|
PLEASE SHARE THESE UPDATES WITH ALL STAFF
A message from Helen Gibson, Head of Early Years
Hello everyone, I'm Helen Gibson, and I have the pleasure of leading the Early Years Team in Staffordshire. Every day, I'm amazed and inspired by the incredible work happening in our early years settings. As we approach the summer break for some settings, I want to take a moment to thank each of you for your dedication and the countless ways you go above and beyond to support our unique children and families.
Celebrating Our Achievements
On 25 June, we held a fantastic conference at Beaconside Conference Centre to celebrate the impact our early years practitioners have on our youngest children. Bernie Brown, SCC's Director for Children and Families opened the event with a heartfelt message of support for our early years practitioners, and we were treated to inspiring talks from sector-leading speakers like Laura Henry-Allain MBE, Greg Bottrill, Darrell Woodman from the Art of Brilliance, and Catherine McLeod MBE from Dingley’s Promise. The feedback has been incredible, with many of you feeling empowered, motivated, and valued. It truly was a fantastic and inspiring conference!
 Early Years conference 2025
 Some of the Early Years team
We've recently reorganized and expanded our Early Years team to better meet the needs of our settings in Staffordshire. We're committed to providing the highest quality support and working in partnership with you to achieve the best outcomes for our children and families. Our team now consists of three sub-teams:
-
Improvement and Inclusion Team North: Covering Lichfield, Tamworth, Cannock, and South Staffordshire, led by Rosie Boardman.
-
Inclusion and Improvement Team South: Covering Stafford, East Staffordshire, Newcastle, and Moorlands, led by Sarah McDowell.
-
Funding, Sufficiency, and Compliance Team: Countywide, led by Kev Taylor.
Finally, thank you for your continued hard work and dedication. Together, we're making a difference!
Helen Gibson - Head of Early Years
Spotlight on our Team Leaders
Each week, we'll shine a spotlight on one of our team leaders so you can get to know us better. This week, we're featuring Rosie Boardman, who leads the Improvement and Inclusion Team - South.
Rosie is delighted to introduce herself as the Improvement and Inclusion Lead for the south of the county.
"It is a privilege to step into this role, working alongside an experienced and dedicated team to make a meaningful impact on the lives of children, families, and settings in our community. Our newly formed team encompasses two vital areas: the Improvement Team and the Inclusion Team, which many of you may know in their earlier forms as the Quality and EYSENIS teams. Together, we bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise, ensuring a collaborative and comprehensive approach to supporting our diverse settings".
Next week we will feature Sarah McDowell.
Early Years entitlements update sessions
Join the Early Years team to find out more about the changes to early years entitlements from September 2025, including:
- The expansion of working parent funding to 30 hours for children from 9 months old
- Families who are entitled to Think 2 AND working parent funding
- Information on additional funding
The sessions are the same so you only need to attend one. There is no need to book, just click on the relevant link 5 minutes before the session time.
Monday 14 July 11am to 11:30am - Join the meeting now
Tuesday 15 July 1:30 to 2pm - Join the meeting now
Wednesday 16 July 6pm to 6:30pm - Join the meeting now
Monday 21 July 7pm to 7:30pm - Join the meeting now
Thursday 24 July 9:30am to 10am - Join the meeting now
Friday 25 July 3pm to 3:30pm - Join the meeting now
Note: these sessions are different to the Finance team Provider briefings which took place on 23 and 24 June 2025.
|
Staffordshire Integrated Front Door
As part of SCC's Children’s Services’ ongoing programme of improvement, we are undertaking targeted work to strengthen our ‘front door’ arrangements. This area, formerly known as the Staffordshire Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), is now operating as the Staffordshire Integrated Front Door (SSIFD).
Key Changes to the Section 47 Process:
Referral process remains unchanged-Partners should continue to raise concerns about children through the established SSIFD front door procedures.
Threshold for strategy discussion-Where a contact received by SSIFD meets the threshold for a Section 47 enquiry (i.e., there is reasonable cause to suspect a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm), and a response is required from Staffordshire, the following process will apply.
Allocation and oversight-The contact will be subject to immediate management oversight within SSIFD. It will then be allocated directly to the relevant district duty social work team.
Responsibility for strategy meetings-The district social work team will:
- Initiate contact with all relevant safeguarding partners/referrers;
- Organise and arrange the strategy meeting;
- Chair the strategy meeting;
- Ensure timely follow-up and progression of actions.
SIFD will no longer be responsible for chairing or coordinating these meetings, however SSIFD will retain responsibility for strategy meetings in the following contacts:
- Where the child is ordinarily resident outside of Staffordshire;
- Where the child is placed in a specialist setting (e.g., HMYOI, Tier 4 mental health provision, or is a child in care to another LA;
- Where Staffordshire is requested to attend solely to share information.
These changes are designed to:
- Improve clarity of roles and responsibilities;
- Reduce delays in convening strategy discussions;
- Strengthen local accountability and decision-making;
- Ensure that children at risk receive a timely, proportionate, and effective safeguarding response.
We are confident that this revised approach will support a more streamlined and responsive safeguarding system. We greatly value your continued partnership and commitment to protecting children and young people across Staffordshire.
New LADO Referral form
The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) service manages and oversees allegations against adults who work with children.
The team has launched a new online LADO referral form, to make it quicker and easier for you to report concerns.
You should make a LADO referral if you believe that an adult who works with children has:
- Behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed, a child.
- Possibly committed a criminal offence against, or related to, a child.
- Behaved towards a child, or children, in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children.
- Behaved, or may have behaved, in a way that indicates that they may not be suitable to work with children.
If a referral meets the LADO threshold, LADO will oversee, monitor and support the management of an allegation.
The LADO service supports employers to handle allegations in a way that is timely and proportionate, making sure effective safeguards are in place for children when needed.
What you need to do:
- Make a referral to the LADO service within 24 hours of an allegation being made.
- Always use the LADO referral form to make a referral to the service.
Linda Hancock and Abi Bower, Risk Management Coordinators, explain what the LADO services does, when people should refer and how to make a referral; you can watch the short video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7sIqhlgs64 (opens YouTube)
Click the link below to make a LADO referral, using the new online form.
Please note: a LADO referral is separate from a safeguarding referral. If you have concerns that a child may have been harmed, or may be at risk of harm, you will still need to make a safeguarding referral to SCAS on 0300 111 8007. There will be times when both referral processes are applicable and will therefore need to be followed.
EYFS statutory framework - the safeguarding and welfare requirements
Safer sleep practices
Safety and suitability of premises, environment and equipment: this section covers a wide range of health and safety consideration for all early years providers. Pg 35- 38.
Sleeping arrangements: it states in the EYFS that sleeping children should be frequently checked to ensure that they are safe.
3.69 - Group and school-based provision
3.69 - Childminder
Points to consider:
- When was the last time the provision completed safer sleep training?
- How is staff and assistants understanding of safer sleep training checked?
- How often are sleeping children checked to ensure they are safe?
- Are the cots, sleep mattresses and bedding used in good working order and suitable for the age of the babies and children?
- Are babies placed down to sleep safely in line with latest government safety guidance?
- Are you physically checking sleeping children and recording it?
- Does your procedure include removing bibs, head bands and dummy clips before the children go to sleep?
- Do you monitor the temperature of the room and keep it at steady temperature?
- If in a large mixed age group room, do you ensure that the sleeping children are not at risk of being trampled on by waking children?
SSCP Safer Sleep Practitioner Events - Learning from local modifiable factors training
This free event is for the multiagency practitioners who are experienced in delivering safer sleep messages to new parents, with the aims to: -
- Refresh and update prior knowledge, in relation to both the local picture and “Out of routine: A review of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) in families where the children are considered at risk of significant harm.” (DfE 2020)
- Learn from trends, local modifiable factors and vulnerable groups and how these can support new parents and carers
- Allow frontline practitioners to talk about their experiences in practice including themes, barriers, difficulties in engagement, and concerns.
- Give these practitioners opportunity to suggest ideas of how we can support families to understand and follow safer sleep advice, to suggest tools and resources that might aid this, wider strategies.
Thursday 9 October 2025 9:30am to 1pm by MS Teams
Click the link below to book your place via the SSCP website.
Click the links below for more free resources:
Safer sleep advice for babies - Start for Life - NHS
Sleeping position | The Lullaby Trust
SSCP Safer Sleep Awareness Videos
Safer-sleep-awareness-for-early-years-settings-booklet.pdf
Click the link below to sign up to Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Partnerships newsletters.
Free training opportunities
EY SEND - Effective Implementation Part 1 Network
Tuesday 8 July 2025 4pm to 5pm online
Click the link below to book your place.
Thrive Together EY Stronger Practice Hubs Webinar: Interactive reading - an effective strategy to support C&L development
Wednesday 20 August 2025 9.30 to 10.30am online
Click the link below to book your place.
Thrive Together EY Stronger Practice Hubs Early Years Leader Staffroom - Getting Off To A Good Start Network
Wednesday 17 September 2025 4pm to 5pm online
Click the link below to book your place.
Webinars: Protective Preparedness for Education Settings - Martyn’s Law
The DfE in partnership with the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) are hosting an online webinar focussing on counter terrorism protective security and preparedness for education settings.
The DfE’s ‘Counter Terrorism Protect & Prepare Team’ will provide you with an overview and update on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 commonly known as, ‘Martyn’s Law’, and its implications for the education sector. You can find more information about Martyn’s Law by visiting - GOV.UK
NaCTSO will also provide a briefing on how to consider counter terrorism protection and preparedness across education settings. You can find out more about scalable counter terrorism preparedness by visiting ProtectUK
Click on your chosen date below to register your place.
To learn more about how you can protect your education setting, staff and learners from terrorism, click the link below.
Nurturing Nutrition: event recording and resources
Foundation Years is pleased to share the recording and supporting slides from the recent live event: Nurturing Nutrition – Building Healthy Foundations in the Early Years.
Hosted by Begin Bright, this informative session featured insights from the DfE, Ofsted and early years nutrition experts. The event explored the importance of nutrition in early childhood and provided practical strategies to support healthy eating habits in EY settings.
The recording is a great opportunity to reflect on your current practice, gain expert guidance and access useful resources that promote children’s health and wellbeing.
Click the link below to watch the recording and access the free resources.
The DfE have published guidance for EY providers who are caring for children aged 0 to 5 years to help you offer healthy, balanced and nutritious food.
It supports providers in meeting the EYFS statutory framework requirement ‘Where children are provided with meals, snacks and drinks, these must be healthy, balanced and nutritious’.
From September 2025, the EYFS statutory framework will include a safeguarding and welfare requirement that asks providers to follow this nutrition guidance unless there is good reason not to.
|
