The Role of the Adult: Parents and Practitioners Together

The relationship between a child’s home and their early years setting is the most important partnership in a child’s life. In the UK, every child in a setting is assigned a 'Key Person.' This practitioner’s role is to ensure that the child’s care is tailored to their needs and to build a strong relationship with the parents.

Parents are the experts on their own children. You know their quirks, their fears, and what makes them giggle. Sharing this information with practitioners is vital. Conversely, practitioners bring professional knowledge of child development and can offer support and guidance on milestones or behavior.

Effective partnership is a two-way street. It involves:

• Two-way communication: Sharing 'wow moments' from home and updates from the setting.
• Consistency: Trying to align routines, such as potty training or nap times, to help the child feel secure.
• Trust: Valuing each other’s expertise and working towards the same goal—the well-being of the child.

For children learning English as an additional language, this partnership is even more crucial. Parents should be encouraged to continue speaking their home language; a strong foundation in a first language is the best predictor of success in learning a second. Together, parents and practitioners form a 'team' around the child, providing a safety net that allows them to grow with confidence.