Starting Reception have launched their new potty training guidance to help parents, carers and early years professionals. You can view the guide by clicking here.

The new Government backed guide will support on how to potty train a child. 

You should have received an email from the Early Years and Childcare inbox asking you to log into your portal and check which families have entered their grace period. This step is important to identify families at risk of losing funding if they don’t renew on time.

Parents are responsible for reconfirming their codes and receive reminders from HMRC, but we all know this is a busy this time of year.

Please help by giving them a gentle nudge. Reconfirming codes ensures:

• Funding continues
• Your places remain filled
• Most importantly, children keep receiving their early education in your setting

If you didn’t receive the email or are unsure which families need reminders, please contact your allocated funding officer or email  earlyyearsandchildcare@hounslow.gov.uk 

Sharing information between organisations is a vital part of keeping children safe. Schools, local authorities, health services and the police can only act quickly and effectively when they each hold the right information at the right time. When safeguarding breaks down, it is often because key information wasn’t shared early enough, or wasn’t shared with the people who needed it.

At the same time, we all have a responsibility to handle children’s personal information carefully and lawfully. It’s completely normal for staff to feel unsure about what can or cannot be shared.

The important message from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is clear: data protection law should never be a barrier to safeguarding. If a child is at risk, you can and should share relevant information with the appropriate professionals.

Recently, the ICO has added clearer, education-focused guidance to sit alongside their existing 10-Step Guide to Sharing Information to Safeguard Children. Nothing significant has changed in the law, this is simply extra reassurance and examples designed to help schools, nurseries and colleges feel more confident.

Useful links

ICO education sector guidance

Guidance for education sector on data sharing

ICO Think. Check. Share.

Free bootcamp courses are available for eligible learners. These include:

Entry to Early Years - Suitable for anyone who wishes to start a career working with 0-5 years, with knowledge extending up to age 7.

Upskill in Early Years - For those already in the sector who want to enhance their skills.

Contact details are on the flyer so please get in touch if you would like to find out more.