The role of the key person and Settling in.

‘Each child must be assigned a key person’ (EYFS 2021)

Babies and young children need to form a secure attachment to key person when they join the setting to feel safe, happy, and eager to participate and learn.

The key person role

• A key person builds an on-going relationship with the child and his/her parents and is committed to that child’s well-being while in the setting.
• Every child that attends is allocated a key person before they begin settling in – it is not the responsibility of the child to choose their own key person.
• However, being a small team all staff members have an awareness and relationship with most children and families.
• The key person conducts the progress check at age two for their key children.
• The role is fully explained to parents on induction.
• The key person is central to settling a child into the setting. The setting manager and key person explain the need for a settling in process and agree a plan with the parents.

Parents

• Key persons are the first point of contact for parents with regard to matters concerning their child and any concerns parents may have are addressed with the key person in the first instance.
• Key persons support parents in their role as the child’s first and most enduring educators.
• The key person is responsible for the child’s developmental records, completing the progress check at age two, and for sharing information about progress with the child’s parents.

Settling in

• The Manager will induct families into the pre-school and will introduce parents/carers to their child’s keyperson. The keyperson will welcome and look after families at the first session and during the settling in process.
• We explain the process of settling in and we will jointly decide with families on the best way to help the child settle into the setting.
• Some children will settle more readily than others.

We offer a two-week settling in period, where families will have the opportunity to come along during these weeks. Parents/carers will be invited to stay and play with their child, and then gradually the key person, as the secondary attachment figure, will help support children and start to build up a relationship with families and the child.