Supporting children and families with separation and change
At Sage, we understand that starting your child in care is a significant milestone for families. It can be an exciting time with your child starting their educational journey, but it can also be emotionally challenging. You may be wondering.. Am I making the right choice?.. will my child be okay without me?.. Will my child make friends? All of these questions are natural for parents to wonder when starting their child in a new early childhood environment.
Separation and change is inevitable. Children will likely experience changes and transitions throughout their early years and continuing throughout life. Our role as professional educators is to support children and families to in coping with change and providing care and reassurance to children experiencing separation anxiety when starting care.
Understanding separation anxiety is an important step in helping your child navigate their emotions and settle into a care setting. Separation anxiety is an emotional response, a child's way of expressing their unease about being away from their primary caregivers. It can involve feelings of sadness and worry expressed through tears and clinginess. Separation anxiety is usually temporary, it can vary in intensity and duration for each child. At Sage we are here to guide you through this change to ensure your little one is supported while they settle in ensuring they have positive experience with us at Sage.
At Sage we have developed thoughtful strategies that have been tried and tested to ensure every child feels supported and develops a sense of security as they transition into our care. What we do…
- individualised centre tours and orientations. This is where we meet yourself and your child and get to know your child and their unique needs. Your child will be able to meet educators and explore our environment giving them small opportunities to become familiar with us and the centre while you are still close by.
- During orientation or Stay and Play sessions, educators will be working on building a trusting relationship with your child.
- On your child’s first day with us we will be there to provide comfort and security using the Circle of Security approach. We will implement activities based on your child’s interests and will always stay close by so they feel safe and reassured.
- We will work with each family to develop a separation ritual – a process of a consistent way to say goodbye at drop off times. A separation ritual when implemented consistently can support children to overcome separation anxiety.
- Our daily rhythm and rituals and designed with consistency and predictability in mind. We understand that children are often comforted and feel in control when they know what is happening next and can anticipate how their day will go.
- We offer a warm and welcoming environment. Our play spaces and learning hubs provide relaxed and comfortable environments for children to enjoy. We will support children to develop a sense of belonging at Sage as they see their family photos or art and craft work on display. They will have a place for their Sage belongings which will assist in them feeling like part of the Sage family.
- Supporting emotional regulation. Exploring emotions is an embedded part of our curriculum. Your child will learn to identify and express their feelings and process and manage them in healthy ways. We introduce storybooks and songs about emotions and engage the children in discussions about emotions during group times.
Dealing with your own fears and anxiety about your child starting care is equally as important as your child adjusting to the change. As parents you have a key role in supporting your children cope with change. Children often pick up on their parent’s emotions and attitudes so it’s important to maintain a positive outlook on the experience of starting care.
Here Is how we will support you..
- We will remind you of the benefits of enrolling your child in a high quality centre like Sage. These benefits include giving your child an opportunity to socialise and interact with others outside of your family network. The fun, play and learning that your child will experience in childcare preparing them for their next transition to school.
- We will take good care of your little one as well as you. We are here to provide support and emotional comfort when needed. We are always here to listen and provide advice when needed.
- Family sanctuary spaces – we have many comfortable family spaces at Sage where parents are welcome to come and stay and relax. Our open door policy invites you to spend time at the centre, playing with your child and participating in our programs. Spending time at Sage will help you to feel comfortable and reassured that you have made the right decision for your child.
- When you join Sage you will be part of our Sage community. This will provide you with a wonderful opportunity to network with other families often with children similar in ages to your own. Networking is a great way to build relationships and be part of a support network.
- Communication – we take pride in our open communication with families. We will send you photos and updates on your child’s activities often in real time. We welcome phone calls from families were we can keep you informed on your child’s day. We understand that communication is key in reassuring you as a parent that your child is doing okay.
We aim to make every child's experience at Sage a positive one. We understand that separation from your child is difficult. We are committed to working closely with families to develop personalised strategies to support them and their child in settling into care.
