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Bulletin 305

11 March 2024

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

Business Support

Provider Portal – 2-year-old entitlements data entry

Following the system upgrade, child data for the 2-year-old working family entitlement can be added to the Provider Portal once it opens for summer term data collection on Thursday 14 March. The system changes to the 2-year-old headcount are minimal and easy to navigate.

To view guidance notes and screenshots of the Provider Portal ahead of the Portal re-opening, please visit our webpage. Provider Portal – 2-year-old entitlement data submission guidance is available under the ‘Additional FEEE documents’ section.

Guidance on invoicing parents

The DfE Statutory guidance for early education and childcare was updated in January 2024. Advice and guidance on invoicing parents (available on our webpage) has also been updated to reflect the changes in the statutory guidance.

Free Early Education Entitlement Training for Providers

This virtual training session is aimed at all providers and will cover the new funding entitlements and all elements of claiming funding including how to use the provider portal. The session will provide an opportunity for you to meet some members of the team and to ask any questions that you may have.

Please book on through the ChESS Early Years Training Hub for the sessions on Thursday 14^th March 10:30 - 12:00 or 18:30 - 20:00

Provider Portal software upgrade and summer term data submission dates

In preparation for collecting summer term data, the Provider Portal will be upgraded. Providers will then be able to submit the details of 2-year-olds from working families who are eligible for 15 hours of childcare per week from April 2024.

Due to the system upgrade, the Provider Portal will open slightly later than planned on Thursday 14 March for you to add your summer term data. The Provider Portal will then close on Sunday 24 March for interim (70%) payments to be calculated and paid by Friday 12 April.  Any late data will result in a delayed interim payment.

Free Early Education Entitlement Contracts

Contracts for financial year 2024/25 will be issued electronically via DocuSign. To avoid any delays in receiving your contract, please log onto the Provider Portal and check the staff details provided. Each setting is required to provide the name and email address for the following members of staff:

• Designated Safeguarding Lead
• Free Entitlement Contract Signatory
• Free Entitlement Administrator
• Manager
• SENCo

Please follow the guidance notes to submit your staff details. Childminders, please ensure your Free Entitlement Contract Signatory email and Free Entitlement Administrator addresses are correct. This can be checked by logging onto the Provider Portal and clicking on the Staff tab from the homepage.

Early Years Entitlement Funding for 2024/25

The funding formula for 2024/25 has been approved by the Children and Families Committee. The rates below will be introduced from 1 April 2024.

EYPP will be available to 2 year olds from April 2024.

The rates below will be introduced from 1 September 2024 as the entitlements expand to include children from 9 months to 23 months old.

All rates applicable to all settings.

Government funding is intended to deliver 15 or 30 hours a week of free, high quality, flexible childcare. It is not intended to cover the costs of meals, other consumables, additional hours or additional services.

Providers are reminded that they can charge for meals and snacks as part of a free entitlement place and that they can also charge for consumables, such as nappies or sun cream, and for services such as trips and specialist tuition. However, providers should be mindful of the impact of additional charges on parents, especially the most disadvantaged. Providers, who choose to offer the free entitlements, are responsible for setting their own policy on providing parents with options for alternatives to additional charges, including allowing parents to supply their own meals or nappies, or waiving or reducing the cost of meals and snacks.

The purchase of additional hours of provision or additional services must not be a condition of accessing a free place. Charges for additional services should be fair and transparent.

2-year-old eligibility codes

Working families entitlement: to apply for a code parents should go to childcarechoices.gov.uk or call Childcare Choices on 0300 123 4097.

Eligibility codes will be issued in the same format as the 30-hour codes for 3- and 4-year-olds which are 11 digits and start with ‘50...’. The same code will remain with the child until they reach school age regardless of whether they drop in and out of eligibility.

Working parents who have a tax-free childcare account may have already received their 2-year-old eligibility code. Codes with an end date of 31st March will need reconfirming to make sure they are valid for summer term 2024. Please validate codes through the Eligibility checker in the Provider Portal.  Add the code, child date of birth and Parent/Carer NI number and submit. The data will not be stored at this stage but checking the end date of the code will provide assurance to providers and parents that 2-year-old working family funding will be available in summer term.

Current entitlement: Parents of 2 year olds who are in receipt of certain benefits are able to check their eligibility for 15 hours funded childcare via our webpage, or by contacting the Family Information Service on 0300 123 5033.  

Eligibility codes are 6 digits and are a mixture of letters and numbers.

Unlike the working family entitlement, parents who receive a 6-digit code will continue to be eligible for a 2-year-old place until their child turns 3 and receives 3-year-old funding.

Reminder to apply for or reconfirm 30 hours childcare funding codes

Useful information for working parents of 2-year olds

Please share the link below with your parents via your social media links Useful information for working parents of 2-year-olds (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements: Focus on...

In every setting, a practitioner must be designated to take lead responsibility for safeguarding children. They are responsible for liaison with local statutory children's services agencies, and with the Local Safeguarding Partners. All practitioners must be alert to any issues of concern in the child’s life at home or elsewhere.

National updates

National Wraparound Childcare Programme

The Department for Education has recently published Wraparound childcare guidance for schools As part of the programme the Department for Education are making available capital funding and programme funding for providers of term time wraparound care. Cheshire East have recently commissioned a Childcare Sufficiency Assessment focussed on wraparound care and this is now available on our webpage National Wraparound Childcare Programme (cheshireeast.gov.uk) Information on applying for these grants will be coming soon. The funding is intended to create new places and not to sustain existing provision. We will be running provider engagement sessions at the beginning of the summer term, further details to follow. Our Wraparound project team can be contacted on earlyyearsandchildcareteam@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Do something Big, recruitment campaign

The ‘Do something BIG, work with small children’ early years early years campaign is now live. It aims to raise the profile of the sector and showcase the important contribution early years and childcare professionals make in preparing young children for learning in school and beyond. Alongside this, the DfE have launched an early years careers website. This includes information on all areas of early years work, routes into the sector and real-life stories. It also directs people to Department for Work and Pensions’ Find a Job platform to search for early years roles in their area. Watch the video tutorials to help you list any vacancies in your setting on Find a Job. Please use the term ‘early years’ in the title of your job adverts and select ‘Education jobs’ for the job category. The DfE would be incredibly grateful if you could help to promote the campaign through your channels and use the hashtag #dosomethingbig on social media. Useful links YouTube playlist – 15 second and 30 second adverts on a playlist Be part of something Big (short version) (youtube.com)  Dropbox - campaign assets https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/pfpvp5j5ncj60kg77hf8a/h?rlkey=msrd4r0maz2l8alaiaok9xe54&dl=0

EYFS Learning and Development

Bookstart Star Packs

SEND

SEN Inclusion Funding (SENIF) – summer term 2024

Children in receipt of SEN Inclusion Funding before 1 January 2024, when the new SENIF policy was introduced, will continue to receive funding during summer term 2024. New agreement schedules will be issued in April.

Many of these children will start school in September 2024. Children who have not yet have reached school age by September and therefore continue to access their early education entitlements will require a new SENIF application under the terms of the new policy.

Applications for SEN Inclusion Funding received after 1 January 2024 are considered under the new SENIF policy. Should SENIF be agreed, a one-off payment is made based on the tiers / bands outlined in the policy. Should more support be required, providers must submit a further application to the SENIF panel.

SEND Inclusion Funding (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

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 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.

SEND Consultations

If you would like to book a 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.

Please note that the SLCN and SEND paperwork has been updated. Please delete any old copies that you have saved and email to request the latest forms.

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.

Cheshire East Chatters Dummy Campaign

Cheshire East Chatters are running their 'Give your Dummy to the Easter Bunny Campaign' Have a look at the following website for more information, including posters and factsheets: Communication and Language (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

Family Hubs

Continuous Professional Development

Briefing for Prospective Childminders

Please share this information on your social media accounts: Are you interested in becoming a Childminder? We are running some Childminder briefing sessions to provide information on what it means to be a Childminder and how to apply. Please click on the link below to complete the online form Interested in Becoming a Childminder (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

New training opportunity! Trauma and Attachment in Early Childhood

• 16th April 2024 9:30 - 13:30 (Oakenclough Family Hub)
• 18th April 2024 9:30 - 13:30 (Apples and Pears Private Day Nursery)

Join us for a new training opportunity to explore trauma and attachment in early childhood, delivered by an Educational Psychologist. This training will cover attachment theory related to early childhood, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and what they are, the impact of trauma on young children and attachment awareness and trauma informed practice in early years settings.

Please book on through the ChESS Early Years Training Hub – spaces are limited!

Owners, Managers and Childminders briefings

The spring term Owners, Managers and Childminders briefings are now available to book through the training hub:

• Monday 18th March 12:30 - 14:30 at Monks Coppenhall Family Hub
• Wednesday 20th March 18:30 - 20:30 on Microsoft Teams
• Thursday 21st March 13:30 - 15:30 at Oakenclough Family Hub

Spring Term Training now available on the Hub

The ChESS Hub has been updated with lots of training opportunities for the Spring term, please take a look and book on now!

Upcoming training:

Safer Recruitment - 14th March 2024 9:30 - 16:00 (Monks Coppenhall Family Hub)

This one-day course gives childcare providers, including childminders who employ assistants, information and understanding they need to recruit safely and comply with relevant statutory guidance. 

FEEE Training - 14th March 2024 10:30 - 12:00 or 18:30 - 20:00 (Teams)

This virtual training session is aimed at all providers as we will cover the new funding entitlements and all elements of claiming funding including how to use the provider portal. The session will provide an opportunity for you to meet some members of the team and to ask any questions that you may have.

Progress Check and Integrated Review at 2 - 18th March 2024 9:30 - 11:30 (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.

Step Inside the Baby Room - 20th March 2024 9:30 - 11:30 (Teams)

Step Inside the Baby Room is suitable training for anyone working with children under 2. The training will cover how babies learn and develop in the first 2 years, how we can best meet their needs in all prime areas of development and build an environment and play resources that are right for babies.

Early Language Leads Network - 20th March 2024 17:30 - 19:30 or 21st March 2024 13:00 - 15:00 (Teams)

This network will consider how children with limited understanding might feel, and how adults can support them to make sense of the world, with lots of practical tips for your nursery environment.

EYFS - Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements - 21st March 2024 10:00 - 12:00 (Teams)

This training encourages practitioners to recognise their role in the broader picture of keeping children safe and offers useful links and information to take back to the setting when considering inspection and Ofsted expectations.

Don't Forget!

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

Early Years Training Hub – reminder to sign up

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

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

Then click on the sign up button on the top right hand side of the login page.

The ChESS Early Years Training Hub button on our Early Years and Childcare Training Resources (cheshireeast.gov.uk) webpage will also give you access to the Hub.

Through our Early Years training page, you can find information about the training and CPD offer available to Early Years practitioners in Cheshire East.

Please note: If you already have access to the ChESS Hub for schools, you do not need to sign up again, however, please email us to request additional access user rights to the Early Years Hub.