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Bulletin 288

16 October 2023

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

Business Support

Cheshire East Key messages regarding infections including colds, flu and Covid-19

The key underlying public health message for respiratory illnesses including COVID-19 and flu is that if someone is too unwell to attend school or work and carry out their normal activities or if they have a raised temperature, they shouldn't be in the setting. They should stay at home until they are well enough to return.

Most people no longer have access to COVID-19 tests but, if they do and they test positive for COVID-19, then the current NHS advice is to try and stay at home for five days (three days for children) after the first positive test result. After this time, they can return even if they have a positive test result, if they are well enough.

A few people may have a positive COVID-19 test but have no symptoms. It is likely that they are infectious and so can pass on the virus, especially during the early stages, so the advice would be to try to work from home for five days if possible. If they are unable to work from home, then a risk assessment should be done to explore what options are available.

Actions for settings

• Manage each infection in line with the NHS/UKHSA advice
• Contact UKHSA if necessary
• Report cases via the online form – request call back if further advice needed
• Issue parent/carer letters re measles and advice re illness

Key links and contacts

Health protection in education settings

UKHSA – candmphu@ukhsa.gov.uk  or 03442250562

Cheshire East Cheshire East education settings infection reporting form

Free Early Education Entitlement Briefing

There will be two FEEE Briefings on 8 November 2023 at 10.30am and 6.30pm. These will be via Microsoft Team and are free of charge. The Briefings are aimed at new providers and providers who would like a refresher.

Please book your place(s) via the Training Hub on the link below.

FEEE Payment Admittance Advices

Providers who submitted autumn term 2023 data by the deadline will have received payment remittance advices. To find out what these payments relate to, please refer to the Administering the Free Early Years Entitlement (cheshireeast.gov.uk) webpage to access the Payment remittance advice guidance document.

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements: Focus on...

In settings on the early years register, the manager must hold an approved level 3 qualification. The manager should have at least two years’ experience of working in an early years setting, or have at least two years’ other suitable experience. The provider must ensure there is a named deputy who, in their judgement, is capable and qualified to take charge in the manager’s absence. Look out for our New Managers training on Wednesday 29 November 9.30-11.30am on Microsoft Teams. This course is suitable for new managers, deputy managers and senior staff, and those who aspire to be in a management position.

Ofsted

Ofsted Early Years FAQ's for providers and practitioners videos

Ofsted have added more videos on to their Early Years FAQ's for providers and practitioners playlist on YouTube. The videos include additions such as 'Do I need a curriculum map?' and 'How will Inspectors look at Leadership and Management?'

These videos can be found on the link below.

EYFS Learning and Development

SEND

SENCo contact details

Please ensure that the SENCo contact details for your setting are up to date. If you have referred a child at your setting to the newly created Early Years Forum, the outcome of Forum will be shared with SENCos via the contact details held on the Provider Portal.

Please check the information held by the Early Years Team via the Staff section of the Provider Portal and add/delete SENCo details as required. Guidance notes are available.

Early Years Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund (SENIF) Policy Consultation 2023

Cheshire East Council is proposing revisions to its "Policy for the support for children with SEND accessing the early education entitlements".

Special Education Needs Inclusion Fund (SENIF) is targeted support for childcare providers to meet individual needs. Support is not provided directly to the child / family.  The revised methodology focuses on an incremental approach to support, concentrating on flexible provision to support children's needs, such as training to upskill practitioners, additional equipment and resources or for children with the most complex needs additional staff support at times they may require it to effectively meet their needs.

You can access the draft revised policy and give your feedback either by:

Completing this short online survey https://surveys.cheshireeast.gov.uk/s/SENIF_Policy_Consultation_2023/

Emailing the Early Years and Child Care Team Earlyyearsandchildcareteam@cheshireeast.gov.uk

This consultation will close on 20 October 2023.

Please share this information with parents and carers.

SEND Consultations

If you would like to book an SEND, PSED or Communication and Language consultation, please email: earlyyearsandchildcareteam@cheshireeast.gov.uk

You will be sent paperwork to complete, once that is finished and returned by secure email, including with a parent/carers signature, you will be offered a consultation slot.

Cheshire East Chatters

Cheshire East Chatters

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.

Family Hubs

Family Hub web page design

We would love your feedback on the design of the Family Hub web page. 

We’d also like as many parents, young people and professionals as possible to give their feedback. Please use the QR code or link below and share with parents and professionals.

https://tinyurl.com/2wymckm4

Childminder drop in's

Thank you to everyone who attended our childminder drop in’s. We hope you and the children enjoyed them as much as we did. Here are the dates and venue’s for the next few months, we are currently arranging visits to each session so look out for more information.

As discussed at the sessions if you need a point of contact or have any question contact parentingjourney@cheshireeast.gov.uk and either Angela or Liz will get back to you.

Continuous Professional Development

Autumn Owners and Managers briefings

The Autumn Owners and Managers briefings are now available to book on the following dates:

Wednesday 22 November 1.30-3.30pm at Oakenclough Family Hub

Monday 27 November 10am-12pm at Monks Coppenhall Family Hub

Thursday 30 November 6-8pm on Microsoft Teams

The sessions will be focussing on the processes for the new EY SEND forums, safer sleep and leading a whole team approach to curriculum. It is an opportunity to hear from our early years team, network with other owners and managers and ask questions. 

Please book on through the training hub.

Training opportunities

The Chess hub has been updated with lots of training opportunities up until December, please take a look and book on now!

Some training available in the next few weeks:

Early Years Professional Development Programme

Don't Forget!

Early Years Training Hub – reminder to sign up

Thank you to everyone who has already signed up to the new Early Years Training Hub. If you haven’t yet signed up, please do so now.  You can sign up by accessing this link:

Chess Early Years Training Hub (sla-portals.co.uk)

Then click on the SIGN UP link on the top right hand side of the login page.

The Provider Login button on our Early Years and Childcare Training Resources (cheshireeast.gov.uk) webpage will also give you access to the new Early Years training 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:  however you will need to request personal login details by signing up to the Hub.

Please note: 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.