 Thank you for all your hard work and dedication supporting the children and families in Portsmouth. On behalf of the Early Years Team, I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful 2026.
Mindy Butler, Early Years and Childcare Manager
 From January 2026, invoices and receipts for parents should be itemised, and broken down separately into:
- the free entitlement hours
- additional private paid hours
- food charges
- non-food consumables charges
- activities charges
This is to allow parents to see that they have received their child’s free entitlement hours completely free of charge and understand that any fees paid are for additional hours or optional services. Invoices and receipts should include the provider’s full details so that they can be identified as coming from a specific provider.
The costs of chargeable extras should also be published on provider websites or, where they do not have any website, on local authority Family Information Services. These should be clear, up-to-date and easily accessible to parents, to enable parents to make an informed choice of provider. They should set out, for each setting, the amounts charged for all the chargeable extras listed, as well as the pattern of hours that parents can take the entitlements.
Childminders and providers caring for 10 or fewer children at any one time are exempt from this.
We are updating the Finding Childcare search on the website to reflect the expanded entitlements and to allow childminders to show as offering childcare and out of school provision, (before and after school and holiday cover). Once these updates have been applied we will let you know and ask you to take some time to review the information that is on the search about your setting. Please check that the links take parents to your website or Facebook page and that the types of funding that you offer is accurate.
For those providers who do not have a website they will be able to publish their funding offer and chargeable extras via this search.
 We'd like to draw your attention to the additional funding streams of Disability Access Funding (DAF) and Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) and how to promote these to parents. Information is available on our website and there is also an information sheet at the button below that you could share with parents. If a parent completes the relevant sections of the parental declaration forms for you to claim EYPP on your headcount please remember to tick the consent to check eligibility box. Please note that DAF will only be paid once the relevant evidence has been received by the funding team.
 Using the toilet is a new skill that children need to learn. You can play an important role in supporting children and their parents or carers with toilet training. The guidance on toilet training has been updated on the DfE website.
 The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has issued a Safety Alert to warn about the risks associated with baby sleep pillows.
The Safety Alert advises that baby sleep pillows should not be used, as they pose a risk of suffocation and increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Babies should always be placed to sleep on a firm, flat mattress, free from pillows, soft bedding or other items.
Baby sleep pillows are sometimes marketed with claims that they can improve sleep or help prevent flat head syndrome; however, there is no evidence that they are safe for use and they can obstruct a baby’s airway or cause overheating. Everyone who cares for children are urged to stop using baby sleep pillows immediately and follow safer sleep advice to reduce the risk of harm.
 Take a look at Child Accident Prevention Trust's article on 6 simple safety tips to keep children safe this Christmas.
 This festive season when there is likely to be a lot of wrapping paper lying around, why not take part in #46 Fantastic Paper Folding or try your hand at baking some festive treats with #47 Great Portsmouth Bake Off. You can find these activities and many more, here.
Both of these experiences will keep children entertained in the build up and aftermath of Christmas and support the development of communication and language skills.
Give them a go in your EY setting, share them with parents and send us photos or a short explanation of how you have used 50 things to do before you're five to help children acquire a range of skills and knowledge.
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