Home Visits

[AnonyMouse_5677]

I'm just in the process of organising my first lot of inductions for nursery intake in January. In the last school I was in (on teaching practice) I was involved in home visits and can see many advantages and some disadvatages of them. I'm quite keen to give them a go in this time, but just wanted to get an idea of how people feel about them accross the country. Also if you do do them, how do you organise them?

 

Elfy

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[AnonyMouse_4544]

The nursery staff in our FSU find home visits valuable. As we accept children on their 3rd birthday we have continuous intake throughout the year rather than at set times. The staff visit the home a few weeks before the child is due to start (this is after school and takes approx 30mins) Shortly after the child will visit the setting with their parent for an hour.

[AnonyMouse_79]

I started home visits for my reception class and found it very useful.

 

Dont go alone.

We also had a policy of not accepting refreshments, although this was not always possible!

 

Good luck and enjoy.

[AnonyMouse_4544]

Good point Susan our staff visit in pairs !

[Guest]

I'm preschool and like Marion I have continuos intakes. I find home visits very valuable, especially for helping children to settle in.

Parent and child visit us first, then I ask the child if I can come and see some of their toys at their home.

Just this term I did a home visit to a child who has bowel problems and he is very anxious around new people, he worries about having to do bowel movements and gets very stressed away from mum. The home visit enabled me to discuss the best way to help this child, I learnt from mum how he may reacte when he gets the urge to go etc. At the end of the visit he asked me for a hug goodbye, Mum was really astonished saying he never hugs anyone, and takes a long, long time to feel comfortable with 'new' people. He did show a little anxiety on his first 2 days at preschool, but as I was able to talk to him about all the things that may be worrying him, and how we could 'sort it out' he settled very quickly. He waved mum of with a lovely big smile this morning.

 

Some children talk about my home visit, sometimes even a year later, saying they remember me coming to their home and playing with them. They even remember what we played, what jigsaw we did, or book we looked at.

 

Feedback from parents is always positive, it enables them to feel secure because they get to know me a bit better without the morning / end of day rush.

I used to do home visits on my own but now my deputy comes with me, basically it helps to have one person playing with the child whilst the other talks to parents.

I tend to do the home visits after preschool sessions at around 4pm, a few days before the child starts.

 

Peggy

[AnonyMouse_4544]

One of the things we have introduced is taking along a small soft toy on the visit. The toy stays with the child until they visit the setting (when hopefully they return it)

[Guest]

One of the things we have introduced is taking along a small soft toy on the visit. The toy stays with the child until they visit the setting (when hopefully they return it)

 

 

We do the same but with a book.

 

Peggy

[AnonyMouse_5677]

thanks for all your replies. I guess something I'm most worried about is suggesting the idea to the parents- I don't want them to think I'm going to be nosey or judge them.

Elfy

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