Early Years Finance news
Early Years Census 2025
The annual Early Years Census 2025 was week containing Thursday 16 January 2025, when the Spring Actual Task was open. Unfortunately, unlike in previous years, the Census Form was not available at the same time due to the requirement of a software update.
This update has now been applied so the Census will be available for completion from Monday 27 January until Friday 7 February 2025.
It can be found on your Early Years Portal under the Early Years Census button and guidance notes have also been issued on the Portal.
Completion of this information is mandatory for all settings except Academies who have opted to complete the School Census.
If you have any queries contact the Early Years Finance team on 01785 854009 or email eefportal@staffordshire.gov.uk, remembering to quote your Provider Portal ID.
Summer term funding and Easter
As Easter is falling late this year at the end of April please note that the Summer Term funding period covers the period 1 April to 31 August. This means that settings can claim the first 2 weeks of the summer term before the Easter holidays, and then resume after the break to claim a maximum of 13 weeks funding. Please ensure parents are not missing out on 2 weeks funding they are entitled to before Easter.
These 13 weeks, added to the 11 funded weeks in Spring Term and the 14 funded weeks in Autumn term, total 38 weeks funding across the academic year.
For any queries or help contact the Finance team on 01785 854009 or email eefportal@staffordshire.gov.uk.
Click the link below for more details on payments and task dates.
Dates for EY Forum 2024-25
If a child from your setting is due to be discussed at Early Years Forum, you will receive a setting information request form for you to update forum on the child’s progress. It is crucial this is completed in time for the meeting so the panel can have an accurate up-to-date picture so the relevant support can be put in place.
If you require further information, you can request a call back from a member of the EYSENIS team as part of the Tuesday call back service who will be happy to support you. Further information on how to do this can be found in the 'EY Area SENCO Team helpline' section below.
Click the link below for the EY Forum dates and SENIF funding meetings along with the deadline for applying for SENIF funding for the academic year of 2024-2025.
Free training opportunities
Developing early phonological awareness training
This free training is open to all provider types for practitioners working with children aged 2-4 years and will enable practitioners to use a range of evidenced based approaches and key practices to:-
- explicitly and implicitly teach sound discrimination and manipulation through intentional opportunities in play and small groups, across the pedagogical continuum.
- plan and deliver sequential learning of phonological knowledge and skills for nursery age children.
The training will clarify age-related expectations around early phonological development, identify key approaches and practical strategies to support:-
- Auditory (sound) discrimination,
- Awareness of rhythm, rhyme and alliteration,
- Hearing and matching initial sounds,
- Oral blending and segmenting.
There will be opportunities to see the approaches in action and rehearse new strategies, reflect on how phonological awareness can be taught through guided play and targeted group time.
Thursday 13 March 10am to 1pm
Rudyard/Trentham rooms, Staffordshire Place 1, Tipping Street, Stafford, ST16 2DH
Places are limited and offered on a first come first served basis (max 2 per setting). To express your interest click the link below.
Intra-familial Child Sexual Abuse multi-agency training
The course will increase participants’ awareness of and response to protecting children who are both at risk of or currently experiencing Intra-familial child sexual abuse and will help you to:
• understand the typology and prevalence of both intra and extra-familial child sexual abuse, including sibling abuse,
• consider how inherent attitudes and beliefs around sexual, physical and emotional development can have an influence on our ability to safeguard,
• understand and promote the importance of hearing the child’s voice and understanding their lived experience,
• have an overview of the legal and statutory guidance in relation to safeguarding and child sexual abuse,
• learn to recognise the indicators of Intra-familial child sexual abuse including behavioural and physical markers,
• awareness of the perpetrator, their modes operandi, behaviour and ability to groom and deceive not only the child but the child’s family and those professionals working with the child and family,
• awareness of good practice and relevant agencies who can offer support for children and families,
• promote the importance of multi-agency working and cooperation,
• understand of the SSCB procedures and guidance in particular the Threshold Framework and Escalation Policy,
• highlight the lessons learnt from national and local child safeguarding practice reviews, including rapid reviews.
- Friday 28 February 2025 9.30am to 4.30pm via Zoom OR
- Monday 24 March 2025 9:30 to 4:30pm via Zoom
To book the free prerequisite e-learning click the link below:
https://staffsscp.event-booking.org.uk/elearning-detail/%3DgDM2gjM/Intra-familial-Child-Sexual-Abuse-e-learning
Check SSCP charging policy before booking onto SSCP training here:
https://www.staffsscp.org.uk/learning-zone/training-costs/
Click the link below to book your place via the Learning Zone on the SSCP website.
Welcome to SENCo/SENCo refresher training
This 2 part event is aimed at SENCO's who are new to role or want to refresh their SENCo knowledge (including Childminders) and will cover what you need to know as a SENCo in Staffordshire. You will:
- develop an awareness of the role of the EYAS team and how a consultant can support you in your setting,
- understand how to support children with SEND needs in your setting,
- know which information you need to share with Early Years Forum and how to apply for SENIF,
- know how to monitor children in your setting and which outside agencies you can contact for support.
This is a two-part training, and delegates must attend both sessions to receive a certificate. A maximum of 2 delegates per setting can book onto this event. All places must be booked through the Practitioner Hub.
- Part 1: 4 March 2025 10am to 11.30am via MS Teams
- Part 2: 18 March 2025 10am to 11.30am via MS Teams
Click the link below to book your place on the EY Practitioner Hub.
Working with Separated Parents - practical tips
This session, aimed at frontline staff who work directly with parents, will provide the confidence and skills to work effectively in meeting outcomes for children where their parents are separated. It will:
• explore the barriers and challenges in working with separated parents and those in conflict.
• reflect on how we keep children at the centre of our practice
• increase awareness of tools to work with separated co-parents in conflict
• increase awareness of the legal context of parental responsibility.
27 February 2025 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).
Free Childcare Works EY Toolkit
Childcare Works have recently launched a new ‘Early Years Toolkit’, which has been curated by experts to bring together everything you need to grow, sustain or start, your childcare provision. It is designed for all types of providers at any stage of their journey. Whether you are just starting out, are sustaining your provision, or growing, you will find informative, relevant content.
The volume of information available to support providers can be overwhelming. The purpose of this toolkit is to bring this wealth of knowledge together in one place. It contains information specific to operating childcare provision, plus more general information for businesses, childminders and charities, including expert marketing, HR and leadership and management, partnership working and much, much more.
Content is organised into six ‘topics’:
- Business Planning
- Business Growth
- Running of Your Childcare Provision
- Leadership and Management
- Partnership Working
- SEND and Inclusive Practice
Each topic contains sub-topics to make finding relevant content easy. To support the different needs of providers Childcare Works have included information in a range of formats such as guides, learning, toolkits, templates, articles, case studies and much more. Each resource included in the toolkit is available without cost.
Click the link below to access the Early Years Toolkit.
If you also have a Wraparound provision you can access the free Wraparound Childcare toolkit here.
Wraparound funding available for 2025
Apply before 14 February 2025 if you would like to benefit from this opportunity in 2025.
Over 25 before and after school providers so far have been successfully awarded funding, to support providers to:
- create new before and after school clubs,
- increase the hours they are open,
- and/or expand the number of children they can care for.
Those that have been successful have been awarded funding to support with staffing costs for 12 months, support with rent/ lease and essential resources.
Click the link below for more details and how to apply.
For an informal discussion contact sarah.atkins@staffordshire.gov.uk or call 01785 278598
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