Laser Lessons - Lesson

K21 How children experience change, transition, and significant events

‘Pre-birth to three: Transitions’ has been produced by Education Scotland. It looks at the importance of building relationships with children, parents and practitioners and how this promotes successful changes for all concerned. What does the statutory guidance in your home nation say about transitions and partnerships with parents and others?

Table of Contents

This section of the Child Bereavement UK website contains information for childminders and adults working in a nursery, preschool, playgroup, day-care, childcare, kindergarten, foundation stage or a school reception class. Use the links in the article to find out more about supporting a bereaved child, books and resources that may be of use, and finding support for yourself.
The Autism Education Trust, funded by the Department for Education, has produced a document on ‘Supporting learners with autism during transition’. It contains practical strategies, resources and case-studies to support transition from early years to primary school – with examples. Read up to page 9.
The University of Derby’s website contains an article by Rachel Howe on ‘Jealousy, joy and confusion: The sibling effect and how to smooth the transition’. Think about the emotions a child could experience when a new sibling is introduced into the family, and how you could support that child.
This Positive Parenting Project includes ‘Books to help children cope with change’, with links to additional books about preparing toddlers for a new baby and about divorce and separation.
A child or young person who is being cared for by their local authority is known as a ‘looked-after’ child. They might be living in a children’s home, or with foster parents, or in some other family arrangement. This article from Anna Freud and the Mentally Healthy Schools website looks at the support these children may need.
This document from Adoption UK covers ‘Welcoming an adopted child to your EYFS setting’. It looks at some of the impacts of early experiences and some of the difficulties an adopted child may have. Are you aware of any looked after or adopted children in your setting? Do you know what resources are available to help you support them and where to find them?
In ‘Making refugee and asylum-seeking families welcome’ the Early Years Alliance includes how some of the children in your setting may be already experienced changes in their lives that are significant and potentially traumatic. These children may need additional support to settle and deal with additional transitions.

Think And Challenge