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Wednesday 7th March 2017
1. Indicative Budgets Advance Notice – existing FE
providers only
The Free
Entitlement (FE) Indicative Budgets 2017/2018 are due to be posted in the next
couple of weeks. This will be subject to the new FE rate being signed off by
the Cabinet Member for Children – Start of Life – Lead Member for Children and
the ‘call in period’ having passed .
Should
you have any queries please contact the Family Information Service on 01243
777807 or email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk
2. Extension to existing Provider Declaration 2016/2017 –
existing FE providers only
We have
extended the current Free Entitlement (FE) Provider Declaration (April 2016 to
March 2017), to cover the period from April 2017 to August 2017 which can be
found on our webpage www.westsussex.gov.uk/ecsfreeentitlement. We will review again at the end
of this period upon receipt of updated Statutory Guidance and before the
extended free entitlement is introduced from September 2017.
All existing FE providers must return their signed Provider
Declaration via the Online Provider Portal by 28 March 2016 in order to continue to receive FE funding. Failure
to return this form by the due date will stop your summer term payments and
your ‘FE’ Online Provider Portal account will be suspended. To access guidance
and the Online Provider Portal go to www.westsussex.gov.uk/ecsportal to return your Provider
Declaration electronically.
Please continue
to use the latest Parent
Declaration and Post Headcount/Exceptional Payment request forms.
Any
providers wishing to sign up to deliver Free Entitlement for 2, 3 and 4 year
olds for the first time, please contact the Family Information Service for a
separate form and do not complete
the online form.
Should you have any
queries please contact the Family Information Service on 01243 777807 or email
free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk.
3. Inclusion Funding – Spring Term Claims
For
those settings that have had Inclusion Funding agreed for the Spring Term, the Online
Provider Portal (OPP) is now open for claim submissions until Friday 17 March.
Please
ensure that you refer to the ‘How to claim child-level funding’ guidance prior
to submitting your claim. The guidance can be found here
(then
click on the Help and Guidance PDF).
For those settings
that were sent an Inclusion Funding Claim form, please return these by Friday
17 March so that your claim can be processed.
4. Free Entitlement Summer Term Estimates – reminder now
open
A reminder that the
Online Provider Portal (OPP) is open for you to submit summer term estimates
for Free Entitlement 2, 3 and 4 Year Olds. The deadline for estimate submissions
is 17 March 2017.
Please
refer to the previous broadcast dated 22 February 2017 for the important
information and guidance.
If
you have any questions, please contact the Family Information Service
specialist team on 01243 777807 or email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk
5. Department for Education
releases Frequently Asked Questions on 30 Hours Childcare Entitlement
The Department for Education has published a number of important
resources on the 30 hours childcare entitlement. These include a one-pager on Eligibility and
a Frequently Asked Questions document. These resources can be
accessed here.
6. You asked, we listened: New
vacancy form opens this week
In the
Autumn term we conducted a survey with a variety of settings regarding the
online portal and to explore any potential barriers to updating your setting’s
vacancy information.
A majority
of those asked said that a short form you could just ‘click’ into and complete
would be simpler and much easier to do.
Based on
your feedback, we have created a seperate vacancy form for you to complete. The
deadline for completion is 21 April 2017. Full guidance can be found online here. This simple form will only be open
for a short period of time, the full profile form option will continue to be
accessible as always.
This
information is vital for parents looking for immediate childcare, as well as informing
local plans about sufficiency in your area. Update, even if you’re full!
You can
access the vacancy form here: www.westsussex.gov.uk/ecsportal.
If
have any feedback, please email it to family.info.service@westsussex.gov.uk.
7. Update your staff list now
and avoid the rush
The 2017/18
Training Subscription Scheme will start from 1 April. With this in mind, we ask
that you are proactive about updating your setting staff list via the Online Provider
Portal. An update now will ensure the calculation rate for your Training Subscription
Scheme application is not delayed due to setting staff list inaccuracies. This
will allow you to make full use of your 2017/18 subscription and book on to
courses as soon as bookings open.
Please find
the Online Provider Portal and the ‘Provider Portal - help and guidance’
document here. If you have queries or require
help please call the Family Information Service and ask to speak to Workforce
Development: 01243 777807 or email: workforce.development@westussuex.gov.uk
8. Safer Sleep Week 13-19 March
Sudden Infant Death claims the lives of around four babies every week in
the UK and the Lullaby
Trust is determined to reduce this number.
Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust Child Health Improvement Team
would like you to consider promoting Safer Sleep Week to ensure everyone
caring for a baby is aware of the safer sleep messages.
The Lullaby Trust has a free downloadable app Is
your baby really ill? which takes parents and carers though a
series of questions about their baby’s health and identifies action to be
taken.
Resources to support the Safer Sleep message
Lullaby Trust downloadable guides including easy read cards in many different
languages.
Upcoming Key Dates
Date What's Happening?
Now Summer Term FE
Estimates open (deadline 17 March)
Now INCO/SENCO Networks meetings taking place (course
code SI001N)
Now Inclusion Funding claims open (deadline 17 March)
14/03 Business and Welfare Events start (14-29 March) (course code BR018N)
01/04 Childminder Events (1-3 April) (course code NM004N)
Previously on the Weekly Broadcast
Forgotten to action a broadcast item? You can’t remember which Broadcast the information was in? Below is a list of headlines from the previous 4 weeks' Weekly Broadcasts. If you would like a copy of a previous broadcast please click on the hyperlinks below.
Wednesday 1st March 2017
- Additional 'Introduction to Child Protection' Courses
- Makaton Foundation Workshop for Professionals
- Proposal for Tooth brushing in Early Years Settings in West Sussex
Wednesday 22 February 2017
- Free Entitlement Spring term actuals payments – advance
notice
- Free Entitlement Summer Term Estimates – now open
- Inclusion Funding - Spring Term claims
- Staff Module – Frequently Asked Questions
- Additional Child Protection Refresher Courses
- Scheduled Expression of Interest Courses
- Child Protection and Safeguarding Training Pathways
- Purchase Left at Business Conference
- West Sussex Safeguarding Children's Board Survey
Wednesday 15 February 2017
- Are you ready for September 2017?
- Safer Recruitment for Settings Training
- Guidance on infection control in schools and other childcare settings
- FREE Learn, Explore, Debate (LED) Events
Wednesday 6 February 2017
- Bruising in children who are not 'Independently Mobile'
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