Quality Rating 4: Transition Plans

Transition Planning

Like everyone, children make transitions throughout their lives. Their first transition might be from home to an early child care or learning program. They may transition within a program to different age groups, or to a new child care setting. Another transition could be from an early childhood program to school.

Careful transition planning helps children to better understand what to expect before, during, and after a transition, which leads to greater success. Rehearsing or role playing what a transition might be like, visiting a new program for a short period of time, and meeting new adults and children in a program are all ways adults can help prepare children for transitions.

In addition to specific steps to support children through transitions, quality programs have policies that describe how important information about a child is transferred from one setting to another. This includes background information about a child, preferences, and records that help ensure that the adults receiving the child have the information they need to plan effectively for a smooth transition for everyone.

This section guides you to think about and describe how your program plans for transitions and prepares children to transition from home to your program, within your program, and from your program to other child care environments. Your statement serves as documentation for Administrative Policies and Practices: Transition Plans: ADM 15.4.

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