A Key Person's Role

Children thrive from a base of loving and secure relationships. This is normally provided by a child’s parents but it can also be provided by a key person. A key person is a named member of staff with responsibilities for a small group of children who helps those children in the group feel safe and cared for.

The key person role is an important one, involving a designated person in responding sensitively to children’s feelings and behaviours and meeting emotional needs by giving reassurance, such as when they are new to a setting or class, and supporting the child’s well-being. The key person supports physical needs too, helping with issues like nappy changing (younger children), toileting and dressing. That person is a familiar figure who is accessible and available as a point of contact for parents or carers building relationships with them and their child.

Records of development and care are created and shared by the key person, parents and the child. Our goal is, in small groups, to foster close bonds between the child and the key person in a way that large groups cannot easily do. These groups allow the key person to better ‘tune into’ children’s play and their conversations, to really get to know the children in the group well. Children feel settled and happy and are more confident to explore and as a result, become more capable learners.