|
As we come to the end of a very busy and somewhat challenging term, we would like to say a huge THANK YOU to each and everyone of you for your hard work and dedication to Shropshire children.
Most of the team are taking a well-earned break between this Friday and Monday 6th January 2025.
I hope you all manage to have a good break when it comes.
Happy Christmas from the Early Years team
Alison, Andy, Beverley, Charlotte, Dan, Heidi, Sarah, Brydie & Beth   
|
The Department for Education’s Do Something BIG recruitment campaign is ramping up at the end of December. It continues to highlight the huge difference early years educators make to young children and how rewarding working in the sector can be.
On average, we have seen over 46,000 visits to the campaign website each week, which directs potential applicants to use DWP’s Find a Job vacancy platform to search for early years roles in their area.
Listing your early years vacancies on Find a Job - which is free to use - is a cost-effective way of ensuring they are seen by a large pool of candidates and will help connect more job seekers with the opportunities they’re looking for.
If you do not yet have a Find a Job account and have current or upcoming roles in your setting, please watch these video tutorials to help you create an employer account and post your jobs.
Please make sure to include the term ‘early years’ in your job advert titles and select ‘Education and childcare jobs’ as the job category.
Thank you for your continued support.
|
The second issue of our SEND and Inclusion Newsletter is now available to view on the Shropshire SEND Local Offer. You can find it here: SEND and Inclusion newsletter | Shropshire Council
|
SEND and Inclusion Newsletter | Shropshire Council
This newsletter is aimed at practitioners and professionals who work with children and young people with SEND in Shropshire. Through this newsletter we hope to keep you informed about developments and opportunities in SEND, act as a point of reference for key information, share best practice and develop supportive professional networks.
next.shropshire.gov.uk
|
Along with last half terms first issue. This issue is packed again with a vast amount of information and updates from a range of professionals.
The next set of SEND and Inclusion Network meetings are also now live. These are going to be online phase events this next half term.
Here is the link for book on to the Early Years sector network: Online SEND and Inclusion Update: Early Years Tickets, Tue 4 Feb 2025 at 18:30 | Eventbrite
These are prepaid events relevant to all practitioners working in our range of Early Years settings.
SEND Snack
This time of year, can be very challenging for children with sensory needs. It is likely to be noisy with lots of strong smells. Requests to join in with many activities that involve a range of textures - glitter, paint, flour. Along with challenges that come with Christmas dinner and the range of Christmas foods.
The key to support children with these needs is to know them well, work in partnership with their parents and plan ahead to allow sensory needs to be supported.
If it is likely to be noisy consider the use of ear defenders or ensuring there is a quiet place to go to. Plan around Christmas dinners, trying to keep to the setting routine and preparing the children for any changes to table layout of cutlery. When carrying out activities think about how children can be included maybe gloves for activities using paint or glitter. Could they mix with a spoon instead of their hands.
Likewise, many children have sensory experiences they enjoy so including a range of these matched to the varying sensory needs of your cohort will enable all children to have fun together.
Please note the first Virtual Support Session in January will be held on Wednesday 8th January 2025 from 09:30 - 12:00. After this, the sessions will continue to be held on a Thursday.
Further details can be found on the Shropshire Learning Gateway: CPD Schedule and Booking Information 2024 - 2025 | Shropshire Learning Gateway
As part of our development it would be really useful to gain some feedback around early help tools and EHM recording system, please could you take the time to complete this MS Forms Early Help Information.
As we all know for most the festive period is often a happy time, but this isn’t always the case. We often see with the increase of financial pressures, having busy family time and people increasing their alcohol consumption that there is an increased risk of situations escalating. Unfortunately this means that the risk of harm and the potential of abuse also increases.
We all have a duty to safeguard and protect children whether they are directly in our care or in our community.
If you have concerns that a child or young person is being harmed or is at significant risk of being harmed, please contact First Point Of Contact (FPOC) on 03456789021. Remember to complete a MARF within 24 hrs of contacting compass.
If it is out of working office hours please contact the Emergency Duty Team on 03456789040.
If you believe that a child or young person is at immediate risk of harm please call the police on 999/ 101.
Early Years Funding Code of Practice
Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework for Childminders
Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework for Group and School-Based Providers
Early Years Funding for Foster Children
CPD Early Years and Schools | Shropshire Learning Gateway
Early Years CPD
Early Years Information Pages on the SLG
Early Years Resource Library
Funding Diary Dates (headcount windows and payments)
Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF)
Parent Declaration Form (Summer 2024 to Summer 2025)
Recruitment:
SEND and Inclusion Newsletter
Shropshire SEND Local Offer
Support Request Form (SEND)
Funding Claims, Free Entitlements, Eligibility Codes, Provider Portal etc.:
Admin Team: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
Job Vacancies:
Admin Team: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
Buildings, Premises, Accommodation, and any related issues including schools looking to adopt their local pre-school:
Andy Nicholls: andy.nicholls@shropshire.gov.uk
Wraparound Childcare Programme:
Dan Steele: Dan.steele@shropshire.gov.uk
School Sustainability Funding:
Jo Morris: Jo.morris@shropshire.gov.uk
Qualifications, Ratios, Staffing etc.:
Beverley Jones: beverley.jones@shropshire.gov.uk
Safeguarding and Child Protection:
Charlotte Percival: Charlotte.percival@shropshire.gov.uk
Early Intervention Grant - applications and admin:
Admin Team: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
Applications for EYPP and 30-Hour Entitlements for Children who are Looked After:
Admin Team: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
Applications for Disability Access Fund:
Admin Team: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
Information, advice and guidance in relation to SEND children:
earlyyears@shropshire.gov.uk
Any other queries that don’t fall into the above:
earlyyears@shropshire.gov.uk
Remember – we also have the MS Teams site:
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/team/19%3a9e2862aae963406b9ffc01b034aae950%40thread.tacv2/conversations?groupId=dd786852-0af3-4592-b069-7cf66e48df55&tenantId=b6c13011-372d-438b-bc82-67e4c7966e89
If you are not already a member of this group, then please email nef@shropshire.gov.uk and we will get you access.
Alison Rae
School’s Improvement Commissioner Adviser Early Years Foundation Stage
Education Improvement Service
Tel: 01743 254467
Email: alison.rae@shropshire.gov.uk
Beverley Jones
Education Improvement Service
Early Years Consultant
Tel: 01743 254454
Email: beverley.jones@shropshire.gov.uk
Charlotte Percival
Safeguarding Officer
Tel: 01743 254147
Email: charlotte.percival@shropshire.gov.uk
Admin Team (funding queries):
Beth Parry-Jones, Brydie Porter & Sarah Jones
Email: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
|
