We want children to feel happy and safe in the absence of their parents, to recognise other adults as a source of authority, help and friendship and to be able to share with their parents afterwards the new learning experiences enjoyed in the pre-school.

 In order to accomplish this, we will:

·        Encourage parents to visit the pre-school with their children during the weeks before an admission is planned.

·        Introduce flexible admission procedures, if appropriate, to meet the needs of individual families and children.

·        Make clear to families from the outset that they will be supported in Rainbow pre-school for as long as it takes to settle their child there.

·        Reassure parents whose children seem to be taking a long time settling into Rainbow pre-school.

·        Introduce new families into Rainbow on a staggered basis, for example two new children a day a week rather than 10 new children all at once.

·        Encourage parents, where appropriate, to separate from their children for brief periods at first, gradually building up to longer absences.

 Children cannot play or learn successfully if they are anxious and unhappy. Our setting procedures aim to help parents to help their children to feel comfortable in Rainbow Pre-School, to benefit what it has to offer and to be confident that their parents will return at the end of the session/day.