There is a lot of ‘noise in the system’ at the moment about children ‘returning’ to settings and schools. This over-simplifies what is happening. Many children have never left, many have been connected virtually to their setting and their special people, and some have been in lockdown at home with little or no contact.
All of them, and their families, will be involved in transitions as settings and schools open to more children and work towards welcoming them all.
These transitions are not mere administrative events or opportunities for children ‘to hit the ground running’ to catch up with what they have missed.
Transitions are always an emotional process and take time and here we shall discuss the role of play and language in supporting this transition and beyond.
