Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/continuity-fo-care/5023960/
Continuity of care is defined as a continuous relationship between a child and an identified caregiver or teacher who is the sole source of care for the child, including the source of information for the family. Ideally the child and caregiver remain together in the same classroom or setting for more than one year, often for the first three years of the child’s life. Keeping children and caregivers together for three years allows relationships between children and their primary caregivers to flourish, and supports healthy parent-child attachment. However, few programs support attachment through policies that include primary caregiving and continuity of care. Developing a system of continuous care in a child care program that is required to follow specific regulations regarding environments, staffing, and ratios can be challenging. This article offers insight into the process of establishing continuity of care for infants and toddlers in a child care program and provides suggestions to ensure success.
Building a Strong Foundation
We welcome new babies into a family with cooing, kissing, and gentle snuggles. As the infant expresses fear over new and unfamiliar environments, parents and caregivers respond with all kinds of loving gestures. Over time, a healthy attachment forms and ...