Please can we remind all settings to ensure that any visitors follow your mobile phone policy. This includes phones being stored where your policy states they should, and that if any visitors are wearing smart watches you ask for them to be disabled from notifications.

As technology changes and adapts so will their capabilities. Therefore, we recommend reviewing your mobile phone and other electronic devices policy to ensure it is in line with the changes that technology brings.

There have been some changes to the Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements of the EYFS that will be statutory from 4 September 2023. The revised document can be found here.

A summary of the changes are: -

• the current statutory minimum staff:child ratios in England for 2-year-olds changes from 1:4 to 1:5;
• childminders can care for more than the specified maximum of three young children if they are caring for siblings of children they already care for, or if the childminder is caring for their own child;
• clarifying that ‘adequate supervision’ while children are eating means that children must be within sight and hearing of an adult.

The National Children's Bureau have been designing and implementing a refreshed programme for the Healthy Early Years London award scheme. The borough leads have been providing input to the new programme which will be launched officially in September.

At the moment, details are being finalised and borough leads are reviewing how to move the initiative forward. Further details will follow in the Autumn term when Hounslow hopes to see more settings and childminders sign up to gain their award.