Childcare Provider Bulletin January 2023

Welcome to our latest e-bulletin, designed to keep you regularly informed of latest news, information and training relevant to the childcare sector.

We would appreciate your feedback on the e-bulletin and if there is anything you would like us to include or clarify then please let us know by completing our short survey. 

Please note: You will receive this bulletin in Welsh in a separate email.

We hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and were able to take a well deserved break with your friends and family.

We have another busy year ahead, with lots of changes, particularly in relation to Childcare Offer and Flying Start. 

We will be inviting you to an awareness session on 23 January to run through the changes in relation to Flying Start and Assisted and Supported places. This will include information on a large expansion of Flying Start childcare places needed from April 2023 as the areas expand. Details to follow shortly. 

Please remember, your Childcare Officer is available if you have any questions or need support with any aspect of your service, and you can also contact our Early Years Hub Team.

We look forward to working with you again over the coming 12 months. 

Spring Training Timetable

The spring Caerphilly Early Years and Childcare training timetable is now available to view on our website. Click the link below for details and to access the training request form. 

Are you a Childcare Offer for Wales provider?

If you are a Childcare Offer provider, make sure you’ve completed the following steps by midday 13 January to avoid missing out on payments:

• Register your setting online
• Be approved by your local authority
• Activate your online account
• Confirm the online agreements submitted by parents

Providers who don’t do this will not receive payments for care provided during the week commencing 9 January. Find out more: https://gov.wales/providers-get-help-childcare-offer-wales

If you’re aware that parents wishing to receive the Offer via your childcare setting haven’t submitted or had their agreement confirmed by you, remind them to do so by midday on 13 January. Those who fail to do this will not be funded for childcare provided during the week commencing 9 January. Confirm your agreements here: https://gov.wales/providers-manage-agreements-childcare-offer-wales

Let's Talk message of the month

“Add a word to what you have heard me say”

This is a really helpful strategy to help little ones begin to join words together. Even if your child has made a gesture, babbled, or said a word that wasn’t totally clear you can use this strategy to show them the words the need next time. You can add on lots of different words! Imagine your child says ‘teddy’, why not add:

Have fun showing your child lots of new things we can say about their favourite things. You can do this when you’re playing or in any everyday situation!

For more information on expanding your child’s talking: How to help your toddler talk - BBC Tiny Happy People

For more information on interacting with young children, visit https://gov.wales/talk-with-me

PlayWales - Reusing stuff for play

19 January 2023 (10:00am – 12:00pm)

While children can and will play with almost anything, there are resources we can provide that facilitate and encourage play. Items such as, fabric, buckets, boxes, rope, tyres, wood and scrap materials used for playing are known as loose parts.

Loose parts are used widely by children in play settings, schools and childcare centres. Sourcing and re-using materials as things for children to play with in settings is a small and simple way to help the environment, whilst improving opportunities for play and creativity.

The webinar will:

• discuss the policy which supports loose parts play
• provide an update on a recent resourcing play scoping exercise undertaken by Play Wales
• explore a range of solutions which respond to joint outcomes for those involved in supporting children’s play and those who work to encourage the reuse of waste.

Who should attend?

The webinar is aimed at: recycling officers, recycling centres, waste management companies, playworkers and play development teams. We will be joined by Simon Bazley, who has undertaken a scoping exercise for Play Wales and authored our Sourcing materials for children’s play information sheet.

Book your place

Visit our new website

Don't forget to have a look around our new website. It has lots of useful information and advice about early years, childcare and support for prospective parents or families with children from birth to 7 years.  www.caerphillyearlyyears.co.uk/  We have a dedicated section for childcare providers where you can also view any previous e-bulletins you may have missed. Please let us know how you think this could be improved.

Like us on Facebook

For the latest information and advice on childcare services and activities, Like the Family Information Service on facebook.