Learning and development

Stability is vital during children’s early years; however, change is unavoidable for many young children, and they will inevitably deal with emotional and environmental transitions before they reach school age. By managing and preparing for transition carefully, we can ease the process of adjustment, and reassure both children and their families.

In order to support this across the early years sector in Coventry, the Early Years’ Service has developed the ‘Coventry Early Years Transition Overview’. This will help strengthen relationships between providers and lead to a more focused and child-centred approach to all transitions.

The Coventry Early Years Transition Overview is available online for all providers, either in a Word version or Excel spreadsheet.

Transitions for children may occur in many different forms such as:

• Early Years provider to a school
• Reception class to Year One class
• Childminder to an Early Years provider or school
• Between rooms with the same provider

Key considerations

• The Coventry Early Years Transition Overview should be comprehensively completed by the child’s allocated key person, overseen by a senior practitioner or manager, and signed to signify that all the information shared is accurate.
• In the case of a planned transition, all information should be transferred to the new provider, school or room, at least 5 working days prior to the child’s transfer. Where transition is unplanned, and this is not possible, information should be shared at the earliest point following admission.
• Information that is received should be used to plan the support for a child on arrival to the Early Years Provider or School.
• Information should not be used to refuse or delay the admissions of any child.
• It is important that providers work in partnership with parents, to obtain informed consent for children’s transition documents to be shared with the new provider. Informed consent means checking that the parent understands what information is being shared, why it is being shared, who it is being shared with, and what will happen to the information. Parents should also be encouraged and supported to contribute.
• The Coventry Early Years Transition Overview is designed to share all key information without breaching UK GDPR or confidentiality, and all practitioners must have due regard for UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
• Working in partnership with parents should already be well established and parents will be familiar with settings seeking consent for a range of aspects.

Safeguarding

• In the event of any safeguarding and child protection concerns, please arrange a meeting with the receiving provider’s Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• The GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 do not prevent, or limit, the sharing of information for the purposes of keeping children and young people safe.

To effectively share information:

• Information can be shared legally without consent, if a practitioner is unable to, cannot be reasonably expected to gain consent from the individual, or if gaining consent could place a child at risk.
• Relevant personal information can be shared lawfully if it is to keep a child or individual at risk safe from neglect or physical, emotional or mental harm, or if it is protecting their physical, mental, or emotional well-being.
• The most important consideration is whether sharing information is likely to support the safeguarding and protection of a child.

Information sharing Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers

Additional documents and information to support transition should be included where applicable:

• Wider assessment records, e.g. Summative Assessment tracker
• 2-year check
• SEN Individual Education Plan (IEP)
• SEND information e.g. My Support Plan
• Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
• Early Help Assessment (EHA)
• Health Visitor information
• Speech and Language Therapists, Sensory support
• Child Protection files including information on Child Protection Online Management System (CPOMs)

Transferring information securely

Please ensure that all information shared is securely transferred. It is recommended that the Coventry Early Years Transition Overview is password protected prior to transfer. The password should be sent in a separate email or shared via the telephone.

For further information regarding the retention and destruction of records please refer to the following documents:

• Retention and Destruction of Records Guidance
• Retention of Records Form