Settling Your Child into Childcare

Advice to parents

Whether at home or in childcare, young children feel more secure if they are cared for in a consistent way. If your child is to be cared for in a childcare service, it is important for the caregiver to be given as much information so the care they provide is much the same as it is at to settle in and be happy in home.

What you need to find out

You need to find out:

• whether you need to send any food for your child or milk formulas for Your baby
• whether you or the caregiver will be responsible for sterilising bottles and washing nappies
• whether you need to send toiletry itenms such as a facewasher, toothbrush, soap and towel and if so they come home each
  day or stay at the service

What does the caregiverneed to know?

Make sure the caregiver knows:

• how to contact you in an emergency-you should also leave the name and contact details of another person in case you are not available
• who other than you may collect your child-written permission is required before anyone else call collect your child even if you
  have asked them
• whether or not you , will allow your child to go on outings - written permission will also be required
• personal details about

- your child's personality

- normal routine for rating, having a drink, going to the toilet and sleeping

- favourite foods as well as dislikes

- how your child likes to go to sleep (tor example, with or without a comforter and preferred sleeping position)

- what sorts of things upset your child, how he or she likes to he comforted, things they like to do

- whether your child has any allergies or special needs and how you deal with them.

The caregiver might find it easier if you write out the main things about your child. Often the enrolment form will ask you to
provide information on the sorts of things listed.

Let the caregiver know the play activities you encourage, behaviours you encourage or discourage and how you discipline
your child. Tell the caregiver what your ideas are on cleanliness and hygiene, meal time behaviour and eating between meals. Both you
and your child will be happier if you and the caregiver have similar attitudes about child rearing. If the approaches are too different, your child may become confused.

Talk to the caregiver about your child. Make sure the caregiver is interested in and carees about your child's individual needs.

Keeping in touch

It is important for you to know how your child is coping at the service. Arrange with the caregiver a way of keeping in touch with what your child is doing.

Look at the following:

• Will there be time to talk to the caregiver each day
• Can you and the caregiver share a diary about your child's experiences and special needs?
• Are there meetings for parents or regular interviews with caregivers?
• Can you drop in and play with your child if you have time?
• Are you welcome to telephone and what times are most convenient?

The first days

Introduce your child to childcare gradually. Perhaps you could initially come together a few times just to have a look. Point out what the other children are doing and talk about what is going on. It may take several visits before your child begins to feel confident. Your child might feel happier if you take a favourite toy, or someother familiar object

If you have a young baby, let the caregiver change and feed them white you are there. This builds up a trusting relationship between everyone.

Feeling confident

Your child will he able to sense if you are confident about leaving him or her. Children feel a lot more secure and settle more quickly
if you show that this is a good place to he. On the other hand, if you are hesitant and uncertain about leaving your child at the service, this will add to the child's anxiety.

It is not unusual for young children to cry when their parents leave-after all they like being with you! Caregivers are skilled in comforting children and, if you have chosen a service which you think is best for your child, you can have every, confidence the distress will not last long.

Saying goodbye

When the time comes to leave your child, do it confidently, quickly and with a calm goodbye. Resist the impulse to leave without saying goodbye as your child will be frightened and distressed when they realise you have left.

Don't drag out your goodbye but do say goodbye. Your child may seem upset when you leave but most children settle down quite happily. If you are worried about how your child has settled down, you can always telephone later to find out.

Talk to your child

Older children will be able to give you feedback on how well the service is meeting their needs. It will also help Your children's development if you discuss what happened at the childcare service. Be interested in what they have to say. Ask questions. Be sensitive enough to detect if there is a problem you need to sort out with the caregiver.

The settled child

Your child will soon learn the routine of going to childcare and will learn that when you leave you will return again every day. If you have selected u childcare service which is sensitive to your child's needs and able to provide for them, the childcare experience will be a very positive one in your child's life.

You can he confident that your child will get the kind of stimulation needed to develop and that the contact with other children and adults will help in learning to relate well to other people.

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