Summarise The Importance Of Transitions For Children Essay

Often children dislike uncertainty and therefore preparing children for change is extremely important. Explaining to a child what lays ahead can put their mind at rest and apprehension can be changed into expectation if dealt with in the right way.

During periods of transition children need practitioners who are able to recognise the importance of attachment and emotional well-being and who are able to identify the needs of each individual child and their family.

The key person approach is fundamental to supporting young children through planned transitions. The key person system supports children through transitions by providing opportunities for:-

• Respecting the child as an individual with individual emotional needs

• Warm, affectionate

It is important to make sure that every adult and child is welcomed for example putting notices in the languages of the community as well as English.

• A noticeboard with photographs of staff and descriptions of their role helps people to feel familiar with the environment.

• An attractive display of some of the recent experiences gained by the children helps people to tune into the settings way of working.

• A notice with the menu for the week gives valuable information to parents and carers

• Something for children to do is vital for example watching fish in a fish tank or having a turn on a rocking horse.

It is important that times of transition are as positive as possible for both the child and the family as a whole. Transitions can be panful and some could never be happy experiences for children or indeed those around them e.g. bereavement. It is however possible to try and ease the impact of difficult separations through thoughtful, organised and sensitive

They can however actively display behaviours which may be a sign that they are struggling with a transition and feeling anxious. They may present with regressive behaviours such as bedwetting. It is important that a practitioner identifies exactly what the individual child’s needs are.

Using entering the early years setting as an example as to how practitioners can support the needs of a child during a transition the practitioner could do as follows:-

• Plan for separation – carry out a home visit, arrange for parents to visit the setting with the child. Encourage parents to prepare the child for change by reading books about starting at nursery, involving their children in preparation such as buying clothes, packing a bag for nursery etc

• Encourage parents to stay with their child until settled – It should however be noted that there is a difference between staying whilst a child is at nursery and clinging to the child. A parent should not cling to their child as they can sense the parents/primary carers uncertainty. It is important that parents/primary carers indicate that they will be back when leaving.

• Allowing a child to bring a comforter.

• Having just one person settle the child – a practitioner could hold and cuddle the child and try and involve them in a quiet