Prime times – Arrivals and departures

Prime times of the day make the very best of routine opportunities to promote emotional ‘tuning-in’ to the child and to create opportunities for learning. Arrivals and departures are key times in the day when children need support from their carer to make the transition smooth and happy. These times also pose a certain level of risk as parents and carers come and go, so all staff at Gan Kinneret Nursery Limited are aware of the potential risks and take measures to minimise them.

Arrivals

Whenever possible, the key person or back-up key person greets young children. This ensures that children are received into the setting by a familiar and trusted adult.
The key person who greets the child marks their presence and time of arrival in the register.
If a child who is expected fails to arrive, this is recorded on the child’s personal file and the setting manager is immediately notified so they can contact the parents/carers to find out why the child is absent, following procedure 09.2 Absence.
The key person ensures that the child has been signed in by the parent/carer and that there is a clear indication of who will be collecting the child and at what time.
The key person greets the parents/carers and takes time to hear any information they need to share.
They inform parents/carers of relevant aspects of the day, for example:
- If there is an agency member of staff or flexible worker in the room.
- Which members of staff will be around later when parents/carers collect their child.
- Any planned outings or special events.
Any required consent forms are signed.
The key person receives the child physically, tunes in to how they are feeling and prepares to meet their needs.
Parents/carers are encouraged to spend a few minutes with their child and the key person before leaving. Although many are in a hurry, rushing can have an unsettling effect on the child.
Parents/carers should always say goodbye to their child and say when they are coming back (for example “after tea” rather than just “later”).
If the member of staff receiving the child is not the key person, they will hand over information shared by the parents/carers to the key person when they arrive.

Injuries noted on arrival

If a child is noted to have visible injuries when they arrive at the setting, procedure 6.1 is followed.

Changing shifts and handing over information

When the key person leaves or goes on a break, they hand over the care of the child to a back-up key person.
If someone other than the key person receives the child, they share any information from the parent/carer and write a note for the key person.
Confidential information is shared with the setting manager to pass on as appropriate.
The key person shares information with the back-up key person so that all information can be passed on to parents/carers if the key person is absent.

Departures

Children are prepared for home, with clean faces, hands and clothes if required.
The key person always aims to greet parents/carers when they arrive, ensuring that the person collecting the child is named on the signing in/out form.
The key person hands the child over personally and enters the time of departure in the register.
Only persons aged over 16 years should normally collect children.
If a parent has no alternative but to send someone under 16, this must be agreed with the setting manager and a risk assessment completed and signed by the parent/carer.
If the parent/carer is under 16 years of age, a risk assessment is also completed.
No child will be collected by anyone who has not reached 14 years of age.
The risk assessment considers factors such as the child’s age and vulnerability, the journey to be travelled, and arrangements once the child leaves the setting.
Educators verbally exchange information with parents/carers at pick-up.
If someone other than the key person is with the child at the end of the day, the key person should pass general information to that member of staff or write a note for the parents/carers.
Confidential information is shared with the setting manager to pass on.

Maintaining children’s safety and security

Arrivals and departures pose a particular threat to children’s safety and security, especially when parents arrive at the same time or in shared premises.
To minimise the risk of a child leaving the building unnoticed, the setting manager conducts a risk assessment that identifies potential risks and the measures put in place to reduce them.
Risks might include staff being busy talking to individual parents/carers or doors being left ajar.
The risk assessment is shared with the line manager and updated as and when required.
Reference is made to procedure 01.1 Risk assessment and 01.1a Generic risk assessment form for further guidance.