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

relationships between the practitioner and the child
• Practitioners to listen to children and tune in to them.

Being separated is difficult at any age. In situations where children are repeatedly separated from their families it helps when the adults with whom the child is left understand the effect of transitions and how to support children through them in order that vulnerable children feel a sense of being and well-being and feelings of being valued, loved and respected.

There are ways in which children can be prepared, by practitioners, for planned transitions and significant events such as:-
• Remembering that if the parent is anxious about leaving their child, the child will in turn ne anxious about being separated from the parent.

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

support.

Commonly when a transition takes place in a child life they will be planned and things can be put in place to ensure that a child is fully supported throughout this period. Often the key worker of a child will play a vital role throughout transitions and many things can be done to ensure the impact on a child is minimised. Practitioners must be able to plan how to help a child through a transition and this is usually done through partnerships with other people and settings including:-

Preparing a child for an upcoming transition is very important particularly on the part of the practitioner. A practitioner needs to be sensitive to whatever worries and concerns the child may have with regard to the particular transition and should make every attempt to answer all and any questions the child may have openly and honestly.

There are a number of way in which a practitioner can help prepare the child for the transition. Examples of which can be seen as follows:
• Try to plan for separation - arrange visits to the new setting, carry out home visits etc.
• use ‘circle time’ to address issues and concerns - circle time refers to any time that a group of people are sitting together for an activity involving everyone – it is a way in which children can practice their social and emotional skills, problem-solving and negotiation skills.
• empathise with the child – it is important for a practitioner to try to see things from a child-centred point of view rather than simply subjectively.
• ensure that all information is passed on to the child’s new key person, teachers etc.
• create open lines of communication and effective links with other practitioners involved with the child in order that follow up support can be provided if necessary.

It is important that practitioners are aware of the child’s worries and concerns as well as being sensitive to their needs

Children because of their age and other factors may not always be able to actively voice their worries and concerns about transitions.

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

activity
• Contacting the parent/primary carer – if a child is unable to settle within 20 minutes or so it might be useful to contact the parent/primary carer. It is not always possible however to do this and there will need to be a strategy for comforting and reassuring the child. It always pays to be honest with parents as to the length of time taken for the child to settle.

Early years practitioners must be able to plan how to help a child through a transition and this is usually done through partnerships with other people and settings including:-

• Working with families – having close relations with the families of children is essential to being able to strategise and plan how to tackle transitions. By having a close relationship with parents/primary carers a practitioner will be able to stay up to date with any changes in a child’s behaviour, mood, temperament and presentation generally and such information may give insight into how the child is handling the current situation.
• Working with other settings – should the child attend sessions at any other setting, whether that be another nursery, play group, childminders etc. then a relationship with these settings should be reviewed and strengthened. Good communication between different provisions will ensure that the child is fully supported at all times the transitions.
• Working with other professionals – Other professionals such as health visitors, social services and other health practitioners may also be involved with the child and their family. If such professionals are involved they should also be consulted to support the child in working through the transition.
• Planning activities to support transitioning – practitioners can prepare children for transition and ensure that nerves are reduced by carrying out certain activities with the child. They will also help a child to understand why a change is being undertaken and give them a change to ask questions and be reassured that the change is not as daunting as they initially think.

The following points are benefits working in partnership during transition and significant events:-
• The approach is child centered
• There is a regular flow of communication between all those who are connected with the child so that all parties have all information
• Parents are involved as much as possible
• There is consistency between all those who have contact with the child