Prime times- arrivals and departures

Prime times – arrivals and departures

Last updated: July 30 2024

Last reviewed: July 30 2024

Prime times of the day make the very best of routine opportunities to promote ‘tuning-in’ to the child emotionally and to create opportunities for learning. Arrivals and departures are key times in the day when children need support from their carer to make the transition smooth and happy; these times of day also pose a certain level of risk as parents and carers come and go. All staff are aware of the potential risks and take measures to minimise them.

Arrivals

A member of the management team will be outside and available to talk.
A different member of staff will open the door each day to get to know all of the parents and so that all parents will get a chance to see different members of staff.
A member of staff inside the room will mark children in as they arrive.
If a child who is expected fails to arrive, this is recorded on the child’s personal file and the setting manager is immediately notified so that they can contact the child’s parents to find out why the child is absent following procedure 09.2 Absence.
Upon request the key person can take time to hear information the parents need to share.
Always ensure that the parents say goodbye to their child and say when they are coming back, such as ‘after tea’, rather than just ‘later’.
If the member of staff receiving the child is not the key person, the member of staff will hand over the information shared by the parents to the key person when they arrive.
Doors will be open from 08:30-08:40, 09:00-09:05 and 11:30-11:35. Please drop your children off during these times unless previously arranged with the manager. This helps children to settle in and causes less disruption through the day for those children who become distressed when the door opens.

Injuries noted on arrival

If a child is noted to have visible injuries when they arrive at the setting procedure 6.1 is followed.

Handing over information

When the key person leaves or goes on a break, they handover the care of the child to a buddy key person.
If someone other than the key person receives the child, he/she will share any information from the parent and write a note for the key person. Confidential information should be shared with the setting manager to pass on.
The key person shares information with the buddy key person, in this way they ensure that all information is passed on to the parent in the key person’s absence.

Departures

Children are prepared for home, with clean faces and hands. Clothes may be dirty from play but should not be wet or uncomfortable.
Only persons aged over 16 years should normally collect children. If a parent has no alternative, then this is agreed with the setting manager and a risk assessment completed and signed by the parent. In all cases the setting manager will ask the parents to ensure that in future alternative arrangements are made. If the parent is under 16 years of age a risk assessment will be completed. No child will be collected by anyone who has not reached 14 years of age. The risk assessment should take account of factors such as age/vulnerability of child, journey travelled, arrangements upon leaving the setting to go home/elsewhere.
Educators verbally exchange information with parents.
Doors open from 11:25-11:30, 14:00-14:05 and 14:15-14:30. Please ensure you pick your child up on time. Once the doors have closed you will have to ring to pick your child up and may be subject to a late fee. £10 for the first 5 minutes or part of, with an additional £1 per minute thereafter.

Maintaining children’s safety and security

Arrivals and departures pose a particular threat to the safety and security of the children, particularly when parents arrive at the same time or when in shared premises. To minimise the risk of a child leaving the building unnoticed, the setting manager conducts a risk assessment that identifies potential risks and the measures put in place to minimise them, such as staff busy talking to individual parents or doors left ajar. The risk assessment is shared with their line manager and is updated as and when required. View procedure 01.1 Risk assessment and 01.1a Generic risk assessment form for further guidance.