Frequency of key worker change?

[Porridgeislife]

My 2yo has been in nursery for 15 months and she’s had 5 key workers over that period. One change was when she changed rooms but does 5 seem excessive?

We’ve just been emailed about another key worker change (her 6th) as they’re re-organising the room age spans for the September influx.

How often does your key worker change? Trying to work out if this is something to anak to put a stop to. It’s a 7.30-6pm day nursery used mostly by working parents.

That is a lot. My son is 8 months in and no key worker changes for reference.

If staff a leaving then I guess it's unavoidable, but if it is avoidable reshuffles then definitely email your concerns and at least next time they will think carefully

My DD has been at nursery for 2 years and is now on her 4th, but they've only changed when she's moved rooms (which makes sense) - though to be honest I talk to all the staff in the room about her so I wouldn't be too worried if it changed more. You should definitely speak to them, though, if it's unsettling your little one.

I've never been a fan of having 1 key-person (I'm a nursery manager) Every child has a key-person (it is statutory) but we work in key-families, so 3 or 4 people with each group that children and families know well. This minimises upset when staff leave, go on Maternity leave or just go on holiday. Also with children regularly doing 10 hour days, its just not possible for them to always see 1 person. 6 changes in 15 months is a lot so would arrange to speak to the manager - it may be that all these people are already familiar to your child or they might have a very high turnover of staff. Is your little girl upset by the changes?

@Nodancingshoes I don’t think so. She’s a very chill toddler so I suspect that she’s the first one they move as they know she will deal with change quite readily. She was a tough baby but is honestly a dream of a toddler - eats everything, rarely tantrums, etc.

I was that kid who was always sat beside the naughty children instead of my friends to help moderate their behaviour and so I guess I’m on high alert for her “missing out” because she’s easy. I will email them and ask if they think it’s normal to have key worker changes so often.

Sounds like staff retention there may be poor which is a big concern OP.

My children only ever swapped key workers when they moved rooms, with only one exception so far for my DC1 when the key worker left to go to uni full time. Between my 2 kids we've been using the same nursery for over 5 yrs now and that's been the only exception so far. Staff turnover is pretty low at the nursery we use. My DC2 is currently in a small room with 3 staff members all of whom have been at the nursery long enough to have also cared for DC1 in the past and two of whom have over 2 decades of experience in nurseries.

My son has been to two nurseries. In the first one only one change when he moved from babies to toddlers. In the second one he had two changes one when he moved from toddlers to preschool and one when his key worker changed rooms..
Although my son has only had one key worker in preschool I know quite a few of the children have had quite a few changes of key worker in that age group.

Our last nursery didn't assign keyworkers. The turnover in staff is high so so I don't blame them.

I wouldnt worry to much about ‘keyworker’
She will know all the staff well anyway, so a different keyworker isnt that much of a big deal really
It doesnt effect her care

Keyworkers became a must in the EYFS in response to attachment theory to make each child feel safe and secure reduce anxiety for them and aid development unfortunately most nurseries seem to use it for who does paperwork. Your keyworker should be consistent is this a sign of high staff turnover or bad management?

People need to understand the full role of a key person this is why parents, nannies and childminders are better at providing it.

My child had one key worker with a backup person for three years.