Oh Yarnlover I empathize ~ I have not yet had to terminate a child and it would have to be really bad for me to consider doing it ... aka the screaming hysterical type crying.

Is it possible he has high anxiety of what to expect from the 'group'? This would be my guess specially if he is happy when in a 'confined spot' or for short times if you are able to be holding him and so forth aka if he can be 'consoled' for some periods ... I have had little ones like that in care that took a long time to trust the movement and actions of the other kids ~ they were happy and content as long as they were 'in very close proximity' to me but if I was up and doing something out of their comfort zone they would cry ... so with wee ones like that I would put the highchair in the playroom and if my hands had to be busy I would move the child to the highchair 'close' to where my hands were going to be busy and they would be much 'better' because they felt safer from the unknown of the other kids and were still 'close' to me even though I was busy helping with art or something with the other kids.

My most recent addition was like this ~ happy as a clam as long as I was within an arms reach of him and he would venture and play and so forth but if I got up and moved out of the room, peed, and so forth he lost his little noodle ~ even if he could SEE me still there fear would take over with what the others did ... I just kept working with him trying to meet his need to feel safe while showing him that he could venture out and BE safe still ... he is 14 months old now and doing amazing ~ still a very snuggle type of kid who will go and play and venture nice and far now but than comes back for a reassurance you are there and off he goes again.