|
For young children in care outside the home, the basis of high-quality experiences are the relationships they have with their carers.
In order to feel secure with the adults who look after them, babies and young children need care to be stable and predictable, and they need time to develop trusting relationships. Continuity and consistency of care—along with best practice child–staff ratios, group size and staff qualifications—are the cornerstones.
Managing staff transitions
How do we continue to provide high-quality care when a staff member leaves or takes annual leave? What policies and practices do we have in place to ensure children and families have time to adjust and form new relationships with another carer?
To have true partnerships with families we need to give parents and children the respect (and information) they need and deserve when an inevitable change happens.
|
Too often our practices, policies and realities don't allow the time or budget to do this really well. I am aware of services where 'we don't tell the families, as they might get upset and leave', and a staff member just disappears forever. There is also the old belief (which fortunately, rarely occurs now) that a child will be upset when a parent or carer leaves, and it is best to just sneak away.
We need to ask ourselves what this means for a young child who has a close relationship with that staff member. How do we celebrate the contribution of the staff member who is leaving; and allow parents, children and other staff to say goodbye, both formally and informally?
Welcoming new staff
It's also important to consider our systems for orientating a new staff member. Does time and budget allow us the chance for departing and new staff members to work alongside each other?
The orientation of new staff is much less about management principles and centre policies, and much more about the individual ways young children—especially infants and toddlers—need to feel secure during their childcare day.
|
We need to understand that parents and children may require time to 'grieve'; and services may need to support families through the transition process, similar to when they first started. With notice, we can also give children and families time to build relationships with other regular staff.
Coping with short notice
How do we manage when a staff member leaves suddenly, or leaves 'under a cloud', and we have no time to let children and families know? The nature of human attachment means that, even if the staff member has been employed only briefly, they will have formed close bonds with some or all of the families and children in their care.
We need to be open and honest with the families at this time, and understand their need to feel let down and even angry for themselves and their child. We can help this process by using regular relief staff, and asking existing staff to provide extra support during this difficult transition.
This process can also be implemented when staff take other kinds of leave, such as holidays or for sickness. Letting families know whom they can expect to be looking after their children each day is respectful and gives them time to talk to their child: 'Bronwyn is away today and Sharon will be looking after you. Remember when Sharon pushed you on the swing?'
|
When we understand the nature of attachment and the significance of children's early relationships with adults outside of the family, we have a responsibility to take the issue of continuity of care seriously.
Judy Radich
Manager
Cooloon Children's Centre Inc.
Don't forget, Every Child is tax deductible for early childhood professionals
You can purchase this issue of Every Child magazine now.
If you liked this article, you can 'social bookmark' it with others who might be searching for good content on early childhood. This means you can share your favourite webpages with others, or just keep an online list of your bookmarks so you can access them on any computer.
Read more about social bookmarks
|
|
