- Carry out home visits and work out a bespoke transition programme to suit individual needs (for example, staggered visits, parents can stay if preferred).
- Have an open door policy – parents/carers can call in or phone when needed and either speak to key person or SENCO.
- Share all information with parents/carers in a home-school/setting book.
- Have regular catch-up meetings with parents/carers to discuss progress.
- Share APDR cycles with parents/carers and inform them whether targets have been met/not met. Provide advice on how to incorporate activities which will support children to meet targets at home.
- Consider having a 'Lending Library' to enable sharing of resources with parents/carers (for example, weighted jacket, sensory lights, balls, weighted snake).
- Share resources with parents/carers and show them how to use them (for example PECS, Now and Next boards).
- Invite parents/carers to meetings with other professionals such as Educational Psychologists and Speech and Language Therapists.
- Host coffee mornings to support parents/carers to build relationships and networks with each other.
- Offer stay and play sessions.
- Signpost parents/carers to events in Bury - email and share posters/information.
- Assign a family support advisor to offer support with parenting, paperwork support/home support etc.
- Offer drop-in sessions with health visitors.
- Run sensory/communication sessions where parents/carers can come in for 1:1 sessions or join small group sessions.
- Invite parents/carers to KidsRock sessions.
Contact hoyle@bury.gov.uk if you have questions about how to implement any of these tips.