"Fugu" Nursery
- 09 July 2025
- 100%
- Permanent position
- Buch
Job summary
Welcome to "Fugu" Kinderkrippen, where we support smooth transitions.
Tasks
- Guide children through their initial adaptation phase.
- Foster secure relationships between kids and caregivers.
- Encourage cooperation between parents and staff during this process.
Skills
- Experience with child development and family engagement.
- Strong communication and observation skills.
- Ability to create a nurturing environment.
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About the job
"Fugu" NurseriesSettling-in
Design and significance
of the settling-in process.
www.kitafugu.ch
"Fugu" Nurseries
Settling-in information sheet.docx
Dear parents
We warmly welcome your entire family to the "Fugu" nursery.
We are aware that the transition from the family to the mostly unfamiliar world of the
nursery represents a change for the whole family, often accompanied by uncertainty and many questions.
For the child, it is a great challenge to their abilities to adapt to a different environment and to build relationships with new people. During the settling-in process, we are therefore absolutely dependent on cooperation with you parents, and it is essential that the parents accompany their
child during their initial visits to "Fugu". The settling-in usually takes about 2
weeks.
Already in the first months of life, the child develops a close attachment to their parents.
This forms the secure base. If the child feels insecure, e.g. in the still unfamiliar environment of the nursery, they seek the proximity of the attachment figure or signal their need for it. If they feel secure, they move away from the attachment figure and explore the new environment. For this reason, parents are indispensable during the settling-in process.
The fundamental goal of settling-in is, in cooperation with the parents, to enable the child, under the protection of the
attachment figure, to become familiar with the new environment and to build an attachment relationship with the caregiver. The fear of losing the child to the caregiver in the process is unfounded. Various studies show that children, when given the choice, overwhelmingly prefer their parents to the caregiver. The parents are and remain the
primary attachment figures.
Settling-in is the basis for a successful, trusting and supportive care relationship between child, parents and nursery.
This information sheet is based on our personal practical experiences and the book
"The First Days in the Nursery" / Laewen, Anders, Hédervàri / Luchterhand Verlag 2000.
1 Basic phase
The basic phase lasts 3 days. During this time, the child stays for about 1 hour with a parent in the "Fugu" nursery. Attendance times are agreed with the group leader.
No separation attempts are made during the basic phase. Even if the mother or father wants to leave the room briefly, they take their child with them. The first three days play a very important
role and should not be burdened by separation. The child's self-confidence in
explorations is based precisely on the presence of mother or father, and in most cases, interest in new things would quickly fade if the child had to cope with the new situation alone suddenly.
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© 2020 www.kitafugu.ch
"Fugu" Nurseries
Settling-in information sheet.docx
1.1
The role of parents in the basic phase
The parents' task is to be a secure base for the child during their explorations in the new
environment. If the child can already crawl or walk, the parents leave it to the child to decide when to move away from them and when to return. The child should not be forced into any behaviour. If it moves away from the parents, it will occasionally check quickly with its eyes whether it still has their attention. The parents therefore choose a comfortable place in the room within the child's line of sight and simply are there. They respond positively and affirmatively to the child's approaches and eye contact; otherwise, the parents behave passively. They do not take the initiative to make contact with the child – the child will clearly signal when it needs closeness or reassurance. The parents can enjoy this passive time observing their child. At the same time, it offers the opportunity for mutual acquaintance with our
team and also to learn more about daily life in the "Fugu" nursery.
1.2
The role of the caregiver in the basic phase
The caregiver observes the situation and responds to attempts at contact such as eye contact,
smiling, taking toys, etc., which every child will sooner or later make. The child determines the pace and type of contact. The caregiver will offer play opportunities and leaves it to the child to engage with them. It is important that the child can freely determine its play and discovery activities and is not forced into any particular behaviour.
1.3
The first separation
Presumably on the fourth day, a first separation attempt of max. 30 minutes will be made.
Immediately after arriving at the "Fugu" nursery, the accompanying parent waits until the child turns to, for example, a toy, the caregiver or other children. Then the parent goes to the
child and says goodbye. It is very important that mother or father says goodbye briefly and clearly and does not simply "sneak away". The parents thereby risk the child's trust. The child may not be so quick to take an interest in a game or another person next time, as it expects the parents to say goodbye and leave again.
Two different separation reactions are now conceivable:
1
The child protests already at the farewell and begins to cry. Or it initially reacts hardly at all and after some time begins to cry without visible cause. It can also happen that a child remains in a tense posture, stops playing and no longer responds to the caregiver. When these children cry, they cannot or only briefly be comforted by the caregiver. In these situations, the attempt is aborted and the caregiver will call the parents back into the room.
You should therefore remain in the building or on call during this first separation.
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The child shows only a slight or no reaction when father or mother leaves the room. It may follow them with its eyes but then continues playing without noticeably restricting its activity and remains responsive.
If it protests or begins to cry at the farewell or shortly afterwards, it can be comforted permanently by the
caregiver. In this case, the father or mother stays away for 30 minutes and then returns to the room.
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© 2020 www.kitafugu.ch
"Fugu" Nurseries
Settling-in information sheet.docx
Parents are welcome to use the half hour during the first separation to take a look at our other children's group, or they can withdraw to our team and office room.
It is important that the parents can be on site immediately if the situation requires it.
From the fourth day onwards, the caregiver also increasingly takes over the care of the child
(feeding, nappy changing, tooth brushing, etc.).
2 Final phase
2.1
Further progress
At the end of the fourth day, the provisional further course of the
settling-in is planned together with the parents. After each short absence of the parent when bringing the child, the period during which the child stays alone in the "Fugu" nursery is then extended daily. However, the parents should be reachable by phone in case of emergency.
Experience shows that familiar objects (comforter, cuddly toy, favourite toy, etc.) brought from home can be very helpful to the child during separation phases and when falling asleep in the still unfamiliar environment.
2.2
Completion of settling-in
Settling-in is considered complete when the child accepts the caregiver as a secure base and allows themselves to be comforted by them. It can certainly happen that the child still protests against the
parents leaving – and that is their right. Their grief and anger should have space. What matters is whether the child can be quickly comforted by the caregiver and then shows interest and in a good mood turns to the offered activities. If, from the child's perspective, the drop-off and pick-up situations can be experienced as a change from one secure base to another, we have achieved our goal.
Incidentally:
: it is of great importance that good contact can develop between the parents and the caregivers. Settling-in does not take place exclusively on the child's level. The
creation of a relationship triangle between parents, child and caregiver is the goal of this joint process.
We are certainly looking forward to a colourful, intensive and varied time with your child and your family.
Thank you very much for your cooperation and trust.
Your "Fugu" team
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© 2020 www.kitafugu.ch
