CambsEYC are excited to announce the launch of the new Professional Development Programme.
The program offers a variety of training opportunities for 2024 - 2025 academic year to support early years practitioners to enhance their professional development at all career levels.
You are invited you to explore the Learn Together website to view the available training courses in the following areas:
To learn more, take advantage of the new early years Membership Offer, that includes credits which can be exchanged for places on essential (mandatory) courses free of charge.
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Learn more with the new CambsEYC Membership Offer available for all types of providers, which includes credits that can be exchanged for places on essential (mandatory) courses free of charge, and discounts available for multi-package membership.
There are also membership options that are specifically designed to support expanding providers, and a combined package available for schools running early years provision for children in the two to five age range.
Once you have chosen your membership package, please sign up via the Early Years, Childcare & School Readiness Service Annual Membership 2024-2025 online booking form.
For support with the membership, please contact earlyyears.service@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or telephone 01223 706 133.
If you have any questions about the new programme, course costs and bookings, email eyctraining@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or telephone 01223 706 349.
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Are you, staff or volunteers looking to achieve a recognised qualification in early years? Now is the time to apply for the autumn term 2024.
The Cambridgeshire Early Childhood Qualifications Centre (CECQC) offer training qualifications which are accredited and recognised by the Department of Education.
CECQC delivers introductory courses fully funded, and part funded for people considering or already working within Cambridgeshire early years.
Learn more at cecqc.co.uk.
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Are you looking to expand or create new places?
Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) launched its Capital Grant Funding process for all providers who offer, or are looking to offer, additional early years or wraparound provision. This capital funding is in addition to the revenue grants for the wraparound programme.
Details of the process can be found on the Market Position Statement webpage on the Learn Together website, along with what you must include within your application form: Cambridgeshire Early Years and Wraparound Childcare Programme Funding Grant 2024-25 (office.com). CCC are particularly keen to hear from providers who are looking to expand, or establish provision in the following areas:
- Cambourne
- Littleport
- Northstowe
- St Neots
- Whittlesey
- Wisbech
Please note, that funding must be used for capital works and not for revenue expenditure such as staffing, or staff training.
If you have any questions about the process, please email earlyyears.service@cambridgeshire.gov.uk with the subject line ‘Capital Grant Process’ so your query is directed appropriately.
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Talking Together in Cambridgeshire (TTiC) funding programme is now open for community groups who run events helping parents and carers learn more about how to support their young children's communication, language, and literacy development.
Full details of the programme, including application guidance, are available to view on the TTiC funding information webpage. Those interested in applying for funding are advised to attend one of the TTiC funding information sessions on either of the following dates:
- Tuesday, 2 July 2024 from 2 pm to 3 pm
- Monday, 8 July 2024 from 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm
Please note, all application forms should be submitted no later than midday on Friday, 26 July 2024. If you would like to speak with someone about the funding process, please contact community.literacy@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.
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Bupa Foundation Green Community Grants want to fund practical projects such as community gardens, wildlife conservation, and sustainable education initiatives, benefiting both people and planet health.
Funding is open to schools, charities, not-for-profits, local authorities, and social housing providers (some exclusions apply). However, priority will be given to projects that:
- Improve or create new green spaces
- Benefit and involve the local community
- Are in disadvantaged areas with high Indices of Multiple Deprivation scores for the postcode, or a school with a considerable proportion of children benefitting from free school meals.
For a detailed application process and eligibility criteria, interested parties should contact Groundwork UK. Remember, before the application cut-off at midnight on Sunday, 30 June 2024.
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The UK Health Security Agency has launched measles awareness posters detailing the importance of immunisation against this highly contagious disease.
The 'Think Measles!' posters for public spaces are designed to educate the general public and encourage vaccination.
For those interested in supporting the initiative, paper copies of the posters are available for free and can be ordered directly from Health Publications. Alternative formats will be made available to ensure accessibility for all.
To contribute to this public health effort, please share and display these posters in public spaces.
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Come and join in the fun at Cambridgeshire Child and Family Centres. They offer welcoming spaces where families can access a wide range of support groups, events, activities, courses, along with lots of fun things for children from birth to age 19 to do.
All their groups, events, activities, and courses are promoted on Cambridgeshire Online Directory. Many of these take place at the main centres, also listed in the directory, but there are also many that take place in the local community. Each group, event, activity, or course listed will detail where they take place, and the specific contact is for venue.
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The Cambridgeshire Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme is operating this summer holiday from Tuesday, 23 July to Friday, 30 August 2024.
Eligible free school meal (FSM) pupils can attend a participating holiday scheme for up to 64 hours for free. Pupils are offered a daily meal and participation in enriching experiences with their peers.
Eligibility vouchers have already been issued by email and text to parents and carers in receipt of benefit-related FSM on Monday, 10 June 2024. Additional eligibility codes can be requested after this date, please contact the Cambridgeshire HAF Team for more details and to apply.
Email: haf@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01223 714 742
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The Food Standards Agency (FSA) have highlighted the risk that is posed to people eating raw flour. Whilst flour does not look raw, it is in fact a raw ingredient and because it has not been treated, can present a risk of food poisoning from germs such as E. coli. The FSA recommend that those who are vulnerable, including children under the age of five do not play with, taste, or eat raw dough or batter due to the risk presented in raw flour. This includes playdough.
The FSA have provided some helpful tips for keeping safe when using raw flour which can be seen in this article below as well as how to heat treat flour to make it safe for our young children’s homemade playdough.
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For parents on parental leave who are applying for the child who is the reason for the leave, or for parents starting a new job, the following applies:
- If a parent is planning to start work or return to work from parental leave before Monday, 30 September 2024 they can apply for the working parent entitlement now, to accept a place from the September term. They need to apply online, and they will then receive a letter in the post within one to two weeks so they can access their childcare entitlement.
- If a parent is planning to start or return to work from parental leave between Tuesday, 1 October 2024 and Friday, 31 January 2025, they will be able to apply from 1 September to assume a place from the January term.
- If a parent is applying for childcare for an older child, who is not the reason for their parental leave, they can apply regardless of their return-to-work date.
A small minority of parents on parental leave are receiving error messages on the application system that incorrectly says they are ineligible. Parents returning to work before the end of September can ignore this message.
For more information, please click the link and see the FAQ’s Parental Leave
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Prospective foster carers wanting to learn more about fostering in Cambridgeshire are invited to attend an informal presentation to find out what's involved in becoming a foster carer.
The next session is scheduled to take place on Thursday, 11 July 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm.
The free information session is a fantastic opportunity to hear from experienced foster carers, along with fostering recruitment officers, and social workers.
You can book your free place through the Fostering Service Me Learning portal. For more details, please email fostering@cambridgeshire.gov.uk, or telephone 0800 052 0078.
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Inclusive Books for Children (IBC) is a free website which has reviewed more than a thousand inclusive children’s books. The site highlights books offering diverse representation in terms of ethnicity, disability, family structures, neurodiversity, and class or socio-economic background, and seeks to provide a balanced perspective on gender stereotypes.
IBC aspire to a world in which inclusive books are mainstream, and mainstream books are inclusive.
As with any resources for children and young people, it is important to review resources first to ensure they are appropriate for the child’s age and understanding.
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Cambridgeshire STEM in the Early Years aims to enable settings to develop new ways of supporting children's learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-based activities, in an innovative way.
A free STEM in the early years launch event is taking place on Wednesday, 26 June 2024.
Delegates will have the opportunity to listen to an inspiring guest speaker around how to embed STEM within the early years and can trial activities in workshops throughout the day.
To book your free place, please visit booking and reservations for Early Years Workforce Development (bookingbug.com).
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A new inquiry into play aims to give children back their childhoods. The Raising the Nation Play Commission has established a new commission with a mission to expand play opportunities for children. This initiative addresses critical issues such as childhood obesity and poor mental health, aiming to enrich the lives of young ones through the power of play.
The commission’s dedication to this cause reflects a growing recognition of play as a fundamental right and a cornerstone of a healthy childhood. By advocating for more accessible and inclusive play spaces, the commission seeks to empower children to lead active, joyful, and fulfilling lives.
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The CambsEYC Safeguarding Team are completing the final childminder 'Designated Person for Child Protection' training sessions for the academic year and are looking forward to adding the childminder 'Designated Person for Child Protection - Refresher' training from September 2024 for those childminders who are approaching two years since their initial training.
The three evening sessions that make up the full certificate are hosted jointly with PACEY and have been delivered to over one hundred childminders to date. The sessions have enabled both PACEY and the safeguarding team to support childminders to extend their knowledge in all aspects of safeguarding including referrals, maintaining, and transferring welfare files and sharing of information and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from all participants.
For further information on this training, see the 2024/2025 training program: Childminders, Safeguarding and Child Protection.
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The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough annual Safeguarding Children Partnership Board Conference will be held on Monday, 1 July 2024 at Delta Hotels by Marriott Huntingdon.
The event will feature key speakers, Professor David Shemmings OBE PhD, and Claire Pengelley-Scott, who bring experience in child protection research and health safeguarding.
The conference aims to enhance the skills of practitioners supporting children and families across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. It includes a diverse program addressing serious youth violence, transitional safeguarding, and professional development in specialist roles.
Attendance is free, but non-attendance fees apply. To register or manage bookings, participants can log in to their Me Learning account. For support please email safeguardingboardstraining@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.
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The Forest School peer support network takes place at the Girton Glebe Primary School on Tuesday, 2 July 2024 from 6 pm to 7.30 pm.
The support group is open to all early years forest school practitioners, childminders, out-of-school clubs, and schools, including learners undergoing forest school training.
The network is a chance to share practice, refresh knowledge, collaborate with other forest school leaders and practitioners and have fun. Equipment will be available to use onsite. However, educators are encouraged to bring equipment, tarpaulin, rope, fire strikers, dead wood, etc. So, they can practice freely.
Please visit booking and reservations for Early Years Workforce Development to register you place. For more information, please email: ForestSchool@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.
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