Safeguarding updates
What’s new? Children’s Services Integrated Front Door (IFD) have moved to a “conversation based approach.”
Practitioners are still required to refer to the Continuum of Need and risk identification tool to identify levels of need and vulnerability for a child and family. An updated version of this document will be available soon on the Safer Bradford website.
This document helps practitioners to gather the information needed to make an informed decision about if the referral needs to go to the Family Hub (levels 1 & 2) or Children’s Social Care IFD (levels 3 & 4).
When practitioners / professionals have concerns about a child or family and the levels of need and vulnerability are at level 3 or 4 they must phone the IFD and speak to one of the Social Workers, using the new practitioner’s advice and referral contact number – 01274 433999
There is no longer a requirement to complete a Multi-Agency Referral Form (MARF) to share concerns. Instead the IFD Social Workers will talk you through a number of questions linked to the assessment triangle below. Notice how the headings are similar to the continuum of need and risk idenification tool, levels of need and vulnerability and that the child is at the heart of what we do.
|
 |
All information shared by a practitioner / professional will be recorded on the child’s file (along with any agreed next steps or actions).
The IFD are welcoming practitioners to ask if a child has an open file if there is a valid reason for doing so.
Coming soon is a new citizen’s free referral phone number to share with members of the public including parents
Contacting Social Workers - If a child attending your setting has an open case with a named Social Worker, the Social Worker must provide the setting with their telephone number and email address and this must be used to contact them rather than via the IFD number.
Need to find out more? book a place on the online Designated Safeguarding Lead practitioner training - book here
Training available for you
The provider networks are delivered online for you to the hear updates and key messages from Bradford Council. The theme for our next provider network in February is supporting children with SEND. Further details and bookings are here
Online - Early Years Foundation Stage - Where we are now! - You have all been on a journey since the EYFS reforms took place and you might be wondering: What do we mean by curriculum in the EYFS? and what are the key messages from Ofsted in relation to the EYFS? Join this session hear more to best inform your practice.
Online Safeguarding Children in Bradford - Aimed at practitioner level, this course covers the basic awareness of safeguarding children and to gain an understanding of different types of abuse with focus on Bradford's Safeguarding Partnership and using their documentation.
Online Bradford's Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) - This course is to ensure you feel confident to fulfill your role as the designated safeguarding lead practitioner and help you fulfill the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework with focus on the Bradford's Safeguarding Partnership and using their documentation.
Online - Wellbeing & Mental Health in the Workplace - As an owner, employer or manager of a childcare setting - do you know what is legally required of you to support your staff in their wellbeing and mental health. This course will benefit early years’ settings and childcare that employ staff e.g. day nurseries, large childminding settings, pre-schools and out of school clubs.
Paediatric First Aid
The EYFS 3.25 states that all new staff that qualified after June 2016 must have completed a PFA within 3 months of starting at a setting, this is reminder to ensure you have this in place.
Social Communication Interaction & Learning (SCIL) team update
The Access and Inclusion Officers work in partnership with Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs), parents/carers and other professionals to provide support and advice to early years settings in the Private, Voluntary and Independent sector for children from birth to 5 years. The child will have an identified additional support need in at least one area of learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage. Settings can access support for children with Special Educational Needs (SEND) in their setting via SEND specialist support request form (please complete and submit request form via secure email to SCILTeam@bradford.gov.uk) or via an Education Advice 1 (EA1) notification from a paediatrician.
The Access and Inclusion Officers provide:
- Support and advice to a range of settings to enable them to understand their statutory duties and responsibilities in meeting the needs of children with SEND.
- Setting based support around individual children including observation, assessment of developmental levels and recommendations.
- Partnership working with parents/ carers and other professionals to improve outcomes for children with SEND.
- Opportunities for capacity building and developing the skillset of practitioners in settings across the locality through training, SENCO forums and advice hubs.
- Signposting to sources of SEND funding for example Early Years Inclusion Funding, Disability Access Funding.
- Support around transition planning for children with SEND into schools and/or specialist provision.
- Contributions to the Education, Health and Care Assessment process, as appropriate.
Below is a collection of documents which have been carefully designed to help Early Years staff implement the graduated approach.
Skills4bradford has Courses & Training available too.
Have your say on the proposed changes to the Early Years Single Funding Formula!
The formal consultation for the Early Years Single Funding Formula for 2023/24 is now live, and available to view on the following BSO page:
https://bso.bradford.gov.uk/content/formula-funding-consultations-and-presentations
Responses can be sent either via the web-based questionnaire or the 'Responses Form' in the document. A link to the survey website and details to return the form are included in the consultation document.
Closing date for responses is Monday 6 February. We encourage all providers to read through the documents and have your say on the proposed changes.
Oral health information to share with parents
Parents and carers of toddlers aged one and over across Bradford and Airedale are being invited to bin their baby’s bottle as part of a bid to stop babies and children drinking from a baby’s bottle for too long.
If you are a parent of a one to five-year-old, come along to one of our exchange points to get your FREE feeder cup and tooth brushing pack. At our manned stations you can also get a free dental check for your child/children.
Click Here for the full list of locations and dates for both manned stations and exchange points. You can also pick up a pledge card to make your commitment to swapping to a feeder cup!
|
Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge has arrived!
The Rhyme Challenge is a fun way to introduce children and families to rhymes. Young children learn best through seeing someone they know well doing things, and through repetition.
Rhymes can be shared almost anywhere and are a great way to get children started on their lifelong reading journey!
Please share or link in to the posts on your social media. Facebook Post Twitter Post and Webpage
|
DfE updates
Free qualification - The National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL) is designed for current and aspiring nursery leaders, childminders, and leaders of school-based nurseries to help develop the knowledge and skills to lead a setting and boost early years development to ensure every child has the best start in life.
Early Years Professional Development Programme - places now available for February 2023 - The Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP) is now accepting applications for the latest phase of the training, beginning February 2023.To find more information on eligibility and how to apply please visit the website
The following has been updated from the DfE: Early years qualifications achieved in the United Kingdom
|
Energy Bills Discount Scheme
The Energy Bill Relief Scheme currently provides a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for all non-domestic consumers. This includes public sector organisations, voluntary sector organisations like charities, and businesses.
Find out about the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) for non-domestic customers from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/energy-bills-discount-scheme
Government announces phased mandation of Making Tax Digital
Self-employed individuals will have more time to prepare for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax Self-Assessment (ITSA), following a government announcement.
Understanding that self-employed individuals are currently facing a challenging economic environment, and the transition to MTD for ITSA represents a significant change to taxpayers and HMRC for how self-employment is reported, the government is giving a longer period to prepare for MTD. Read more from this article Government announces phased mandation of Making Tax Digital for ITSA - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
|
Foundation Years update
We say goodbye and we say hello!
For nearly four years, the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) has been proud to be partners of the Department for Education (DfE), helping to share good practice across the early years sector, through what has been a particularly challenging period.
The team at NCB is equally proud to be passing that baton onto Coram Family and Childcare, an organisation that shares its values and also has deep knowledge of the sector and is well placed to continue a legacy of engagement and support through Foundation Years, on behalf of the DfE.
|
Keep yourself well informed
There are lots of sources for information guidance and support available online. This is not an exhaustive list and we are not endorsing specific organisations:
|
