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Bulletin 395

6 July 2026

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

Liquidlogic

Summer term – funded weeks amendment

In summer term, children can receive 12 or 13 weeks of funding, depending on when they became eligible. This is to match DfE funding allocations.

The number of funded weeks in summer 2026 depends on when a child became eligible to receive the entitlements:

• Children aged 2, 3 and 4 with birthdays between January and March are entitled to 13 funded weeks in the summer term.
• All other 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds are entitled to a maximum of 12 funded weeks in summer 2026.
• For under 2s, children born between 1 April – 30 June 2024 or 1 April – 30 June 2025 are entitled to 13 funded weeks in the summer term.

Most headcount records were updated before balancing payments were made. However, records for children born between 1 April – 30 June 2024 were updated afterwards.

These records have now been amended and can be viewed on the establishment portal under Payments or within your summer term headcount submission.

Providers with eligible children in this date of birth range will receive an additional payment, which is expected to reach bank accounts by Friday 10 July.

Thank you for your patience during this transition period and apologies for any confusion caused.

Business Support

Early years education and childcare market study

pmOn 1^st July, the CMA launched their review into the early years education and childcare market. You can learn more about the market study here, including what’s in scope and timings for this study.

There is also a webinar for providers on 16^th July 6:15pm - 7:15pm where you can hear more about the study, provide initial views and ask questions about the process.

To book a place on the webinar click the button below.

Safeguarding

Mandatory Safeguarding Training requirements

We would like to remind all early years providers that under the EYFS statutory framework, all staff must complete Basic Safeguarding Awareness training every two years.

For Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL’s), it is also a statutory requirement to complete Role of the DSL training every two years.

Any additional safeguarding training is optional and can be undertaken to support ongoing Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Settings are free to choose their own training provider, provided the training meets the requirements outlined in Annex C of the EYFS. However, we do offer both training courses mentioned above for free through the Chess Early Years Training Hub.

Please click the button below to view our Suggested Safeguarding Training Pathway, which includes guidance on both mandatory requirements and optional training opportunities.

Child protection framework: consultation

The Department for Education (DfE) has launched a consultation on proposed updates to the statutory framework for help, support and protection of children in England. This consultation will inform updates to ‘Working together to safeguard children’, the ‘Children’s social care national framework’ and policy underpinning the development of multi-agency child protection team regulations.

It is open to people who work in local authorities, health, police, education and voluntary organisations, as well as parents and carers. There is a separate survey for children and young people to share their views.

The DfE is also holding a webinar, offering an opportunity to explore and better understand the consultation, and provide feedback.  

Capacity is limited to 250 registrations per event, so please sign up early, by clicking the button below, to secure your place.

The consultation closes on 4 September 2026.

To read the news and submit your views story click the button below.

Joint statement regarding asbestos contaminated consumer products

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have shared a Joint Statement regarding potential asbestos contamination in sand-containing consumer products and product recalls.

Any products that have been found to contain asbestos are subject to a recall. To date, no asbestos has been identified in supplies of playpit sand, but several products with play sand, such as arts and crafts products, are affected. Although the risks to health are expected to be low, we recommend that settings review this and the OPSS guidance regarding asbestos in consumer products, including how to dispose of recalled products.

Working or volunteering in a regulated activity with children

The Department for Education (DfE) has published new guidance on changes to regulated activity that will take effect from 1 September 2026.

To find out more about the changes click the button below.

National Updates

UK Health Security Agency guidance for hot weather

Hot temperatures are forecast to return this week and we would like to remind all settings and practitioners working with children of the advice provided by the UK Health Security Agency to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and staff before and during hot weather. 

To access the guidance, click the button below.

SEND

Early Years Forum Paperwork Deadline – July 2026

Requests for review paperwork for North and South Forums were sent out last week in most cases. Please can you return all reviewed and updated paperwork for the date on the email – 10^th July or 14^th July 2026.

We appreciate this is a busy time of year and if you are due to review targets and reassess progress this should be completed ahead of submission to give an up-to-date picture for discussion at Forum.

Thank you.

SEND advice and information online

Key information and advice of what support is available for SEND can be found on:

SEN support - The Graduated Approach

If you are a new practitioner or just need a quick refresher please take a look!

Family Hubs

Training

Expert-led safer sleep training for early years settings

Realise Early Years has partnered with The Lullaby Trust to offer FREE safer sleep training to 1,000 early years professionals across England. This practical training, delivered by The Lullaby Trust, provides clear, up-to-date guidance tailored specifically to early years settings. Realise is offering one funded Safer Sleep training place per nursery. To find out more or apply click the button below.

Autumn Term Training now available on the Early Years Training Hub

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

New training next term:

Early Years Conference - 18th September 2026 09:30 - 15:30 (Canalside Conference Centre)

Our first ever annual Early Years Conference is a day of inspiring, early years rich discussions, practitioner focused workshops, motivational speakers and the launch of Cheshire East’s extended offer from the Portage, Quality and Inclusion Team. Aimed at Early Years professionals working directly with children across the 0-5 age range, from childminders, nurseries, through to the end of Reception year, this full day event is designed to inspire, upskill and connect professionals; come along and meet the wider teams and services supporting children and their families in Cheshire East. We will have a guest speaker, 4 workshops covering practical skills, a presentation from the Portage, Quality and Inclusion team, and a marketplace of professionals ready to connect and collaborate. This is your opportunity to find out what Cheshire East has to offer you and your children, book your place now!

Creating Inclusive Environments for Children with SEND - 1st October 2026 18:30 - 20:30 (Microsoft Teams)

This two-hour training course will provide practical strategies for creating inclusive environments that enable children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to thrive. It has been designed for early years and childcare practitioners who want to strengthen their inclusive practice and ensure every child feels valued, supported, and able to participate. This training will help you understand the key principles of inclusion and how to adapt environments, routines, and experiences to meet the diverse needs of children with SEND. You will explore strategies to identify and remove barriers to participation, promote a sense of belonging, and support positive outcomes for all children. The session will also consider the importance of partnership working with families and other professionals to ensure children receive consistent and effective support. By the end of the course, you will have practical ideas and approaches to create environments where every child can flourish.

Brilliant Boys - 4th November 2026 18:30 - 20:30 (Microsoft Teams)

This two-hour training course will explore how to engage, motivate, and support boys' learning and development within early years and childcare settings. It has been designed for practitioners who want to better understand boys' interests, strengths, and learning preferences. This training will help you reflect on current practice and consider how environments, interactions, and experiences can be adapted to inspire and engage boys. You will explore common barriers to engagement, challenge stereotypes, and identify strategies to support communication, language, literacy, and emotional development. The session will provide practical ideas for creating meaningful learning opportunities that build on children's interests and encourage positive outcomes. By the end of the course, you will have a range of approaches to help all children, including boys, reach their full potential.

Safeguarding in Play and Out-of-School Settings - 17th November 2026 09:30 - 12:00 (Microsoft Teams)

This two-and-a-half-hour training course will provide essential safeguarding knowledge and understanding for practitioners working in playwork, wraparound, and out-of-school settings. It has been specifically designed to address the unique safeguarding responsibilities and challenges within these environments. This training will help you develop an awareness of, and the ability to act on, concerns about the safety and welfare of children. You will explore your safeguarding responsibilities, recognise signs and indicators of abuse and neglect, and understand the procedures for responding appropriately to concerns. The session will also consider safeguarding within play-based environments, including managing risks, maintaining professional boundaries, and creating safe spaces where children can thrive. By the end of the course, you will have increased confidence in fulfilling your safeguarding duties and promoting the wellbeing of every child in your care.

Creating Environments that Inspire Learning - 23rd November 2026 18:30 - 20:30 (Microsoft Teams)

This two-hour training course will explore how to create engaging, enabling environments that inspire curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning. It has been designed for early years and childcare practitioners who want to maximise the learning potential of their indoor and outdoor spaces. This training will help you evaluate and enhance your learning environments to better support children's development and interests. You will explore how thoughtfully planned spaces, resources, and experiences can encourage exploration, independence, problem-solving, and sustained engagement. The session will consider the role of the environment as the "third teacher" and provide practical ideas for creating inviting, stimulating spaces that reflect children's needs and promote high-quality learning opportunities. By the end of the course, you will have strategies to transform your environment into a place where children feel inspired to learn and grow.