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Bulletin 260

30 January 2023

Welcome to our Early Years and Childcare bulletin. Previous bulletins are 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

Free Early Education Entitlement – Provider Portal Closed

The Provider Portal is now closed for the Spring Term data entry. Please email any adjustments/additions to the FEEE Team on FEEE@cheshireeast.gov.uk giving full details including parent details, DOB’s and start dates.

Free Early Education Entitlement – FEEE Briefing

There will be 2 FEEE Briefings via Microsoft Teams on Thursday 16 March 2023.   The sessions will be held at 2pm or 6.30pm.

These Briefings are aimed at both new providers and those providers who would like a refresher.  They are due to last around 1 hour and will give you the opportunity to meet the Team as well as to ask any questions you may have.  We would recommend that at least 2 people, where possible, join so that there is back-up in case of illness when adding data to the Portal.

To book onto one of these sessions, please go to the Online Shop below to book your place. These Briefings are free of charge.

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements

The Operation Encompass Teachers’ Helpline for staff in all education settings

The Operation Encompass Teachers’ Helpline is available for all education staff to speak in confidence with an educational or clinical psychologist about how best to support children in their setting who may be experiencing domestic abuse.

The Helpline is available on 0204 513 9990 and is open from 8am to 1pm, Monday to Friday, term-time. Calls are charged at a local rate.

Please note that calling the helpline should not replace statutory safeguarding processes.

Further information and resources are available from the Operation Encompass website.

Household Support Fund (HSF) February 2023 voucher rollout

Please be advised that the next HSF supermarket voucher rollout to all education settings is planned for the 2 and 3 February 2023 – please ensure that you look out for your email from the HSF Family inbox containing your free school meal eligible pupil list and the voucher codes for distribution.

It is hoped that distributing the HSF supermarket vouchers to settings at this time will allow settings the time needed to distribute the vouchers in advance of the February half term break.  

Please also note that the next funding allocation for this scheme is being made by the Department of Work and Pensions on 1 April 2023. Payments are likely to be agreed for the Easter break but due to the commencement date of the fund, payments will be expected to be made retrospectively. 

Planning for the next Household Support Fund scheme from 1 April 2023 is underway and further updates will be made when available. 

Thank you for your continued support.

Household Support Fund voucher rollout February 2023

Children and families qualify for the Household Support Fund if they are in receipt of early years pupil premium (EYPP) or two-year funding.

The next voucher rollout is planned at the beginning of February, allowing settings time to distribute the vouchers to eligible families before the February half term break.

To ensure all eligible families are identified, please add parent details to the Provider Portal enabling EYPP eligibility checks to take place as soon as possible. Please tick the consent box on the Portal to confirm that you have the parent’s permission for the eligibility check to be completed.

Thank you for your support.

Safer Internet Day 7 February 2023

Safer Internet Day 2023 will take place on the 7th of February 2023, with celebrations and learning based around the theme ‘Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online’. Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre, the celebration sees thousands of organisations get involved to promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.

Ofsted and Department for Education

Ofsted Inspections: what EY providers and practitioners need to know

Ofsted have updated their page that provides information about what schools, registered early years providers and childminders need to know about delivering the early years foundation stage (EYFS), and Ofsted inspections under the education inspection framework (EIF). There is a summary of changes document which highlights the new questions added and other changes made.

How all settings need to prepare for the new national Emergency Alerts system

The government is set to roll out a new Emergency Alerts system, which will send alerts to mobile phones when there is a danger to life in the area you are located. It is expected to launch this year with all compatible 4G and 5G devices in England receiving a “welcome message”.

If you get an emergency alert on your mobile phone or 4G/5G device, you’ll hear a loud, siren-like sound. A message on your screen will tell you about the emergency and how best to respond. You’ll be able to check online if an alert is genuine.

Please read the new Emergency Alerts guidance and review your setting’s risk assessments and emergency plans to include relevant processes, should an emergency alert be issued in your area.

An update for all education settings on Protect Duty – Martyn’s Law

In December, the government announced details of ‘Martyn’s Law’ in tribute of Martyn Hett, who was killed alongside 21 others in the 2017 Manchester Arena terrorist attack.

The Department for Education are working with the Home Office to develop legislation to clarify what this will mean for the education sector. The Home Office factsheet on Martyn’s law gives more information. Expert advice, training and guidance is already available on the online protective security hub, ProtectUK.

EYFS Learning and Development

World Book Day Tokens

Please make sure that you include your contact phone number when you request your World Book Day tokens.

Apply for support from the Department for Education Childminder Mentor programme

The Department for Education (DfE) is offering a programme of support for childminders across England, from May 2023 until July 2024. The Childminder mentor programme is focused on supporting childminders to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the youngest and most disadvantaged children.

By joining this programme, you will receive support from experienced early years practitioners who have at least three years' experience as a childminder or supporting childminders, in the roles of Area Lead and Mentor.

The support is free and available across England.

You will also have the opportunity to network with other childminders in your area who are part of the programme and also the Department for education, local authorities and other early years providers.

To be eligible to receive support from the DfE Childminder Mentor programme, childminders must currently be providing childcare to children aged between 0-5 (to at least one child).

If you are interested in receiving support, please see the link below and register by 17 February 2023.

SEND

Consultations – SEND, PSED, Speech and Language

Do you have concerns about the development of a child in your setting or would you like advice and support on how you can address the individual needs of a child?

We are offering:

• SEND consultations with an Early Years Consultant for SEND
• PSED consultations with members of the Early Start Team, a Family Service Worker and a Mental Health Worker
• Speech and Language consultations with a specialist Speech and Language Therapist

These virtual appointments are an opportunity for you to discuss your concerns and receive advice on how best to support the child including suggestions on how to adapt your practice or your environment, strategies you can implement that may help the child to learn and progress or what additional support may be available for the child. You will be required to obtain parent’s permission and complete some paperwork prior to the consultation.

To book on one of these consultations, log onto the Online Shop below.

Early Years SEN

To keep yourself up to date with current processes follow the link below to SEN and disability in the early years (cheshireeast.gov.uk). The information for SENCOs document includes key Spring Term deadlines.

Parenting Journey

Continuous Professional Development

Early Years Professional Development Programme places are now available for February 2023

Due to a last minute surge of interest, We have been told that the window to apply for a place on Cohort 1 has been extended once again to 3^rd February 2023.

The flexible study programme offers a high quality continuing professional development (CPD) programme across England and is facilitated through online self-study and regular facilitated webinars. The programme provides support for practitioners to:

• improve skills to support children’s communication and language development
• provide an understanding of the theory of child development in early mathematics
• develop skills to support children’s self-confidence, relationships, and self-awareness through expertly developed personal, social and emotional development training
• improve engagement with parents and carers to support the home learning environment

To find more information on eligibility and how to apply, please visit the website. Early years practitioners should discuss with their line managers before applying.

Spring Term Training

Delivering Small Groups Language Interventions, 31-Jan-23, 9.30am-12pm on Teams

An opportunity to explore ways to set up small groups focussing on the development of attention and listening skills as well as language skills and vocabulary. You will also learn more about how to identify children for the groups as well as sharing thoughts and ideas around using a total communication approach to support children to engage with the activities.

Safeguarding Basic Awareness, 01-Feb-23, 6.15pm to 8.30pm on Teams

Focussing on basic information and understanding about safeguarding children, this course addresses safeguarding in Early Years and Childcare Settings and covers practice and procedures used within Cheshire East and will enable you to identify, understand and respond appropriately to signs of possible abuse and neglect.

New to the Role of the SENCO , 02-Feb-23, 9.30am to 3.30pm at Oakenclough Children Centre

If you are new to the role of the SENCO or are want to refresh your knowledge then this is the course for you.  You will get information on how to use Cheshire East’s graduated approach or the Cheshire East’s SEND Toolkit and you will learn about how to identify and support children with additional needs and the process to follow in order to refer them for additional support if required.

Supporting Speech Sounds, 03-Feb-23, 9.15am-12.15pm at Congleton Library

Following SALT referrals we are aware that some children have to wait quite some time before they are able to be assessed and so our new Supporting Speech Sounds training is designed to help you support communication and language development in your setting. This session will discuss typical speech sound development and help you to identify any concerns and give you practical strategies to implement in your setting including some sound awareness activities to help you to deliver them confidently with children in your setting.

Progress Check and Integrated Review at 2, 08-Feb-23 or 09-Feb-23 on Teams

Explore the process of coordinating the Progress check within your setting to fulfil the statutory requirements of the EYFS and how this links in with integrated review which brings together the Early years Progress check at age 2 and the Health development check. Consider the requirements of writing a quality progress check and working to embed partnerships with parents and link health professionals.

Effective Interactions, 09-Feb-23, 9.30am-3pm at Congleton Library

This one day course aims to highlight why interaction is so important and look at ways you can adapt your interactions to promote communication and support the needs of the developing child. There will be discussions about how you can differentiate to support individual children's communication development and focus on the practicalities of how to integrate high quality adult-interaction into your daily routine.

Me, myself and I: Supporting children to develop social skills 10-Feb and 27-Apr-23 1pm-3pm on Teams

In these session Ruth Swailes will explore what we mean when we talk about Self-Regulation and Executive Function, and why supporting children to develop these vital skills really matters.

Session 1 - Ruth will explore how we can evaluate current strengths and areas for development and provide some simple audit tools to use.

Session 2 - Ruth will provide a range of strategies so that staff can support children to become successful, independent learners who are able to manage and identify their own feelings and behaviour, so that they can enjoy positive relationships and focus on learning.

Don’t miss out on any of our training and CPD opportunities. Log onto the Online shop to find out what else is available and secure your place now

National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL)

The NPQEYL launched in October and is now available to current and aspiring nursery leaders, childminders and headteachers of school-based nurseries.

Participants will gain skills and confidence so they can deliver high-quality education and care to support children’s development, become a better organisational leader and develop staff so they can reach their full potential.

The course is free, flexible and designed by sector experts to help professionals across the sector to develop their career. The Department for Education want to particularly encourage early years practitioners from private, voluntary and independent settings to register.

More information about the NPQEYL and eligibility criteria can be found on our website and in our recently published blog.

If you have any questions or need further support, please contact us.

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