Parents & Families Partnership at Keen Kidz
At Keen Kidz, we understand that choosing a Montessori Waterford or afterschool Waterford service for your child is about more than just finding quality childcare—it’s about finding a partnership. From the moment you first contact us to the day your child moves on to their next adventure, we’re committed to working alongside you as partners in your child’s learning and development.
Our recent 2025 Early Years Education Inspection highlighted our strong community connections and the warm relationships we build with families. This recognition reflects what we’ve always believed: children thrive when parents and educators work together.
Why Partnership Matters
You are your child’s first and most important teacher. You know their personality, their quirks, what makes them laugh, what worries them, and what helps them feel safe. We have expertise in early childhood education and child development. When we combine your deep knowledge of your child with our professional skills and experience, that’s when the magic happens.
Partnership means that we’re not just providing a service—we’re walking alongside you during these crucial early years. We celebrate the wins together, work through challenges together, and share in the joy of watching your child grow and learn.
How Partnership Looks in Practice
Open Communication From Day One
Our partnership with families begins before your child even starts with us. When you first reach out, we take the time to answer your questions personally, not with generic responses. We invite you to visit our setting at the Ballygunner GAA Complex, meet our team, see our space, and get a genuine feel for whether Keen Kidz is the right fit for your family.
During the enrolment process, we gather important information about your child—not just the basics, but the details that help us understand and support them as individuals. What are their interests? How do they like to be comforted? What are their favourite activities? Do they have any additional needs or allergies we should know about?
Settling In Together
Starting Montessori or afterschool care is a big transition for children and parents alike. We work with each family to create a settling-in process that feels right for your child. Some children wave goodbye confidently on day one, while others need a more gradual approach with parents staying for short periods initially. There’s no one-size-fits-all, and we’re guided by what works for your individual child.
Daily Communication
We know that when you drop your child off in the morning, you’re trusting us with the most precious part of your life. We take that trust seriously, and we make sure you’re kept in the loop about your child’s day.
Whether it’s a quick chat at pick-up time, messages about milestones and achievements, or sharing observations about your child’s interests and development, we maintain regular, meaningful communication. We use these conversations to understand what’s happening at home too—because what happens in one environment affects the other.
Learning Stories and Documentation
Throughout the year, we document your child’s learning journey through observations, photographs, and learning stories. These aren’t just nice keepsakes—they’re valuable tools that help us understand each child’s development and plan meaningful next steps.
We share these with families regularly, and we encourage you to share observations from home too. When we notice that a child is fascinated by insects in our garden, and you tell us they’ve been collecting ladybirds at home, we can build on that interest in our curriculum planning.
More Reading: Activities at Keen Kidz: Afterschool
Partnership in Our Curriculum
Our curriculum statement makes it clear: at Keen Kidz, our curriculum is developed in partnership with the child, parents, and all professionals who support children in our care.
This isn’t just words on a page. It means that:
* We listen when you tell us about your child’s interests and build these into our planning
* We value your input on your child’s goals and next steps
* We work collaboratively with any external professionals involved in your child’s care (speech therapists, occupational therapists, early intervention teams, etc.)
* We adapt our approach based on feedback from families
* We recognise that you have valuable insights into how your child learns best
Your Voice Matters
We actively seek feedback from families through informal chats, more structured feedback opportunities, and our willingness to adjust our approach when something isn’t working for your child or family.
If you have concerns, suggestions, or questions, we want to hear them. We don’t expect parents to just drop their children off and hope for the best—we expect and encourage you to be actively involved in your child’s experience with us.
Supporting Families, Not Just Children
We recognise that when you’re searching for Montessori Waterford or afterschool Waterford services, you’re often balancing work commitments, family needs, and the desire to give your child the best possible start. We aim to support the whole family, not just the child.
Our opening hours (8am-6pm, Monday-Friday) are designed to work with family life. Our Breakfast Club ensures children get a healthy start to the day before being safely walked to school. Our afterschool service provides homework support and activities, giving children a place to unwind and parents peace of mind.
We understand that family life can be unpredictable. While we have policies and procedures that help our service run smoothly, we also approach each situation with flexibility and understanding.
Access to Policies and Information
Transparency is a key part of partnership. We want families to understand how we operate, what guides our practice, and what you can expect from us.
All of our policies are available on our policies page, including:
- Child safeguarding and protection
- Inclusion and equality
- Health and safety
- Behaviour guidance
- Complaints procedure
- Privacy and data protection
We encourage families to read these policies, and we’re always happy to discuss any questions or concerns you might have about how they work in practice.
Working Together When Challenges Arise
Partnership is especially important during challenging times. Whether your child is going through a difficult developmental phase, your family is experiencing changes at home, or there are concerns about a child’s progress, we’re here to work through it together.
We approach challenges with curiosity and collaboration, not judgement. Our goal is always to understand what’s happening and work together to find solutions that support your child’s wellbeing and development.
The Keen Kidz Community
When you join Keen Kidz, you’re not just enrolling in a service—you’re becoming part of a community. We value the relationships between families as well as between families and staff. Many of our families form lasting friendships, support one another, and become part of each other’s villages.
We organise events and activities throughout the year that bring our community together and give families opportunities to connect with one another as well as with our team.
Looking Ahead Together
As your child grows and develops during their time with us, we continue to work in partnership with you. Whether they’re with us for one year or several, we’re committed to ensuring that the transition to their next stage—whether that’s primary school or a different setting—is as smooth as possible.
We share information with parents about their child’s progress and readiness for school. We work with local primary schools to support transitions. And we celebrate each child’s journey with them and their families.
Let’s Start Our Partnership
If you’re considering Montessori Waterford or afterschool Waterford services for your child, we’d love to begin a conversation with you. Partnership starts with getting to know one another, understanding your family’s needs, and exploring whether Keen Kidz is the right fit.
Get in touch with our team at hello@keenkidz.ie or call us on 051 821732 / 085 743 7701. We’re here to answer your questions, arrange a visit, and begin what we hope will be a wonderful partnership in your child’s early learning journey.
Because at Keen Kidz, every child, every day, matters, and that includes the families who trust us with their care.
