With you, with the child. Every step of the way.
Broadcast for Early Years and childcare providers in West Sussex from West Sussex County Council - Early Help Service
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Wednesday 8 April 2020
The week just seems to be flying by and doesn’t seem possible that it’s already Wednesday and half way through for many, as we have the upcoming Easter weekend.
Data collection on vulnerable children and children of critical workers
As per the information provided on Monday (06/04/20 PM broadcast), please remember to complete the data collection survey about vulnerable children and children of critical workers, which is now open today until midnight.
Furloughing
We are hearing reports that there are some providers who have furloughed all their staff, including the management team.
We would like to ask settings to consider the tasks that will be required for them to continue to do whilst closed as a result of COVID-19, and who is best placed to do this. These include, but are not limited to, headcount, autumn term estimates, keeping up to date with the changing circumstances and keeping in touch with families, particularly those who are vulnerable . There will also need to be someone working who can keep in touch with staff and complete any pay or furlough claims.
If you furlough every member of the organisation then this work will not be able to take place.
Please carefully consider who and when you are furloughing to enable you to ensure that key tasks can continue, including consideration to re-opening and the planning and preparation needed for this.
The government has announced a number of measures to support businesses, including childcare providers during this time. Following this guidance, we would expect childcare providers to support their local community and to support the COVID-19 response.
The government guidance also states that where employers receive public funding for staff costs, and that funding is continuing, we therefore would expect providers to use their FE funding to allow them to continue to work to support the COVID-19 response.
We understand that settings have closed for a range of different reasons based on their individual circumstances. We are here to support you and are doing our best to provide you with the information you need at this time.
Updating your information with the FIS
Until further notice, we are no longer accepting Termly Provider Profile Update forms from settings who have informed us they have closed due to COVID-19. This is to allow us to prioritise providing up to date information on currently available childcare to the parents and carers of vulnerable children, and those parents/carers who are keyworkers. To those settings who have closed but have since submitted a form, thank you for providing us with this update, and we apologise that we cannot accept it at this time.
If you are closed, and decide to reopen in the future, please inform us by email to family.info.service@westsussex.gov.uk before submitting a Termly Provider Profile Update.
FAQs
New FAQs have been added so please check these below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - including links to Gov.UK information
Note: All our FAQs for West Sussex settings are in one document. You will always be opening the latest version by clicking the link below in this, and future broadcasts.
Please ensure that you additionally refer to the latest Government FAQs on Gov.UK
Reminder: Data capture survey required every Wednesday and Friday
All providers please complete this short online survey, twice a week, every Wednesday and Friday:
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Link to data capture survey (Only open on a Wed and Fri, closing at midnight. Commences Wednesday 8 April. No survey required on bank holiday Friday 10 April)
Links to our most recent COVID-19 setting updates:
7/4 Update 17 (Staffing questionnaire)
6/4 PM Update 16 (About the 'data capture survey')
6/4 AM Update 15 (FE estimate payments)
3/4 Update 14 (updated 'EY and childcare closures' guidance on Gov.UK)
2/4 Update 13 (FAQs now on the web, and alert for scams)
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