At Nutkins we understand that leaving a child for the first time can be a stressful and upsetting time for both carer and child. Children will be greeted in a warm and friendly manner. They will be introduced to all members of staff.

Once a place is booked but before a child starts nursery they will be given the opportunity to attend ‘settling in’ sessions. Settling in is a gradual process which will help the parent/carer feel more comfortable and confident in leaving their child for longer periods of time on each visit. Parents/carers are offered the opportunity to stay with their child for a period of time during their first week .We welcome visits or telephone calls at any time to alleviate any concerns.

Before a child begins at Nutkins parents/carers must complete and return the Admission Form.

Depending on the age and maturity of the child, the parent/carer will stay with the child while the rules and routines are being explained. The parent/carer will have the option of being part of the induction process if they so wish.

Children will be informed about the daily routines and the programme of activities. They will be shown around and told where they can and cannot go, and have both registration and signing out procedures made clear.

Ground rules will be explained to the child and they will be encouraged to ask questions and raise any concerns. The child will be told about the fire evacuation procedure and the locations of all fire exits, according to the provisions of the Fire Safety policy.

On their first day, children will be introduced to the other children at Nutkins. The child will be allocated a ‘buddy’ who, under the supervision of a member of staff, will show them around the Club and introduce them to the other children. The child will then be encouraged to get to know the other children and settle into the group.

All staff will closely supervise new children new to ensure that they are happy in their new surroundings. Staff will ask on a regular basis how a child is feeling, what activities they enjoy and if they are unhappy about anything. At the end of the first, second and third weeks, the Manager will find time to talk to the child and parent/carer about how they are settling in.

If it seems that a child is taking a long time to settle in, this will be discussed with their parents/carers at the earliest opportunity. Likewise, if a parent/carer feels that there is a problem during the settling in period, they should raise this with a member of staff.