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Bulletin 237

6th June 2022

Welcome to our new style Early Years and Childcare bulletin. Previous bulletins are still available at: Cheshire East Early years and Childcare Bulletin

Look out for...

Operation Encompass lunchtime briefing - 16 June 12pm

Operation Encompass is now live! We are running a shorter version of the briefing session for providers who have not yet managed to attend on Thursday 16 June at 12pm on Teams. Please book on via the online training shop. Please put your Key Adult details onto the Portal as a matter of urgency.

Infant Mental Health Awareness Week

Infant Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 13th - 19th June 2022. Look out on social media and in next weeks bulletin for further information.

Free Bookstart dual language books

Look out for information on how to get free Bookstart dual language books.

Covid-19

Latest Covid figures for Cheshire East

Using data from 26 May 2022, there have been:

• 261 cases in the previous 7 days
• 67.5 cases per 100,000 population in the previous 7 days

Business Support

Cheshire East Council 2022 Childcare Sufficiency Assessment - Parents and Carers Survey

Cheshire East Council are updating their Childcare Sufficiency Assessment (CSA), which seeks to find out whether local parents and carers can access the childcare of their choice. By completing this survey parents and carers can help Cheshire East know what works well or what could change when it comes to choosing and using childcare. The survey deadline has been extended until 17 June 2022 – please can providers share the link below with parents on a regular basis until then. It is really important that we get as big a response as possible. Please promote to parents and carers that if they complete the survey they can be entered into the prize draw to win a family ticket to the opening night of ALADDIN at Crewe Lyceum Theatre. The Pantomime is running from Friday 16 December 2022 to Sunday 8 January 2023. The Pantomime graphic can be used to promote the survey and prize draw on your social media pages.

Autumn Term Data Entry – Portal Access

Please note that the Provider Portal will now be available for you to submit your Autumn term data on 30 June 2022. This is a change. The portal will close again on Friday 29 July 2022 to enable us to calculate your interim payments.

FEEE Briefing – 30 June 2022

We will be holding 2 FEEE Briefing sessions on 30 June 2022 at 10.30am and 6.30am. These will be virtual via Microsoft Teams.

These Briefings are aimed at new providers or those who would like a refresher. The sessions will last for approximately 1 hour and will also give you the opportunity to meet the Team and to ask any questions.

To book onto the sessions, please go to the Online Shop to book your place. 

FEEE – Afghan and Ukrainian children

Afghan and Ukrainian children aged 2, 3 and 4 years old living in Cheshire East are entitled to 15 hours early education irrespective of the immigration status of the child or their parent(s). To claim FEEE funding for children from Afghanistan or Ukraine, please add their details to the Provider Portal in the usual way. Should the Provider Portal be closed, please email the FEEE Team (FEEE@cheshireeast.gov.uk) who will update your funding claim.

In addition, please also complete the short form (link below), enabling the authority to monitor take-up of the free entitlement.  Please complete this form each time an Afghan or Ukrainian child starts or leaves your setting. If any Afghan or Ukrainian children currently attend your setting, please retrospectively complete this form and continue to use the form as you have any new starters or leavers.

https://forms.office.com/r/RN5KbkKrzL

Guidance for Childminders - Ukraine families

The Department for Education have released guidance for childminders in England that are keen to join the many others who have signed-up to host people from Ukraine under the Homes for Ukraine scheme and Ukraine Family Scheme. Please find a link below which provides guidance for childminders who may have signed up to support the Ukraine schemes.

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements

Child Safety Week - 6-12 June 2022

Child Safety Week is an annual community education campaign run by the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT), acting as a catalyst for thousands of safety conversations and activities UK-wide. Helping families stop serious accidents lies at the heart of Child Safety Week. Being clear what the risks are at each stage of their child’s development and knowing what simple changes to make means parents can feel confident to take charge. That’s why the theme for Child Safety Week 2022 is ‘Safety in mind’.  See the link below for further information including a parent pack and facts sheets, highlighting choking, button batteries and falls.

Ofsted

New to the role of Manager drop in sessions

The next 'New to the role of Manager' drop in session is on Tuesday 21 June 1.30pm on Microsoft teams. This informal session is an opportunity to meet others who are also new to the role of Manager and to ask the Childcare Development Officer any questions you may have in your new role. To sign up and receive the Microsoft Teams link please email earlyyearsandchildcareteam@cheshireeast.gov.uk

EYFS Learning and Development

Free Bookstart dual language books

Quality Improvement and the Early Years Reforms – part 7

This week we are going to be considering how to support: … “the voice of a child in the light of Partnership with Parents Intent – Effective feature 7: Partnership with Parents “Well qualified practitioners have expert, wide ranging knowledge about children’s development and learning’ Parents have an in-depth knowledge of their own children” (Julian Grenier, 2021:57) Implementation – Key messages “Listening is key to effective communication. Listening carefully helps us to get in-depth information from parents about their child and their family. It shows parents that their experiences, ideas, and opinions are valued, and that we take their concerns seriously. Progress Check at Age 2 non-statutory guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage. (2022:12) Why do we listen to parents?      ‘Parents may face significant barriers which make it hard for them to focus on home learning with their child. It’s important to know about these barriers, and be positive, sympathetic, and encouraging as parents make small changes.’ (Julien Grenier 2021:58) ‘Only through listening attentively to parents’ can practitioners build the trusting and respectful relationships needed to achieve the best outcomes for children. Practitioners who show they are listening, understanding and valuing what parents say empower them to make effective choices for their children and wider family.’ (Positive relationships – Birth to 5 Matters, 2021:28)’ ‘It is important for parents and early years settings to have a strong and respectful partnership. This sets the scene for children to thrive in the early years.’ (EYFS 2021). Practitioners need to be mindful that some parents feel ‘judged’ by others. Research conducted by the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood found that, as a consequence of feeling judged, almost half of parents report an emotional toll. 15% say that the fear of feeling judged makes it difficult to ask for help and support for their child if needed. (Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood (2021): Big Change Starts Small)    How do we listen to parents? Dedicated time to listen to parents without them feeling judged Individually, not just via questionnaires – consider parents’ previous experiences and find new ways to engage parents Help parents by sharing information about their child’s development and interests from the start, sharing children’s progress and achievements Impact  What difference has it made for the children in your setting? How do all parents feel about sharing information? Tools to support Staff supervision support – discuss how can we include parents and impact on the home learning environment Resources – Development Matters and Birth to 5 Matters What-to-expect-in-the-EYFS-complete-FINAL-16.09-compressed.pdf (foundationyears.org.uk) Coram Family and Childcare - YouTube Becoming Dad: The Fatherhood Institute – Fatherhood institute and Mental Health Foundation.

SEND

Cheshire East Chatters Talking Walk-in for Parents

Please share the information below with parents. The Talking Walk-in's are opportunities for parents to speak with a Speech and Language Therapist to receive advice and guidance to support their child at home.

Continuous Professional Development

Training for Designated Safeguarding Leads

The next Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Clusters are on 15th June 10am - 12pm and 16th June 6.30pm - 8.30pm. Alistair Jordan, Business Manager, Children’s Safeguarding, will be focussing on the Cheshire East Safeguarding Children’s Partnership’s responsibilities and support it can offer to providers.

New to the Role of the DSL is on 24th June 9.30am - 4pm. This course is for practitioners who are new to the role of the DSL and provides information and guidance.

To book your place, please log onto the Early Years Online Shop.   

Training courses this half term

EYFS

**Last chance to book**

Explore the EYFS Part 1 ‘The Learning and Development requirements’ and Part 2  ‘Assessment’ of the Statutory Framework – 10^th June 10am-12pm via Teams

Communication and Language

Attachment and Communication – 16^th & 17^th June 1-4pm via Teams

Effective Interactions – 29^th June 9.30am-3.30pm, YMCA, Crewe

Developing Communication, Language & Literacy in the Early Years: Megan Dixon – 30^th June 1-3pm via Teams

2 year olds

Progress Check and Integrated Review at 2 – 16^th June or 30^th June 9.30-11.30am via Teams

Safeguarding

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements – 23^rd June 10am-12pm via Teams

New to the role of the DSL – 24^th June 9.30am-4pm Oakenclough Childrens Centre

Safeguarding Basic Awareness – 5^th July 1-3pm via Teams

SEND

Making sense of Autism (Tier 1) – 14^th June 9.30-11.30am via Teams

PSED

What is my behaviour trying to tell you? – 20^th June & 4^th July 1-3pm via Teams

The last network meetings this term will take place on the following dates:

DSL cluster – 15^th June 10.00am-12.00pm or 16^th June 6.30-8.30pm via Teams

SENCO network – 21^st June 6.30-8.30pm, 22^nd June 9.30-11.30am or 1.30-3.30pm via Teams

Early Language Lead network – 23^rd June 2.00-4.00pm at YMCA, Crewe,  24^th June 10.00am-12.00pm via Teams or 28^th June 10.00am-12.00pm at Oakenclough Children’s Centre

Early Years & Childcare Providers network for Owners, Managers and Leaders – 13^th & 14^th July via Teams

To book your place on any course or network, please log onto the Early Years Online Shop

Don't Forget!

Cheshire East Council 2022 Childcare Sufficiency Assessment - Parents and Carers Survey

The survey deadline has been extended until 17 June 2022 – please can providers share the link below with parents on a regular basis until then. It is really important that we get as big a response as possible.