starting nursery - question about support

[MummyMana]

Hey everyone first off imogen doesn't have a diagnosis of anything, but we're going through the whole process of investigations/assessments at the moment, and i thought some people here may be able to help?

Basically tomorrow we have a meeting with nursery staff to discuss what level of support imogen will get when she begins after easter... But I honestly don't know what kind of support she will need! She has been going to a creche a couple hours a week with me in the building to prepare her, and she hasn't had any meltdowns or headbutted at creche so far, but there is a lot less children there, and 3 adults so I'm not sure if she might be different at nursery...

Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing? Is there any questions I should ask etx?

 

[Reid]

If you need help or advice the people that really helped us were
Educational psychologist
Children's Services Support Officer (CSSO)*
the csso is the person who can implement additional support for your daughter at nursery
I found that the nursery my son was at were not following the procedures I phoned the csso myself when I was in the process of moving my son to a nursery better equipped to support him as I had decided to take him out the nursery he was in and I phoned her as I didn't want to get into any trouble with taking him out she asked me why so I told her what had been happening at the nursery phone calls to pick him up every session then being told I had to stay for every session turns out the nursery should have been phoning her as she the 1 that could get additional support in for him. He's been in his new nursery 5 weeks now and is getting on better than I could have imagined they are fantastic my son's so much happier he's went from 3 2 hour sessions a week (which normally was sent home after 30 mins) to getting picked up at the house at 8:40 then dropped home at 3:30 twice a week this was all done with help from the educational psychologist and the csso as well as the manager at the new nursery
Hope you're meeting with the nursery went well xx

 

[MummyMana]

Thankyou for the reply they didn't actually turn up, which is filling me with confidence as you can imagine :/

I'm still waiting to hear from what I assume will be the educational psychologist but the nursery have apparently agreed to give her support, I just don't know the level of it, or even the level she will need tbh :/

 

[Reid]

The nursery my son started off in was the pre school nursery in the school grounds so there staff was 1 member to 8 children and it was all open plan his new nursery is separated rooms there are 5 other kids in the room with him and 3 members of staff.
its annoying as you would have got alot of your questions answered if they'd showed up
But definitely find out who the educational psychologist is and the
Children's Services Support Officer and keep there numbers they were a great help especially the csso I didn't no it when I 1st phoned the csso but she takes to do with complaints and after I spoke to her she said she would be going to visit the old nursery to find out why they weren't following procedures she was gobsmacked when I told her they asked me to stay for his sessions so that I could give him the support he needed and I'm glad I spoke out as it will hopefully stop any other child being treated the way my so was
any advice with it ask away if I can help in anyway I'll be more than happy to do so xx

 

[MummyMana]

The old nursery sounds shocking! I'm glad you told me though as if they'd asked me to stay and be her support I'd have probably agreed despite wanting her to learn to be away from me as I'd have probably just assumed that was procedure! Although she has no "stranger danger" so I doubt she'd be concerned about me being there or not anyway, I still want to give her the opportunity to learn away from me and also see if her behaviour is the same there as it is with me...

Do you think it'd be reasonable for me to ask for one to one, but kind of backed off a bit? So she has the chance to be like the other children but if she does have issues someone will be there for her without having to ignore the other children for any period of time... Or for them to just keep an extra eye on her? It's really hard as I've no idea how she will react to nursery but I don't want her to be left headbutting a wall because the staff are busy with the other children, of foe the other children to be left unattended because the staff are busy with my child I don't want the other kids/parents to end up resenting her...

Also the days that they've given her are 1-4 Monday to Friday... I was hoping if they actually turned up today I could change that as I really don't want her going 5 afternoons a week :/

 

[alibaba24]

I would just try her but have the educational pyscologist involved immediately. I would ask for a meeting with the ed pyc and explain how you feel . say you feel she is going to need support but you dont know what. can they monitor and asses her so you can have things put in place for her if she needs it. x

 

[Reid]

Yes it was shocking and I'm soo glad he's out there definitely find out who you're csso is and give her/him a call they will come out and observe her the decide what if any additional support she needs.
For her 1st session ask if you can stay for a bit in the background just to see how she is use this time to observe how the staff work the children and how you're daughter is in this new environment. If you feel it's to much for now cut the session in half time wise or do a day In a day off kinda thing after a few weeks ask for a meeting and ask them if they feel she needs any extra support and remember I'd you don't agree don't accept it you never no she might get on amazingly well xx

 

[sethsmummy]

you should be able to stay hun to start with as really they should build her up into a full time session. My son started at just 30 minutes and over 2 weeks we built him up to 2 hours depending on how he was doing.we were always in the corridoor for the 30 mins and just round the corner in the cafe until he got used to it.

one on one wise.. your education visitor will apply to the local council (or whoever deals with it in your area) for the funding for one on one support and she will apply for a certain amount of hours. My son they asked for 10 hours one on one.. they were granted 6. You should have meetings with the nursery and other proffesionals at different points to discuss all of your thoughts on how she is doing and what the next steps are and any support needed etc.

when they finally turn up to meet with you ask about their procedures for the headbutting etc. That was one of the first things i brought up and the nursery told me they were not allowed to physically restrain a child so it was arranged that if he started they had to call me immediately so that i could go straight there and do it myself but they also had other things in place to do first to try distract him. Also see what will happen if shes finding it a bit much.. if theres a quiet corner a member of staff can take her to to help calm down and collect herself.. my sons nursery has a reading corner with lots of soft cushions etc where they take him if he needs some alone time.

Hopefully the staff will be very forthcoming and honest with you about any help they think she needs. my sons nursery have been fantastic and helped him from day 1 even before he started being assessed. One thing i will say is NEVER be afriad to speak up. If you dont agree with something tell them. your opinion is very very important.