Finance news
The Finance team are undertaking a consultation on moving the payment dates from the third Friday of the month to the first Friday of each month, starting from 1 April 2025.
The consultation will close on 22 October 2024 and the option with the greatest number of votes will be adopted moving forward. Providers are asked to submit one vote per setting.
Click the link below for more details and to take you to the simple questionnaire to cast your vote.
If you have any queries contact eefportal@staffordshire.gov.uk, adding 'Provider Consultation' in the subject line.
DfE news
School nurseries
You may be aware, state-funded primary schools will soon be invited to bid for capital funding to create or expand on-site nurseries. These nurseries can be school-run or delivered by private and voluntary providers. Schools are encouraged to discuss any plans with the local authority. At present, there is no further detail other than the announcement. We are currently reviewing our EY sufficiency data in preparation for the guidance being released.
If you are interested in bidding in the first round, email eeac@staffordshire.gov.uk and we will contact you once the guidance is released to discuss your plans in more detail.
This policy does not replace the capital funding that is available to providers to expand funded childcare places across Staffordshire. This funding is available to all providers to support with the capital costs of creating additional places. For further information or to discuss any plans for potential expansion, email eeac@staffordshire.gov.uk.
Breakfast clubs
The government has announced that up to 750 schools with primary aged pupils will begin delivering free breakfast clubs from April 2025, as part of the testing phase to support a national roll out. It is intended that this will build on, and work alongside the current Wraparound Childcare Programme. Further information on how schools can take part in the scheme, and the model the scheme will follow, will be shared by the DfE in the second half of the autumn. Early adopter schools will be confirmed by early 2025 and the scheme will launch in the summer term (April 2025). Schools that wish to find out more about becoming an early adopter can sign up using the early adopter breakfast clubs expression of interest form to be notified as further information becomes available.
The Wraparound Childcare Programme will continue to provide funding to schools to expand their wraparound provision both before and after school. To find out more email eeac@staffordshire.gov.uk.
Safeguarding news
Statutory and Welfare requirements Child protection Pg 22-27- group and school provision and childminders Pg 15-20.
Learning from child safeguarding practice reviews (CSPR) is an important part of your professional development. It is important that we all reflect on your own practice and consider how you can improve outcomes for children.
Remember if you have a concern about a child, use the SSCP Threshold Framework to help you make a decision. The purpose of this document is to assist practitioners working with children to make the right referral decision.
Speak to Staffordshire Childrens Advice and Support Service (SCAS) to confirm your decision and describe the intervention already done.
If SCAS do not feel it meets the threshold (level 4), but you do have significant concerns you can and should escalate your concerns. Read and reflect on the SSCP Escalation Policy as part of your safeguarding CPD.
Further consideration
- Think about the how you develop a safeguarding culture within your setting and how you revisit to ensure this remain a focus.
- How is the setting invested in safeguarding? How can you demonstrate this?
- Is there a robust record keeping system in place? if you have not written it down it has not happened.
- Do you ensure that the child’s voice is heard?
- Is the transition between setting and school robust enough?
Free - training opportunities
1. 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.
2. Lunch and Learn: Special Educational Needs Inclusion Funding (SENIF)
This session is aimed at EY Managers and Leaders, EY SENCo's and practitioners and covers:-
- what SENIF is and where to find further information
- how to apply for SENIF including deadlines and reapplications
- how SENIF should be used and what the criteria is
- how SENIF forms part of the graduated response and the implications of applying for, or not applying for SENIF, for early years children
Wednesday 23 October 2024 12:00 to 1pm via MS Teams.
Click the link below to book your place.
3. Creating a language rich inclusive environment
On this training, aimed at all EY practitioners including Childminders, you will learn how to create a language rich environment throughout your provision. The training will help you:-
- Create and embed a language rich environment in your setting.
- Understand which resources may encourage the development of language.
- Reflect on how you can adapt your environment and practice to be inclusive for children with additional needs or SEND.
- Develop an understanding of Staffordshire’s speech and language pathway.
Monday 14 October 2024 7pm to 8pm via MS Teams
Click the link below to book your place.
Free - EY Safeguarding Forums
In collaboration with early years, the Partnership have developed an Early Years Safeguarding Practitioner Forum, which meets termly to discuss emerging safeguarding themes from the sector, share the learning from local reviews, pick up on good practice when it comes to the methods and platforms used to share learning and to celebrate successes that spotlight how the sector is keeping children safe.
The event is held over two duplicate sessions to enable options for attendance at a time that suits you; you only need to attend one event. Click your chosen date and time below to book your place.
Send and Inclusion Funding (SENIF) information
As part of our audit process, settings that receive SENIF will be emailed a Microsoft Forms questionnaire in the next couple of weeks. Some settings will be selected to receive a follow up phone call from a consultant as part of this process.
West Midlands Ofsted Big Conversation
- Friday 8 November 2024 10am to 1pm
- Birmingham City Football Club, St Andrews Cattell Road, Birmingham, B9 4RL
Hear the latest news from Ofsted's regional members of the inspection team as well as Wendy Ratcliff (Principal Officer, Early Education) and Samantha Sleeman-Boss (Early Education, Quality and Practice Lead). Delegates will also be able to speak directly with them on any issue in Ofsted’s popular Speakers Corner.
Tickets are £20 and can be booked by clicking the link below.
If you have any questions email Tim Hopkins from Humpty Dumpty Day Nurseries Ltd tim@humpties.co.uk.
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