 As we start the new summer term, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks for your unwavering commitment and support over the past few months. It has been another busy period, but your dedication has been really appreciated. Thank you for your efforts and for working alongside us.
For those of you providing funded childcare placements through Flying Start or Early Years Education, you will have received your new registers. To help us accurately record attendance, we've introduced a few new attendance codes:
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L for Late
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V for Educational visits or trips
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R for Days set aside exclusively for religious observance
We've also updated the guidance for some of the other codes. Please visit our webpage for detailed instructions on completing your registers and for more information about each code and when to use it. Funded placements register guidance - Caerphilly Early Years
 If you currently use Government Gateway to access the Childcare Offer for Wales, you will now need to migrate to GOV.UK One Login.
You should have received an email from the Childcare Offer team on Tuesday 6th May, sent to the email address registered on the platform, asking you to complete this migration. This is a simple but important change, and the next time you sign in, on-screen instructions will guide you through the process.
To find out more visit Get help using GOV.UK One Login with the Childcare Offer for Wales | GOV.WALES
For assistance call the Childcare Offer for Wales helpline
📞 03000 628 628
The helpline is open Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday 9am to 4:30pm.
 The summer 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.
Book now
 Applications for Flying Start childcare for eligible children with a date of birth 01/04/2023 to 31/08/2023 are now open!
The preferred application window is 28 April to 12 May but applications can be made after this period.
Please encourage any eligible parents you are working with to apply.
Flying Start funded childcare - Caerphilly Early Years
 A huge thank you to Connect Life Church Foodbank, part of the Trussell Trust, for donating 30 wonderful Easter bundles to support the families we work with at Caerphilly Early Years.
Most of these bundles were shared with families living in local homeless units, while the rest were distributed to families in the community who greatly appreciated this kind gesture.
We are incredibly grateful to our amazing partners for always thinking of the families we support — your generosity truly makes a difference!
To find out more and make a donation, visit our website at https://caerphilly.foodbank.org.uk/.
Have your say here
 Making comments about things your child can see is a great way to support them to learn to talk. You can do this in everyday routines:
- Whilst walking to the shop, ‘it’s a dog, it’s a big fluffy dog’
- In a supermarket ‘we need bananas, the bananas are heavy!’
- At the park, ‘you’re climbing up high’, ‘the girl is jumping’.
- Whilst putting the washing away together, ‘I’ve got a stripy sock’, ‘the washing is wet’.
- Making lunch together ‘let’s pour the milk’, ‘wow, that’s a big carrot’.
It’s never too early to start doing this! Hearing the same words over and over helps children to learn them so you might find yourself talking about your child’s favourite things regularly. Make a comment and wait in case they want to respond. If they give it a try, say it back to them. If they say ‘nana’ you can say ‘yes it’s a banana’. Have fun showing them all the words for the things they see every day!
You can find this strategy in the 10 tips to help me learn to talk booklet.
For more information on interacting with young children, visit https://gov.wales/talk-with-me
 Children (Reception to year 11) of families on lower incomes who receive certain benefits, those seeking asylum and children in care can claim £125 per year to help with school costs.
There’s still time to check eligibility and apply for this year’s funding before applications close on 31 May.
To find out more about the Schools Essentials Grant and to check eligibility, visit Get help with school costs.
Please help to share this with families you are working with and with your wider networks.
 The School Nursing Service at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board plays a vital role in promoting the health and wellbeing of children and young people. Working across both health and education, school nurses provide expert support to families, schools, and communities.
If you work with children and families, you can refer them to the School Nursing Service for support with a range of physical, emotional, and wellbeing needs. The service is delivered by a team of specialist nurses, supported by Registered Nurses and Health Care Support Workers.
How to Refer:
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Parents/Carers can call 01633 431 685 to access the School Nursing Service directly.
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Young People (Aged 11–19) can also text 07312 263 262 anonymously via ChatHealth for confidential advice and support.
To learn more about the service and access useful resources, visit the School Nursing section of the Healthier Together website.
 Over the last few months the childcare media has been giving considerable coverage to the Employment Allowance, a UK Government scheme to provide funding to offset part of the National Insurance costs for small businesses.
There have been changes to policy, and HMRC have said that their guidance is “subject to ongoing review”.
HMRC have published online guidance and are available to speak to should a setting have questions about what the changes mean for them. If settings take this approach, they can do so with confidence that the advice they are given by HMRC is correct relating to their own business set up.
We feel that the safest thing providers can do to assure themselves depends on their business setup.
- If a setting enlists the help of an accountant to help them with their business, their accountant should support them to ensure that they are in line with the changes.
- If a setting does not use an accountant, they should contact HMRC themselves to seek clarity and satisfy themselves
HMRC Guidance
Employment Allowance: What you'll get - GOV.UK
HMRC “Contact us” information
 PACEY Cymru are pleased to announce that through a generous donation from The Moondance Foundation and additional funding from Welsh Government we are able to provide a discount on funded membership for eligible members in Wales from April 2025 to March 2026.
In addition, eligible members* who renew or join PACEY from April 2025 to March 2026 will be able to apply for a small grant to support activities for children.
In addition to the above, we can confirm a discount of £65 for PACEY Quality Start from 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026. (the website will be updated from 1.4.25)
- For individuals purchasing it will be £144.99 inc. VAT (209.99 inc VAT with discount of £65 funding)
Please note it is only the toolkit that has VAT added.
Any childminders joining PACEY with Quality Start will also be eligible to apply for the small grant .
PACEY has officially joined the Coram Group and is now known as Coram PACEY. In Wales, this work continues as Coram PACEY Cymru, with the same team and services in place. The organisation remains committed to supporting home-based child carers—such as childminders and nannies—and working to reverse the decline in childminder numbers.
👉 Find out more here
In honour of Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2025, we’re teaming up with @ReciteMe to highlight how small changes can make a BIG difference! 💡
Did you know our website — caerphillyearlyyears.co.uk — already includes these essential accessibility features?
- ALT text on all images
- High-contrast colours for better readability
- Clear, simple language throughout
- Full keyboard navigation support
- Audio alternatives for videos
We’re proud to offer an inclusive experience for everyone who visits our site
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