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Bulletin 268

17 April 2023

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

Business Support

Tax-Free Childcare – a back to basics webinar for all activity and childcare providers - 3 May 2023

Look out for Hempsall's next webinar ‘All you need to know about Tax-Free Childcare – a back to basics webinar for all activity and childcare providers’ 3 May 2023 6.30pm – 8.00pm.

Funded by HMRC and free to attend, this webinar continues Hempsall's work to raise awareness of Tax-Free Childcare (TFC). The aim is to increase early education and childcare providers’ understanding of TFC. The content has been developed in direct response to the questions raised at the first webinar held in February 2023.  

The Eventbrite booking system is now live, book your place here.

There are 1,000 places, and so are encouraging you to promote the webinar if you can through your own networks, channels, social media, websites and newsletters.   

The webinar will be useful for early education and childcare settings, out of school, and activity club providers across the UK. It will provide an overview of all the information you need to know to sign up and offer TFC to families to help them pay for the childcare they need.

The webinar will: 

• Provide a step-by-step guide to Tax-Free Childcare.
• Consider the opportunities for all types of providers – linking to the current economic climate and childcare market to increase take-up.
• Consider TFC from a providers’ perspective.
• Highlight activities we can all do to ensure families and childcare providers benefit from TFC.
• Signpost you to toolkits and assets that can be used to promote TFC.

This webinar has been specially organised for early education and childcare providers who have daytime commitments. It will also be recorded and shared with you afterwards for you share with those unable to attend. 

Childcare Sufficiency Assessment (CSA)

The Childcare Act 2006 places a duty on English local authorities to improve outcomes for children and young people, to secure sufficient childcare so that parents and carers can work, and to provide information about the various forms of childcare available to them. 

We identify gaps in the childcare market, so that we can plan how to support the market to ensure sufficient childcare provision. The Childcare Sufficiency Assessment focuses on formal registered childcare provision and formal unregistered childcare provision wherever possible, and involves childcare for 0 to 14 year olds, and 18 year olds for disabled children and children with learning difficulties.

The aim of this assessment is to identify gaps in the market and plan the steps to secure sufficient childcare. In this context, ‘sufficient’ means having the right type and volume of childcare to meet the needs of parents/carers in the local community. We want to ensure there are sufficient places for 2, 3 and 4 year old children to access their free early education entitlement and to support parents who are in work or who are seeking work.

Our latest CSA has now been published and is available to read on the link below.

Department for Education New Blog on 30 hours Free Childcare

A new post, “How to apply for 30 hours free childcare and find out if you’re eligible” has just been published on the The Education Hub blog. Please share with parents and carers.

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements: Focus on...

Providers must not allow people, whose suitability has not been checked, including through a criminal records check, to have unsupervised contact with children being cared for. Childminder Assistants cannot be included in the ratios, or work unsupervised, until they have received a suitability letter from Ofsted.

Safeguarding Scenario

The latest monthly safeguarding scenario is now available on our webpage.

Early years inspection handbook

The Ofsted guidance on inspecting registered early years and childcare providers under the education inspection framework has had a couple of minor changes:

• Paragraphs 133 and 135: updated to reflect that an inspector will ‘advise’ the provider to inform the local authority of their inspection outcome.
• Paragraph 135: additional bullet point which refers to the post-inspection survey.

Household Support Fund

Household Support Fund Voucher Distribution

As part of the Household Support Fund, Cheshire East are continuing to provide supermarket vouchers to all children who are in receipt of two-year old (2YO) funding and early years pupil premium (EYPP).  Please see Household Support Fund (cheshireeast.gov.uk) for information around delivery dates and voucher eligibility.

Settings will be sent the vouchers to distribute from Thursday 27 April 2023.

When you receive your voucher list, if your setting has queries regarding pupils who you believe are in receipt of 2YO funding or EYPP and who should have been included in your voucher distribution list, queries will need to be sent to HSFFamily@cheshireeast.gov.uk by 12 May 2023.

Those who are found to be in receipt of 2YO funding or EYPP will be issued vouchers up to 12 May only.

Early years children who are not in receipt of 2YO funding or EYPP, but who are found to be eligible, will not be sent vouchers in this rollout. However, they will be included in future rollouts.

Thank you for your support.

The Household Support Fund Enquiry Form is now live!

What is the Household Support Fund?

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Household Support Fund will run until 31 March 2024. During this time, Cheshire East Council will receive a total of £4.4m to provide support to households who would otherwise struggle to buy food, pay essential utility bills, meet other essential living costs or housing costs (in exceptional cases of genuine emergency). 

Trusted professional enquiry form update

The Household Support Fund trusted professional enquiry form is now open. 

The public facing enquiry form is now closed due to exceptional demand.

The link to the trusted professional enquiry form has been emailed to all Early Years Providers.

For further information and updates on the Household Support Fund please refer to the public facing webpage Household Support Fund (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

EYFS Learning and Development

BookTrust International Dark Sky Week - 16-22 April 2023

Cheshire East Information, Advice and Support (CEIAS) Quick guide to Transition into Primary School

BookTrust Eid Al-Fitr - 21-22 April 2023

Education Endowment Foundation

Early years settings and childminders in England will be able to take part in new training projects funded by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).

The EEF with the Stronger Practice Hubs will evaluate the effectiveness of eight programmes designed to support children’s early language and numeracy development.

The new projects, co-funded with the Department for Education’s Stronger Practice Hubs, are a major part of the EEF’s increased focus on support for the early years sector. For further information see the link below.

SEND

Request for Consultations (SEND, PSED, SLCN)

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? Have you have implemented some of the strategies with in the SEN toolkit but are still concerned?  Have you spoken to the parent to share your thoughts and are working together to help? 

 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 learn and progress or what additional support may be available for the child.

To request a SEND, PSED or SLCN consultation please email earlyyearsandchildcareteam@cheshireeast.gov.uk where you will be advised of the dates and time of the upcoming consultations that are available.

You will be required to obtain parent’s permission and complete some paperwork prior to the consultation.

Cheshire East Chatters

Cheshire East Chatters Talking Walk-in's

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.

Two Year Olds

Department for Education new support article – Integrated Reviews

The Department for Education have published a new support article on how to carry out integrated health and education reviews for children aged 2 to 3. The article is available here: https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/get-help-to-improve-your-practice/integrated-reviews

Integrated reviews combine the EYFS progress check at age 2 and the health visitor 2 year old health check.

The article:

To access Help for Early Years Providers, follow this link:

https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk?utm_source=eyfs&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert

Cheshire East have Progress checks and integrated review training available on Tuesday 13^th June in the afternoon and evening. Book on through the Early Years Training Hub : Early Years and Childcare Training Resources (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

Continuous Professional Development

The Educational Needs of Children Born Preterm free training

Course: The Educational Needs of Children Born Preterm.   Who should go: educational professionals including early years practitioners, primary and secondary school staff and educational psychologists.   When: Friday 19th May - two sessions; one starting at 9.30am and the other at 2pm.  Where: The Wilmslow Academy, Wilmslow SK9 2LX  What's it all about: Led by Professor Samantha Johnson from Leicester University, who is a Developmental Psychologist and Professor of Child Development. The session will be an excellent opportunity to hear from Professor Johnson and will also include guest speakers, discussing the impact of prematurity and how we can help in an education setting. There will be an opportunity for questions and answers at the end and a certificate of attendance will also be given. Cost: free  How to sign up:  https://tinyurl.com/Preterm-Educational-Needs. (stating which session you would like to attend)

Early Years in Mind: Successful and inclusive transitions from early education to school webinar, Thursday 20 April online 16:30–18:00 

Anna Freud Early Years in Mind are running a free 'Successful and inclusive transitions from early education to school' webinar on Thursday 20 April. Book on via the link below.

Upcoming CPD Opportunities

We have the following CPD opportunities available. Please log onto the Early Years Training Hub using this link to book your place: Early Years and Childcare Training Resources (cheshireeast.gov.uk). Please login in or sign up by clicking on the link at the top right of the page.

Safer Recruitment 24^th April 23, 9.30am-4pm Oakenclough Children Centre

Childcare settings share with others a duty to safeguard the children in their care. Implementing safer recruitment practices is one way of discharging this safeguarding obligation. This course gives childcare providers information and understanding they need to recruit safely and comply with relevant statutory guidance. 

Understanding the EIF and the Learning Walk 25^th April 23 9.30-11.30am – Online

This two hour online session will give providers an opportunity to consider Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework in the light of the new Early Years Foundation Stage framework. The curriculum is discussed and consideration is given to how to integrate Intent, Implementation and Impact in to your setting. The Learning Walk is unpicked and Ofsted’s ‘Golden Thread’ is looked at in more detail and is made relatable to you and your provision. 

Wellcomm 25^th April 23 9.30am-3pm - Congleton Library

Would you like to receive practical support on how to integrate WellComm activities into daily best practice within your setting or try out WellComm screening and activities from the Big Book of Ideas? Come along and examine the rationale behind using WellComm to screen, how to track and monitor individual children and learn about the practicalities of setting up targeted groups.

Me, myself and I: Supporting children to develop their social skills – 27^th April 23 1-3pm – Online

The revised EYFS framework references the importance of self regulation, but how many of us know what it is, how it impacts on learning and how we support children to develop it? Ruth Swailes will reflect on audit tools and provide a range of strategies to try 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.

Delivering Small Groups Language Interventions - 10th May 23 – Online

Explore ways to set up small groups focussing on the development of attention and listening, language or vocabulary skills. Learn 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 10^th May 23 6.15-8.30pm – Online

This two hour training course will provide 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 and will help you to understand your safeguarding role, be able to define, identify and respond appropriately to signs of possible abuse and neglect and identify safer caring practices. 

First Steps to Reading 11th May 23 3.30-5pm – Online

This course will help you to develop and implement a curriculum that builds on children's individual needs and levels of development. Learn how you can provide rich and stimulating opportunities for children to develop their early reading skills. Explore the essential pre-reading skills, such as phonological awareness, letter awareness and concepts about print that children need to develop and practical strategies for helping children learn them.

Rhyme Time Roadshows

Don’t miss out – book your place on one of the roadshows by logging into the new Early Years Training Hub : Early Years and Childcare Training Resources (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

Early Years Training Hub

Thank you to everyone who has already signed up to the new Early Years Training Hub.  We now have almost 200 settings registered and accessing the Hub. 

Through our Training and Events page you can find information about the training and CPD offer available to Early Years practitioners in Cheshire East. You can access the Hub via the link on our training web page:  Early Years and Childcare Training Resources (cheshireeast.gov.uk) however you will need to request personal login details by signing up to the Hub.

You can sign up to the Early Years Training Hub by clicking on the SIGN UP link on the top right hand side of the login page.

If you already have access to the Schools Chess Hub you do not need to sign up again however please email us to request additional access user rights to the Early Years Hub.

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