Question –
Q – “We would like to know what everyone does with 2 year checks. We take children from 2. How soon should they be done. What forms do settings use. Do the heath visitors need a copy from us or just parents?”
Answers –
A – “Here is a 2 year check form you can buy http://www.earlyyearscareers.com/…/two-year-integrated…/”
A – “We ask parents to let us know a few weeks before the Health Visitor appointment. We invite the parents in and complete ours as a parent partnership opportunity. We complete each element of EYFS commenting on capabilities we regularly evidence. We look at all primes but specifics too (as age should not be a barrier to celebrating a child’s achievements). We explain to our parents that our comments are based on evidence and observations they then fill in their comments in a parents Box beneath each unit. We then complete agreed next steps together. Parent signs and dates and takes away 2 photocopies (one for them and one for HV to put on file at appointment) we keep master and retain to demonstrate parent partnership, integrated review, progression etc for Ofsted LA and tracking purposes. If close to child’s third birthday we combine it as integrated review Plus 2 year progress check. If 3rd birthday a long way off we do a separate 2 year progress check closer to third birthday to show clearly progress made over a good chunk of time. We wouldn’t complete integrated review for HV too soon as you need your comments and observations to be as up to date and relevant as poss. For the appointment so we find 3 weeks seems practicable for parents consult etc. Hope this makes sense and is helpful?”
A – “The child’s key person will do their check as soon as they turn 2 if they are moving up from the baby room and if they are starting new at the nursery at 2 years old we leave it a few weeks so the key person gets to know them and their development age. Once the key person fills out any concerns/areas of development it is given to the parents to fill in their part, whether they have concerns etc, they sign it and bring it back to the setting. The key person photocopies it, keeps one in the child’s learning journal and gives the master copy to the parent to keep and share with their health visitor if they wish to”
A – “We do integrated 2 year checks with the health visitor and parents. The parents are given forms/check lists to fill out to give a rough idea of where they believe their child is at at home, and the key worker fills out a 2 year check form (we use tapestry) and both are taken to the check. The forms are aimed at 3 different ages – 24,28 and 30 months. We generally do checks at 28 months. Before we did integrated checks, or if the child has recently had a 2 year check before coming the setting, we sent home a form with parents, along with a ECAT monitoring form, and they key worker would fill out the same and then and meeting was held between parent and key worker to discuss.”
A – “We tried to do an integrated review recently and I was told that the HV is happy to have the child’s key worker present, but it’s not normal practice. No paperwork in place to include the setting at all and not impressed that we put that paperwork in place. I asked, so how is it deemed an integrated review if the setting isn’t included??. I was told that the area HVs hadn’t made the integrated review practice yet, so it’s not!! Appalling attitude I thought when the city HVs (we are county) are fully supportive of an integrated review including both the parents and setting”
A – “At our setting the health visitor gets in contact when child is 2yrs 6 months and arrange for parents,key worker and health visitor to meet at pre school and do together, sometimes it’s not possible so Would be key worker and parents it’s done from observations and evidence. At our setting we’re told to do 2 yr checks at 2yrs 6 months so we know them well enough”
A – “We had our 2 years checks from our local health visitor. We done ours at 2 years 4 months as that’s when they usually have there check. We have a separate one for children that start in the setting older than 28months but younger than 36months. Integrated review is only if they are funded.”
A – “Where we are the HV conducts their 27month check at the child’s home with parents, then sends us a copy with sections for keyworker to complete. We invite parents in to discuss what we’ve written and then completed form returned to HV and copy put in child’s folder.”
A – “The EYFS statutory framework states that the 2 year old progress checks should. E completed between the age of 2 and 3 and must highlight areas where the child is progressing well and areas where more support may be needed. Where there are concerns you must inform the parent of what you intend to do to address these issues. It suggests that a copy is to be provided for the parent and to encourage them to pass a copy over to the HV. Now after recently discussing them with our local HV they haven’t been receiving them from parents so we discussed other possible options to share this information. One suggestion was to scan the document and send this via secure mail to the Health visitor after the form had been signed.
The sheets that we use contain the child’s full name and address and a parent contact number and at the bottom is a statement informing the parent that by signing the form they are consenting to the information it contains to be shared with and only with the local HV. The HV thought this was a good idea and providing a secure mailing system was used then this would be a great way to communicate this information. They said they will encourage parents to hand over a copy of their checks which they plan to complete by 2 years 6 months and areas of concern will be reviewed 3 months later and any remaining concerns at the point will be shared with the child’s setting directly. Hope this helps”
A – “My setting does integrated two year checks we do them at 28 months ish. With health visitor, parents and child and key worker. It has been working really well.”
A – “Think it depends on your area. With us it used to be 2 and a half now it’s literally just after their bday which is a real problem as our babies move into toddlers at 2 therefore there’s a change of staff that takes place within a month of them joining the group, it’s very hard to get to know the child that well this quickly, especially if they maybe only do one day a week. Now staff from both rooms have to be involved on top of all the other paperwork…. Although we often have parents tell us how impressed their HV are with our report.”
A – “We do an integrated 2yr check with the key person, the parent and the health visitor. We have done this for about a year. It is a great positive experience. Before this we filled in a two year check and the parents were encouraged to take it to the check.”
A – “We start to ask the parent just before the children’s 2nd birthday, we give the parent a form with a comment box to send it back and then they can take the form we complete to the health visitor to help fill in Any gaps or concerns they have”
A – “We decided our children’s individual learning/development evaluation and next steps that we do for all the children every 6-8 weeks (on a focus rota over half a term) is the same and every term we catch up with the HV about all the children and earlier if required so for individuals so do not do a separate document”
A – “2 year checks completed at 2 and a half and alongside parent review meetings. Parent gets a copy to place in the child’s red book. The report is designed to fit in the red health book to remind parents to show the health visitor. There is also a prompt to inform the parent to take their child for the 2 year old health check completed by the health visitor as this check is mostly missed. Also inform them to visit the dentist.”