When parents leave their children in an early years setting, whether a nursery, preschool, or childminder’s home, they are placing enormous trust in the adults who will care for them. One of the most effective ways to ensure children feel secure, nurtured, and understood is through the key person approach. The key person system is central to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in the UK and something that we have a focus on at St. John’s. However, many families and even some new practitioners are not entirely sure what the role involves. Understanding what a key person is, and why this role matters so much during the early years, highlights just how vital relational care is for young children’s development.
What Is a Key Person?
A key person is a designated early years practitioner who takes primary responsibility for a small group of children. This adult quickly becomes the child’s secure base within the setting; the person who builds a close, consistent relationship with them. The key person is not the only adult who interacts with the child, but they are the individual who takes the lead on building strong attachments, understanding the child’s needs, and communicating with parents and carers.
Their responsibilities include:
- Settling the child into the setting and supporting smooth transitions
- Observing and assessing the child’s development
- Planning activities that meet their interests and learning needs
- Communicating regularly with families
- Offering emotional reassurance and secure attachment
Although children benefit from being part of a wider community of adults and peers, the key person ensures they always have one special, dependable adult they can turn to.
Why Is the Key Person Role So Important?
1. Supporting Emotional Security
Children in the early years are still developing their understanding of the world. For many, being away from home for the first time can feel overwhelming. A key person provides familiarity, warmth, and stability—crucial ingredients for helping children settle. When a child knows who to go to if they are upset, tired, or unsure, they feel safer and more confident to explore.
This sense of security has long-lasting benefits. Children who form strong attachments tend to develop better emotional regulation, resilience, and social skills.
2. Building Strong, Individualised Relationships
Every child is unique. A key person is able to get to know each child deeply—what comforts them, what excites them, what frustrates them, and what sparks their curiosity. This personalised understanding helps practitioners respond sensitively, tailoring support to the child’s individual temperament and developmental stage. It also ensures early signs of additional needs are spotted early and acted upon.
3. Enhancing Learning and Development
Observation is a core component of the EYFS, and the key person plays a crucial role in this. By spending consistent time with the child, they can recognise patterns, strengths, and areas for development. They then use this knowledge to plan meaningful experiences that extend learning in a way that feels natural and enjoyable.
Children thrive when activities match their interests, and no one is better placed to identify these than the key person.
4. Strengthening Parent Partnerships
Parents and carers are a child’s first educators. The key person acts as a bridge between home and the setting. Because they know the child so well, they can share insightful observations, listen to parental concerns, and offer tailored advice. This two-way communication builds trust and ensures a more holistic approach to the child’s well-being.
A strong partnership with families also helps children feel reassured—when parents trust their key person, children sense that security.
5. Supporting Transitions
Transitions—such as starting nursery, moving rooms, or changing settings—can be challenging for young children. The key person helps make these transitions smoother by offering continuity and emotional support. They help prepare the child, accompany them through new experiences, and gradually introduce them to new routines or adults.
A Foundation for Future Wellbeing
The key person approach is more than an administrative requirement; it is a cornerstone of high-quality early years practice. By providing children with a secure attachment figure, personalised support, and warm, responsive care, early years settings create the conditions for children to flourish. When children feel safe, understood, and valued, they are better able to learn, play, explore, and build positive relationships.
In many ways, the key person becomes the child’s anchor in a busy world—offering reassurance, encouragement, and the stable foundations that every young child deserves.
