I, Jane Saunders, have ultimate responsibility for all children in my setting, their care and their needs.

I operate a key person system. The job of the child’s key person is to form a strong, nurturing bond with them, in order to make the child feel special, secure, loved and thought of whilst in the setting.

The key person, where possible, should greet the child on arrival, and hand the child back to the parent/carer at the end of the day.

The key person should be responsible for all nappy changing/toiletry needs of the children in their care.

The key person should actively work towards building a strong, trusting relationship with the child.  They should do this by spending time interacting with them on a one-to-one basis, every day.  These interactions should be meaningful, and should include times that do not revolve around essential tasks, as well as those that do.

The key person should be responsible for serving a child's food.  They should understand a child's food and mealtime requirements and regularly review allergies, medications and medical issues with the child's parent/carer.

It is important for the key person to develop a two-way flow of information between themselves and the child's parent/carer so that they are aware of any significant aspects of family life that maybe important to the child.

It is of absolute importance that the child's key person responds to their feelings, ideas and behavior with sensitivity and care.

The key person provides a secure base for the child by being physically and emotionally available to them, by sitting at their level and in close proximity. They should communicate with the child in an appropriate and sensitive manner, taking into account all their prior knowledge about the child.

Children should also develop close, bonded relationships with other members of staff in case their key person is unavailable for any reason.