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Bulletin 254

28 November 2022

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

Covid-19

Latest Covid Figures for Cheshire East

The Covid figures are now being updated on a less frequent basis - for the latest figures see the link below.

Business Support

All FEEE Providers / Administrators - FEEE Spring Term Data

Please note that the Provider Portal is now closed for Spring term data entry to enable the interim payment calculation to be made. The Portal will re-open for the Spring term around 5 December for you to add any further data.

Any adjustments after this date will be included in your final Spring term final payment as an adjustment.

Please continue to email any adjustments for the Autumn term to the FEEE Team should there be any.

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements

Early Years Section 11 Safeguarding Audit

‘Working together to safeguard children’ 2018 makes clear the statutory duties for
early years providers with regards to the safeguarding requirements for your
provision.

To enable us to support you with these requirements, we have put together a short
safeguarding audit to capture what you have in place in your provision. This has now been emailed to providers.

Please complete the audit in full by Friday 9 December 2022.

New Release - Safer sleep during the colder months/Safer sleep advice in emergency situations by the Lullaby Trust

Recognising that the colder months might be difficult for families, The Lullaby Trust has put together a leaflet for parents and carers to consider when placing their baby to sleep during the winter months. In addition, there is a separate leaflet containing advice for when babies are away from home or in emergency situations. Please raise awareness of the Lullaby Trust's winter messages by 'spreading the word' to reach as many professionals and parents as possible and share with your communications teams Instagram - @lullabytrust Twitter - @LullabyTrust Facebook – The Lullaby Trust Please share the new resources far and wide, please add to your professional toolkit and help raise awareness of the messages where possible.

Department for Education updates

An update on CO2 monitors and air cleaning units for state-funded education settings

Good ventilation in education settings remains important, both for managing the transmission of airborne illnesses like Covid or flu, as well as aiding concentration and alertness.

Last year, the Department for Education provided CO2 monitors for 50% of teaching spaces in state-funded education settings, and they know that settings have found the monitors helpful to manage ventilation.

The DfE will now be providing additional CO2 monitors to these settings for the remaining 50% of classrooms, to help balance ventilation with energy costs. Deliveries will start on Monday 28 November, and you will receive notification in advance to confirm the date of delivery.

Further education and a small number of early years settings, namely eligible childminders, will be contacted separately with more information on how to receive additional monitors. Please view the how-to guide on using your CO2 monitors.

The DfE are also reopening their programme for Department for Education funded air cleaning units, following positive feedback on the previous scheme. These are for use in classrooms where it is not possible to maintain adequate ventilation and where CO2 levels are consistently over 1500ppm. Air cleaning units can help reduce airborne contaminants while remedial work is undertaken. Applications open from today. The DfE are also providing guides on how to apply and on how to use an air cleaning unit.

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EYFS Learning and Development

Bookstart Star Packs

Top tips to support children’s emotional health and well-being - “The things I feel inside”

Top Tip number 10: ‘Help me to feel safe and secure’ “If we place emotional wellbeing at the heart of all that takes place within a nursery then the very young children in that setting will thrive because their emotional wellbeing is high, and as a result they will be on the pathway to learning.” [www.teachearlyyears.com, 2022] Top tips to support children’s emotional health and well-being - “The things I feel inside” The pack includes 10 postcards with a top tip on each to use to support children’s personal, social and emotional development and share with parents. Also included is a poster, word clouds and supporting quotes so you can create a display that your team can use to quickly and easily remind themselves of different ways to support children’s emotional health and wellbeing and to highlight the current ‘top tip’  To purchase the full set of Top Tip postcards for only £7.50, log onto the Online shop

Department for Education Childminder mentor programme

Applications for the roles of Area Lead and Mentor on the DfE Childminder programme are now live on gov.uk.

The link to the application page including applicant eligibility criteria is available here: Childminder mentor programme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The deadline to submit an expression of interest application form is the 16^th December 2022.

Please get in touch if you have any questions, using the following DfE mailbox: EOI.EYRECOVERY@education.gov.uk

SEND

Early Years SEN consultation and application process

Some of our application processes have changed over this year. Keep yourself up to date with current processes and follow the link to SEN and disability in the early years (cheshireeast.gov.uk) for information on requests for consultation and funding applications/key dates.

SEN payments for children moving /reducing hours

If a child in receipt of Early Years SEN funding is leaving your setting or is reducing their hours please keep us informed.

Email earlyyearssenhelpline@cheshireeast.gov.uk so adjustments can be made prior to the January payment.

Cheshire East Chatters Christmas key message

The Cheshire East Chatters key message for Christmas is the dummy campaign.

Poster / leaflet are on our website on the link below. Resources will be on the Facebook page and settings can message the team there if they want copies.

Below is the YouTube link to the video on the impact on dummies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX_DsbgZV04

Parenting Journey

Parenting Journey - Stop 8

This week is all about Stop 8 which is our Toddlers Together stay and play session in the children’s centres.  This is available to anyone with a toddler around 12 – 24 months it’s a popular group which offers parents the chance to meet other parents with children of a similar age. Sessions are planned specifically for toddlers with a range of stimulating and exciting activities which promote language, play and interactions. Contact your local Children’s Centre to find out when this when this group is available and if this is bookable. Leaflets available at these stops are: Development Leaflet – 22 – 36 months Fun activities to learn and play together - now I am 15 months old Email parenting.journey@cheshireeast.gov.uk Menu of Offer for parents with children at this age: Little Stars This is a drop in Stay and Play for children with additional needs with opportunities for parents/carers to talk to other parents and build a peer support group. Activities are available to promote interactions and play. Target Audience - Parents / carers with children with additional needs The following groups can be referred into by completing an Early Start request form: Incredible Toddlers         Support for parents with children 0 -4 - this 12-week Webster Stratton course focuses on strengthening parents' relationship with their child.   Home Talk          This is for children with a speech and language delay it consists of 6 sessions delivered in the home focusing on developing children’s talking. Target Audience: Children with speech and language delays Magic 123           Magic 123 support for parents with children 2 -4 years with initial parenting support and tools it is evidence based 4-week course focusing on effective, positive parenting.  The group is for children 2 – 4 and can be group based or carried out within the home.     SPACE - Supporting Parents and Children Emotionally        This is a 5-week programme for all parents with the aim of providing information using trauma awareness about children’s and adult’s emotional behaviour.

Continuous Professional Development

Have you been enjoying Dr Julian Grenier’s leadership sessions?

We have been offered a discounted rate for a limited number of Schools, PVI settings and childminders who would like to attend the Newham Early Years Conference on 9^th January 2023.

Tickets were priced £80 per head, we now have 10 tickets available for Cheshire schools at £70 per head, 10 tickets for PVI settings at £35 per head and 5 tickets free for Child minders (price includes a copy of his new book Putting the EYFS Curriculum into Practice RRP £24.99). This is a not for profit event.

If you would like to book a ticket please contact earlyyearsandchildcareteam@chehireeast.gov.uk  

Let’s talk twos Golden buzzer winner Christmas special… 'the rhythms gonna get you’

Jingle all the way with us and our golden buzzer winner ‘the rhythm gonna get you’ with a Christmas twist!

Tuesday 6^th December 6.30pm – 8pm. Don’t miss out! Book in through the online training shop.

Autumn term training

The final CPD opportunities for this term are:

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What is my behaviour trying to tell you, 28th Nov and 5th Dec 9.30am - 11.30am

Our newly revised two part behaviour training suitable for all EY practitioners, this provide the skills and knowledge to develop understanding of children’s social and emotional needs. Explore how we can be curious about behaviours and what might be affecting the child at that given time, build a supportive, appropriate curriculum, embed behaviour conversations in your practice and develop a whole setting approach to supporting children’s behaviour.

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Leadership & Management by Julian Grenier

Following our successful launch of our Leadership and Management programme 2022/23 we would like to invite you to attend our next session:

Lead Practitioners for 2 year olds – 30^th November 9.30-11.30am

Julian will discuss embedding the 7 key features of effective practice and what this looks like for 2 year olds, the importance of early intervention and high quality practice and provision for disadvantaged children.

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Safeguarding Basic Awareness - 30^th November 6-8pm

A two hour training course that provides basic information and understanding about safeguarding children. It has been specifically written to address safeguarding in Early Years and Childcare Settings and covers practice and procedures used within Cheshire East. It will enable you to identify, understand and respond appropriately to signs of possible abuse and neglect.

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Making Sense of Autism - 01-Dec-22 - 9.30am to 11.30am

An opportunity to look at the four key areas of difference that need to be taken into account when working with children on the autism spectrum and be able to identify the key areas to help children on the autism spectrum build positive relationships with staff and their peers.

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Let’s Talk Two’s - Golden buzzer winner ‘Christmas the rhythm’s gonna get you’ 06-Dec 22 6.30-8pm

Thank you to everyone who took time to vote – we are pleased to announce that the session with the most votes was ‘the rhythm’s gonna get you’. Don’t forget your Christmas jumper or accessories!

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Don't Forget!

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