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Bulletin 393

22 June 2026

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

Liquidlogic

Summer Term Adjustments

The window to submit summer term adjustments is open until Friday 26^th June, you will not be able to submit any changes after this date.  You can however still remove children from the live register, please do this on or after their leave date.

If you have any children changing their hours during the term before 26^th June, please amend the funding screen for them on the live register.

Select yes as a midterm change, then enter the date of change and the number of weeks before and after the change.

Please note you cannot make changes to hours in advance, they can only be changed on or after the date of the increase/decrease in hours.

Business Support

Reminder to apply/reconfirm childcare funding codes for free childcare entitlements for working families with children aged 9 months to 4 years old

Safeguarding

National Updates

New Ofsted Blog - Applying to register with Ofsted: common mistakes and how to avoid them

When you apply to register with Ofsted as a childcare provider you will need to fill out an application form. The form asks about the childcare you plan to provide as well as information about you and the people you will work with.

To read the full blog, click the button below.

Shaping the future of Early Years teaching

As highlighted in Giving every child the best start in life, the Department for Education (DfE) is keen to celebrate and support early years teachers and the high-quality care and education they provide every day. To build on this, the DfE is inviting feedback on proposed changes to how early years teachers are trained and assessed.

This consultation is all about making sure early years professionals are well prepared, well supported, and recognised for the important work they do. The proposals aim to:

• Improve the quality of early years teacher training
• Strengthen the professional status of the early years workforce
• Make sure all children benefit from excellent teaching, wherever they access early education

The DfE would really like to hear from a wide range of voices, including those working in early years and schools, experts in the sector, and both current and trainee teachers.

The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 24 September 2026.

To access the consultation and share your views click the button below.

Summer savings for families 

The Great British Summer Savings Scheme is running from 25 June to 1 September 2026, helping families feel a bit less squeezed this summer. 

The new scheme includes reduced VAT on days out, including tickets at attractions like soft play, adventure centres and theme parks, children's tickets for theatres and cinemas, and children's meals in restaurants. Children aged 5 to 15 in England will also be able to travel free on local bus services throughout August.  

Further information about the scheme is available at Summer Savings - Cost of Living Help. If helpful, please share this with your parents, carers and families through your usual channels.  

This is in addition to further support available to families, with more information available at Cost of Living Help - Cost of Living Help.  

SEND

Early Years SEN inclusion funding

Early Years SENIF panel does not meet in August. Any applications for SEN Inclusion funding to start September 2026 submitted after 30th June 2026 will be considered at the September 2026 SENIF panel meeting. Autumn term dates are available on the website.

Early Years Forum – summer term dates

Please see below the dates for early years forum in summer term.

As a guide the north covers Holmes Chapel, Congleton, Macclesfield, Wilmslow, Poynton and Knutsford. The south covers Sandbach, Crewe, Alsager, Middlewich and Nantwich. If you are unsure of your locality, please contact your Portage Quality and Inclusion Practitioner for clarification or email Early Years Forum.

Earlyyearsforum@cheshireeast.gov.uk

For more information, click on the button below.

Cheshire East Chatters Early Speech and Language Lead Network

This term's Early Speech and Language Lead Network explores the sensory systems and how they impact regulation and language skills in the Early Years. Our Sensory occupational Therapy colleague joins us from the SPOTSS service to co-deliver informative content and supportive discussions around meeting children's sensory and communication needs. Tuesday 30th June 2026 18:30 - 20:00 (Microsoft Teams) Wednesday 1st July 2026 10:00 - 11:30 (Microsoft Teams) Book your place via your ChESS Early Years Training Hub account.

Family Hubs

Bookstart Dual Language Packs

Bookstart offers FREE dual language packs for babies and toddlers living in Cheshire East.  If you would like to order a pack for a child in your setting please email bookstartcoordinator@cheshireeast.gov.uk with the following information: Child’s Name DOB Home Postcode Setting Name and Address Language Required

Training

Summer Term Training available on the Early Years Training Hub

The ChESS Early Years Training Hub has lots of training opportunities for the summer term, please take a look and book on now!

Upcoming training next week:

PACE Inspired Approaches in Early Years Settings - 29th June 2026 18:30 - 20:30 (Microsoft Teams)

PACE stands for Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy. The PACE model is a trauma informed approach developed by Clinical Psychologists, which is centred around building safe, trusting, and meaningful relationships with children and young people that have experienced trauma or attachment difficulties. The PACE model provides opportunities for early years practitioners to build on their attachments with children, by communicating and interacting in a way which helps children. This training will cover, an introduction to the PACE model and psychological underpinnings, a brief overview of attachment and trauma within the early years and practical strategies utilising PACE which can be applied to an early years setting.

Good Autism Practice (NEN) - 30th June 2026 09:30 - 15:30 (Oakenclough Family Hub)

This is a Neuroinclusive Education Network (NEN) training course. This training will support you to develop knowledge and understanding of good autism practice, extend your understanding of how you may support a young autistic child to develop and progress and help you to further reflect on reasonable adjustments that can be made to improve your practice when working with autistic children. This course focuses on the importance of getting to know a child and how their autism affects them. We look at examples of distressed behaviours and how these can be supported through a range of strategies, approaches, and reasonable adjustments. The course also guides you through how to gather information about an autistic child’s interests, aspirations, strengths and differences, and how this information can be used when developing a Child-Centred Education Plan (CCEP). The training introduces the NEN Early Years Competency Framework so you can develop and evaluate your good autism practice following completion of the course.

Early Speech and Language Lead Network - 30th June 2026 18:30 - 20:00 (Microsoft Teams) or 1st July 2026 10:00 - 11:30 (Microsoft Teams)

These sessions are delivered by Cheshire East Chatters Speech and Language Therapists. The Early Speech and Language Lead Network offers information and advice on how to support the early communication and language development of the children in your setting. These sessions are a chance for you to find out more about local and national updates around supporting children with SLCN.

What is my behaviour trying to tell you? - 2nd July 2026 09:30 - 11:30 (Microsoft Teams)

This training is suitable for all practitioners who work in early years and will provide the skills and knowledge to develop your understanding of children’s social and emotional needs. This session will explore how we can be curious about behaviours and what might be affecting the child at that given time and build a supportive, appropriate curriculum using the EYFS and development matters as a guide. We will also consider current strategies and approaches to ensure they meet the needs of all children, embed behaviour conversations in your practice and develop a whole setting approach to supporting children’s behaviour.

Basic Safeguarding Awareness - 2nd July 2026 18:30 - 20:30 (Microsoft Teams)

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. This training is in line with the criteria set out in Annex C. This training will help you to develop an awareness of, and the ability to act on, concerns about the safety and welfare of children and young people. It will enable you to understand your safeguarding role, be able to define, identify, understand and respond appropriately to signs of possible abuse and neglect and identify safer caring practices.