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Hi
I've got 3 children I look after who all all early years and attend other settings. I know we need to have good contact with other providers - should I be emailing them and finding out their targets? Their topic for the next month or so? Basically what sort of information should I be trying to get as well as sharing with them? Anything else? Sorry I'm really new to this so any advice would be welcome.
Thanks
Sarah
I have a 3 way communication book. Its between me, parents and other setting. At the front is a form with parent signature showing the other setting that the parent gives permission for info to be shared.
It also introduces me and tells them how many days the child attends and how long they have been attending.
I start the book with a few pictures of the child and some brief info of what they enjoy doing. I then pop a copy of their latest progress report and tell parents to give it to the other setting and keep it in their bag that goes back and forth.
Every so often I write in it, saying what the child has achieved that day and hopefully they do the same. Over time I've had 1 nursery (outstanding) that wrote in it and added pictures and another 1 that wrote on the first day and then didn't bother. The other one didn't even acknowledge the book at all.
I added progress reports to the diary but never received a copy of theirs ......
Its a very hard job! As long as you are showing that you communicate with the other setting then that's all you can do. In 9yrs of doing this job I have never, ever received any communication from another setting if the child was there first!
When a child starts at a new setting, or if they already go somewhere else when they start with me, I send a letter introducing myself and enclose a copy of the latest assessment summary and areas we're working on. I ask how the other setting would like to share information. I send a new assessment each term.
Over the years I've had varying success. Sometimes (usually) I don't hear anything from the other setting so I ask parents to give me copies of any reports/info they get from the setting and I also look to see if they've got a website I can look on for newsletters etc. I keep any letters I send on the child's file an write "no response" on it so it can be seen that I tried.
Some other settings do send some info, often just a photocopy of their assessment. It's better than nothing.
I do have a fantastic relationship with one playgroup owner who comes to visit the children while they are with me and who invites me along to see them at playgroup. We try to get together each term and go through the child's development file together. Even though we don't share any children at the moment she still invites me and he children I look after to playgroup events and copies me in on newsletters.