Congratulations - Outstanding!
Many congratulations to childminder Gretta Kostuch (210161) in Cannock for her second consecutive Outstanding Ofsted judgement.
Gretta told us 'I am just so proud to receive the accolade that reflects all the hard work that I have put into my setting and the support from my families has helped me keep this wonderful grade'.
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Product safety alert: Water beads
Water beads are small dehydrated beads that can expand 400 times their size on contact with liquids, including water or gastric fluids. The beads are often marketed as toys, sensory kits, art kits, hydro guns, stress balls, home decor or vase fillers, and have been linked to child fatalities overseas and to serious harm to children in the UK.
When dehydrated beads are swallowed they expand in the gastrointestinal tract, causing a blockage that requires surgical removal. They can be very difficult to detect and do not show up on x-ray, making clinical diagnosis challenging.
Harm can also occur when a bead is accidentally inhaled into the airways, which can lead to coughing and choking.
Click the link below for more details including a poster to print and display in your setting.
Safeguarding news
Statutory and Welfare requirements - Safety and suitability of premises, environment, and equipment. Pg 35 group and school provision / Pg 25 Childminders
Providers must comply with requirements of health and safety legislation (including fire safety and hygiene requirements).
Points to consider:
- How do you ensure that your premises are fit for purpose and suitable for the age of children being cared for?
- How confident are you that staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities regarding keeping children safe whilst in the setting?
- What evidence do you have to show that staff understand their roles and responsibilities?
- How robust are your risk assessments? Has anyone had any training on how to fill in a risk assessment?
- What training have you and staff received to support your knowledge and understanding of risk assessments and health and safety?
- How robust is the reporting mechanism if a hazard is noted by staff regarding health and safety in your setting?
Click the links below for more up-to-date resources.
Child Accident Prevention Trust (capt.org.uk)
RoSPA – The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
Child Safety Campaigns - Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (staffsscp.org.uk)
Free training opportunities
1. Early Communication Screening
This online training is aimed at practitioners in group based settings who work with young children and families and will help you to support children’s speech, language and communication development.
This course is in 3 parts, practitioners must attend all 3 sessions to complete certification for this course.
Please note: delegates who attend Session 1 will be required to collect the resource pack from Stafford before session 2 as the resources are necessary for sessions 2 and 3. Delegates will be contacted with further details about collection by appointment after attendance of session 1. Unfortunately, we are unable to post the resource pack. * If your setting already has the resource pack then delegates do not need to collect as existing resources can be used.
- Tuesday 8 October 2024 9:30 to 12:00 via MS Teams
- Tuesday 22 October 2024 9:30 to 12:00 via MS Teams
- Tuesday 5 November 2024 9:30 to 12:00 via MS Teams
Click the link below for more details and to book your place.
2. Childminder Network Meeting - Autumn 2024: What Good and Outstanding Looks Like
The termly online network meetings, for Childminders and Childminding assistants, provides an opportunity for regular dialogue to work collaboratively to share good practice, discuss concerns and possible solutions to current issues and contribute to a shared agenda.
Thursday 24 October 7pm to 8:30pm via MS Teams
Click the link below for more details and to book your place.
3. Working with separated parents
To provide frontline staff, who work directly with parents, the confidence and skills to work effectively in meeting outcomes for children where their parents are separated.
- Explores the barriers and challenges in working with separated parents and those in conflict.
- Reflects on how we keep children at the centre of our practice
- Increase awareness of tools to work with separated co-parents in conflict
- Awareness of the legal context of parental responsibility
22 October 2024 9:30 to 1pm via MS Teams
To book, email children.families.training@staffordshire.gov.uk with the delegate name, setting name, email address, name of course and date. (Please do not contact the EEAC team).
4. Working with dads and significant males
To increase knowledge and skills of the vital role fathers and male carers play in the lives of their children and to promote best practice from the workers supporting those children. This course is aimed at anyone who works directly with children and their parents.
- Understand the key research pertaining to fathers and male carers
- Be more reflective of their own approach to working with significant males and how their own values may influence their approach.
- Increase knowledge of some of the barriers to successful engagement of male carers
- Awareness of best practice when working with fathers and male carers
- Reflect upon how effective healthy relationship work with parents requires best practice with dads.
24 October 2024 1:00pm to 4:30pm via MS Teams.
To book, email children.families.training@staffordshire.gov.uk with the delegate name, setting name, email address, name of course and date. (Please do not contact the EEAC team).
5. Lunch and Learn: Disability Access Fund (DAF)
This session is aimed at EY Managers and Leaders, EY SENCo's and practitioners and covers:-
- what DAF funding is and the eligibility criteria
- how to apply for DAF funding
- how to use the DAF funding effectively
- how DAF funding can enable further reasonable adjustments in your setting
Friday 11 October 2024 12:00 - 13:00 via MS Teams
Click the link below to book your place.
Early Years Financial Incentive (EYFI) - 'Golden Hello'
This is the final term to be part of Staffordshire’s Early Years Financial Incentive (EYFI) ‘Golden Hello’ pilot.
Funded by the DfE, the scheme offers a £1,000 incentive to those starting or returning to a career in Early Years childcare, helping providers fill vacancies.
Click the link below for more details, eligibilty and to complete your expression of interest.
Survey - Families Health & Wellbeing (0-19) Service
The annual survey for the Families Health and Wellbeing (0-19) service has just been launched. This survey is aimed at families with children and young people who have used the service in the last year.
The survey closes 25 October 2024; feel free to share with your parents and families.
Wraparound staff survey
If you are wraparound staff, we want to hear about your specific training needs, ensuring that any future professional development provided is targeted, relevant, and effective in supporting your roles.
Click the link below to have your say about the future of wraparound childcare training opportunities in Staffordshire. The survey closes on Monday 30 September 2024.
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