth while for you.  One question what is in the policy number 4 Comments, Complaints, Praise-communication?  I havent come across on that has praise-commumication in it 

 

Thanks Gizzi

40087[/snapback]

 

 

Hi Gizzy,

 

It's really a policy on communication being a two way process, we can learn from parents. They are given a 3 fold blank form with sections where they can make comments on "I've had an idea, why don't you....."

"I would like to praise........", " I have a complaint..........(links with complaint procedure handout, No 5)

We have a post box where these can be posted, included is what we will do with the information/comments/ideas/complaints.

 

If I'm honest in 4 years no one has posted one of these, but I keep them going, just in case...........

 

Peggy

 

p.s. I suppose I should reflect and evaluate why they are not used. Most probably seen as too formal

[Guest]

I wonder if you can give me any further info on the Bristol Standard accreditation scheme? Jane

 

 

You can find out more at http://www.bristoleycp.org.uk/quality_assurance.htm

 

Al

[Guest]

Hi Al,

 

Many thanks for that link.

 

Best wishes.

 

Jane