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Bulletin 406

21 September 2026

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

The Early Years and Childcare Bulletin is issued every week during term time and a condensed version during the school holidays. 

Liquidlogic

Headcount window closed autumn term

The submission window for the autumn term headcount and census has now closed on the establishment portal.

If you have not submitted your headcount, please contact the FEEE team on 01270 685888 or email - feee@cheshireeast.gov.uk.

If we have not received a headcount, we will not be able to calculate a balancing payment for the term.

If you have any new children or changes to children’s hours, that you could not include in your headcount.

Please add them to your live register or change their hours as a midterm adjustment, we will then be able to include them in your balancing payment for the Autumn term.

Business Support

Early Years Leaders Network – agenda suggestions

We are planning future EY Leaders Network meetings and would welcome your ideas for agenda items. If there are particular topics, challenges, good practice examples, or areas of support you would like to see covered, please share your suggestions by completing the short form below:

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/LzkQWPFkUF

Your feedback will help ensure the network remains relevant, informative, and responsive to the needs of early years leaders. Thank you for taking the time to contribute.

Safeguarding

Information sharing to safeguard children and young people

The Department for Education (DfE) has made updates to the statutory information sharing guidance for practitioners and organisations providing safeguarding and welfare services for children and young people.

The updates reflect that the Information Sharing Duty under section 16LA of the Children Act 2004 comes into force on 30 September 2026. 

To read the guidance click the button below.

Why do children swallow the weirdest things?

Putting things in their mouths is a normal part of how babies and young children explore and learn. For parents, it can feel like a daily battle. For practitioners, this stage of development provides an important opportunity to talk to families about what children might swallow, the potential dangers and how to reduce the risks. The child accident prevention trust have created a new post explaining the dangers and some free resources to support your conversations with families about preventing accidents at home. To access the post and resources click on the buttons below.

National Updates

Early Years Qualifications List (EYQL) – new online format

The DfE has launched an online version of the Early Years Qualifications List (EYQL) on GOV.​UK.

The EYQL helps users determine whether a qualification is recognised as ‘full and relevant’ for the purposes of working within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) staff:child ratios in England.

The new format allows users to:

• search qualification information online
• view qualification details, additional requirements and notes more easily
• access information without downloading a spreadsheet
• find full and relevant qualifications to study

For users who wish to work offline, the full EYQL remains available to download.

Early years managers and practitioners can also use the Check an Early Years Qualification (CEYQ) service to support qualification checks.

Qualifications achieved outside the UK are not included on the EYQL. Holders of non-UK qualifications should continue to contact Ecctis for qualification recognition.

To access the EYQL webview click the button below.

Funded places available on the National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership 

Registration is now open for the November 2026 cohort of the National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL). The programme is designed for current and aspiring early years leaders who want to develop their leadership expertise and potential.   

The NPQEYL is available to managers of private, voluntary and independent nurseries, childminders with leadership responsibilities, headteachers and leaders of school-based and maintained nurseries, alongside other early years foundation stage leaders.  

Whether leading provision in a nursery, pre-school, childminding setting or school-based early years provision, participants benefit from evidence-based leadership training.

For the first time in recent cohorts, funding for the NPQEYL is available for all eligible participants who secure a funded place with an NPQ provider.  

To read the guidance and apply click the button below.

SEND

Early Years SEN Inclusion Funding and EHCP payments

If you have not received expected payments for SEN Inclusion Funding or EHCP funding (agreed July 2026 or earlier) by Friday 2nd October 2026 please email details (child name and date of birth) securely to EarlyYearsSenHelpline@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Local Offer for SEND Parents Carer Forum coffee mornings

Early years providers play a vital role in helping families access the right support at the right time. We would be grateful if you could share information about the Local Offer Parent Carer Forum (PCF) coffee mornings with parents and carers in your setting.

These free, informal sessions provide an opportunity for families of children and young people with SEND, or those who may have emerging concerns about their child's development, to meet local professionals, ask questions and learn about the support available across Cheshire East.

Parents and carers can speak directly with representatives from the Cheshire East SEND Team, Educational Psychology Service, NHS 0-19+ Service, CEAT, Speech and Language Therapy (SALT), Specialist Teachers and SPOTTS, as well as connect with other local families in a welcoming environment.

Coffee mornings take place throughout the year at locations across Cheshire East, making them accessible to families from different communities. They offer a valuable opportunity for families to gain information, build confidence and access support before challenges escalate.

Please consider sharing the event flyer through your newsletters, parent communication apps and notice boards to help ensure families are aware of this support. Thank you for helping us promote early intervention and positive outcomes for children and families.

Family Hubs

Training

Autumn Term Training available on the Early Years Training Hub

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

Upcoming training next week:

What is my behaviour trying to tell you? – 29th September 2026 18:30 – 20:30 (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.

Think Equal – 30th September 2026 09:30 – 12:30 (Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School and Sixth Form College Training and Conference Centre)

We have teamed up with Think Equal who are a global movement shaping our children's thinking and positive life outcomes during their brain-building years. As a multi-award winning education charity, they bring social and emotional learning, for psychosocial support, well-being and positive life outcomes to children aged 3-6 across the globe. Think Equal currently have an exciting offer of FULLY FUNDED world class materials for every pre-school child! You will receive; 24 narrative picture books, 90 lesson plans, 50+ resources and access to online training.

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.

Prevent Awareness – 2nd October 2026 10:00 – 11:30 (Microsoft Teams)

The Prevent Engagement Officer for Liverpool City Council will be leading this Prevent awareness session for early years providers. The training will highlight the differences between terrorism and extremism, explain the current terror threat level to the UK, the prevalence and the impact of the internet and social media on the radicalisation journey and why the Prevent strand is so important in helping to reduce that threat. It will also describe where the current threat to the UK in respect of terrorism is perceived to emanate from, along with some explanation about other ideologies that are of concern. This will include a description of some of the indicators that may be displayed by those who are or might be, susceptible to radicalisation. Most importantly it will explain the local referral process and how you can make a referral for anyone that you may have concerns about.