Early Years Bulletin

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Early years bulletin

1 September 2022

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Welcome back to all our term time providers and a big thank you to those of you who have worked through the Summer supporting our families and children across the city. A reminder that the Early Years Team are always here to help you, so please do contact us if you need any help or support in any way.


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Family Assist is an innovative new way of ensuring that parents and their friends and families have access to a wide range of information and resources, both local and national at their fingertips. You can access information and support during pregnancy, birth and beyond, all written and approved by local health professionals! We have worked with Family Assist to ensure that they not only have early years advice and information on their website, but that they share key messages at key times via email on tax free childcare, 2 year old funding, 3 and 4 year old funding and DAF. Take a look at the wealth of information available and encourage families to sign up. They also have a handy translate tool. Just select the language required on the drop down list on the top left of their website.

Access the Family Assist website here


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The Autumn Term provider briefing will take place on 13 September from 10.00am - 12.00pm, live via Microsoft Teams.

The evening session has been cancelled. We will record the daytime session and email the recording to those unable to attend. If you would like to receive the recording from the next briefing, please email eyworkforce@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. 

Book your place here


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Have you purchased your package yet? Our evidence based training programme is highly successful in delivering courses, training and support which are both responsive to local need and the changing demands of the regulatory framework. The programme is written and delivered by the highly skilled and experienced Early Years Team to provide high quality training and continuous professional development for our outstanding workforce. Through our programme you have access to both universal centrally funded and chargeable training workshops, direct Early Years Team support and onsite training for your whole staff team. We hope you join us in our 2022/23 Early Years Training and Development Programme and look forward to welcoming you to workshops and supporting your CPD needs, whatever they may be.

  • Core package - £395
  • Enhanced package - £675
  • Build your own package - individually priced

Find out more and purchase your package here  

View the full training brochure here*

*Training is subject to change. Up to date information available on the Traded Services website.


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Many of our educational settings are currently welcoming children who have recently arrived in the UK and who come from Refugee or Asylum seeking families. During this webinar delivered by EMAS, you will consider some of the practical implications for families and professionals and inclusive approaches to welcoming them into Early Years settings.

20 September 2022

10.00am - 11.00am

Live via Microsoft Teams

Find out more and book your place here

If you have a child attending your setting under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, could you please inform eyfunding@portsmouthcc.gov.uk


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Resources available from Portsmouth's Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS)

EMAS' Bilingual Learning Assistants (BLAs) can support children through their first language in your setting. Did you know that EMAS also has a library of books and display resources that you can borrow too?

They have stories in other languages or in dual language which can be used to share with children if you have a BLA, or even a parent happy to help. These books can also help raise awareness of other languages and scripts.

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Some languages have more books available than others so just ask EMAS and they will see what they can do! They have also created lots of display packs focused around different languages and celebrations. These packs were originally designed for schools but are full of images and information that could also be suitable for settings too. They can send them to you electronically or ready-printed and laminated.

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They also have a small selection of physical resources such as clothes, real world items, musical instruments and so on.

Contact EMAS on general.emas@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call them for a chat on 023 9273 3130 and they can discuss your needs, what they might be able to offer you and arrange delivery.

You can view the referral forms, parental consent for referral forms and pathway for referrals on the Traded Services website under the SEND and Inclusion section of the resources page.


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The Government has launched a campaign to encourage greater take up of £2,000 per year Tax-Free Childcare scheme and the Universal Credit childcare offer. If you haven't already signed up to accept Tax Free Childcare click here to find out more. You can also find resources to use in your settings and share with parents in this Communications Toolkit. It contains email templates, leaflets, posters and social media content, including reminders for parents to check their details every three months to keep their 30 hours place.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and like and share our messages to spread the word!

Portsmouth Early Years Professionals

Facebook @PortsmouthEarlyYears

Instagram @portsmoutheyprofessionals

Family Information Service

Facebook @portsmouthfis

Instagram @fisportsmouth

We have included a range of promotional materials for early education funding below. Please print and share with families or upload to your social media. 

Early Education Funding information sheet

2 Year Old Funding poster

Help with childcare costs poster

We've signed up for Tax-Free Childcare: Have you? poster

Check your details every 3 months poster

Parents guide to Tax-Free Childcare 

These promotional materials are also available on the Traded Services website under the 'funding' section of the resources page.


Autumn

Children and young people who are showing signs of neuro-developmental needs can now access a new tool which can help identify what support a child or young person may need. 

Find out about the Neurodiversity Profiling Tool here


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Do you have any funded three and four year olds who are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance?

Did you know you could be entitled to receive a one-off payment of £800 per eligible child, per year?

The DAF aids access to early years places by, for example, supporting providers in making reasonable adjustments to their settings and/or helping with building capacity (be that for the child in question or for the benefit of children as a whole attending the setting).

If you know that you have a child who may be eligible for DAF please ask the parent to complete the relevant section of the Parental Declaration Form.

Find out more about DAF here


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As you already are aware the EYPP has increased to 60p per funded hour which equates to an additional £342 per child if they are accessing 570 hours. Eligibility is linked to income based benefit as well as children who are currently looked after by the local authority or left care through:

  • adoption
  • special guardianship order
  • a child arrangements order

Please encourage parents to complete the Parental Declaration Form accurately as, typically, if we get a false result it is because the digits in the National Insurance Number are in the wrong order, dates of birth are incorrect or the surname is wrong.

Find out more about EYPP here

Any questions about the content of this email? Get in touch