The Other Keyperson!

Today I visited another setting to share information about a child and meet his other key
person and a speech therapist. The EYFS states ‘Providers must enable a regular two-way
flow of information with parents and/or carers, and between providers, if a child is attending
more than one setting (2017:32).
Upon arriving at the setting, I noticed it was very similar to my own, a village hall pack
away. After signing in and agreeing to the rules of the setting I conversed the owner/manager
and was then introduced to the key person. Although his keyperson was concerned with his
speech she had no other worries about his development. I on the other hand do have concerns
about this child and his delay in his development and expressed them to my counterpart.
Regrettably she misunderstood and became very defensive. I noticed while observing the
child in question that his keyperson often interrupted his play and guided him as opposed to
allowing the child’s creative ideas to flow. The keyperson also stated that the child played
and interacted with his peers which I stated didn’t happen at my setting. Upon further
observations I noticed he didn’t join in, he didn’t share experiences, initiate, extend or
elaborate play. When offered cues by his peers he cooperated but for less than one minute
before returning to solitary play. The child’s developmental stage was parallel play, but the
practitioner misconstrued this to playing with others.
I then wondered what qualifications, what skills and what up to date training the key person
had. ‘The daily experience of children in early years settings and the overall quality of
provision depends on all practitioners having appropriate qualifications, training, skills and
knowledge and a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. (EYFS Statutory
Framework 2018:21)
My role as a professional means that I look out for the best interests of the child, if this
practitioner had been placed in my setting I would be seeking the best route to help her with
training in Special Educational Needs as well as helping her to develop her professional
practice.

Foundationyears.org.uk. (2018). EYFS Statutory Framework. Available at:

https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/eyfs-statutory-framework/ (Accessed 7 May 2018).