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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Friday 5 June 2020
The early years and childcare sector has been at the forefront of the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing crucial support to vulnerable children and the children of key workers. Many more settings have re-opened this week with even more planning to open from next Monday 8 June, whilst many of you have never been away. As the numbers of children attending begins to increase we thank you for your ongoing dedication and professionalism in making this possible for children and their families.
The need for sufficient childcare places is set to grow as more parents begin returning to work. Therefore, we thought it might be helpful to share the most recent information from your weekly data submissions to help illustrate the increase in settings opening and numbers of children attending:
- Settings open during w/c 21 May was 198 group based settings and 471 childminders, which has increased to 255 group based settings and 477 childminders for w/c 1 June.
- The total number of children under 5 attending has increased from 1792 to 4567 over the same weeks, reflecting the wider re-opening. This is estimated to be around one third of the children who would normally be attending at this time of year.
Setting and local authority responsibilities
Within the recently updated guidance Actions for early years and childcare providers during the coronavirus outbreak, section 2.1 lays out the responsibilities of early years and childcare settings including the following points:
- Childcare settings should work together with local authorities to agree the provision needed locally to support the needs identified.
- Settings may wish to make arrangements with other settings to reduce the number of children in their care, if a large number of children want to attend.
- Settings are expected to be flexible and work together where required.
- In some cases it may be necessary for settings to introduce a temporary cap on numbers, to ensure that children are kept in small groups, and to avoid mixing of children between groups. If this is necessary, settings should prioritise vulnerable children and children of critical workers, then 3 and 4 year olds, in particular those who will be transitioning to Reception in September, followed by younger age groups.
- Where significantly reduced numbers of children are attending, we understand that shared provision through early years hubs and clusters is in place in some areas.
Section 2.4 also outlines the responsibilities of local authorities to monitor and manage the early years and childcare market as follows:
- Local authorities should continue to work with all their early years providers to monitor and manage their local childcare market.
- Local authorities should develop an understanding of any gaps in childcare supply, as well as the barriers individual providers are experiencing, where they might temporarily be unable to open more widely or reopen (if they have been closed).
- Where needed, local authorities can manage the wider market flexibly to ensure that there is sufficient childcare provision; continuing to prioritise places for vulnerable children and children of critical workers, followed by 3 and 4 year olds, and then younger age groups. This may include:
- moving children between providers where one provider has closed, and another has empty Free Entitlement (FE) funded places
- operating through clusters and hubs to maintain educational provision; or, if necessary
- using early years Dedicated Schools Grant block contingency budgets, where local authorities have them, or uncommitted central spend in the early years budget
- In exceptional circumstances, and when all other options have been exhausted, local authorities may consider using their flexibility to redistribute FE funding in a clearly focused and targeted way from providers who have closed, to those who are open and caring for eligible children where necessary during the COVID-19 outbreak. This should still only be done in order to secure childcare for the children of critical workers, and for vulnerable children, where their usual arrangements are no longer possible. Further information can be found in the guidance on the use of free early education entitlements funding.
We are currently working through the above guidance and how this will be implemented within West Sussex and will share more detailed information in the near future via these setting updates.
Settings that are currently closed
We are aware that some settings have been closed in recent weeks but have been looking at ways to re-open for families in need of childcare. For those who are currently not able to re-open, we are asking you to complete a Recovery Plan and send a copy by email to family.info.service@westsussex.gov.uk with your setting name and 'Recovery Plan' in the subject. This is so that we can look at the barriers you have identified and support you to re-open as soon as practicable. This process is being put in place in order for us to be able to meet our duties around sufficiency and use of public funds. We will use your Recovery Plan to identify where support can be given to you to re-open, which will support your long term sustainability as well as ensure that families have access to the childcare they need.
In exceptional circumstances, and when all other options have been exhausted, we may consider the redistribution of FE funding in a clearly focused and targeted way from providers who have closed. Should any exceptional circumstances arise, please be assured that we will contact individual providers directly to discuss and agree any funding changes.
Inclusion Support and Funding Updates
As more children begin to attend early years provision again, there may be new challenges that emerge for children, and for practitioners, in meeting the needs of individual children. You will, of course, be preparing as much as you can and following the usual good practice strategies that you follow. Just to remind you that there is a range of information on our website to support you, as well as information that has been shared through the broadcast. You can also contact your EYCA to discuss any support you may need. This term, to reduce the risk of spreading infection, EYCAs will not be making visits to settings, but phone support will be provided. We hope that visits can start again in the autumn term. Also, due to the changing circumstances in settings this term, we will not be expecting any inclusion funding reviews to be completed this term by settings, for children in receipt of inclusion funding.
You may remember that we were planning to implement a new process for inclusion funding from September. Due to the changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been unable to progress the review and consultation as planned. Therefore, we will still be following the existing processes for the autumn term while continuing to review and consult ready for implementation in January 2021.
Additional guidance for Out of School Clubs
The guidance Actions for schools during the coronavirus outbreak was updated 3 June 2020 and Section 24 contains further clarification on the operation of Out of School clubs.
Implementing protective measures in early years settings
Foundation Years have published answers to the sector's frequently asked questions (FAQs) on implementing protective measures in early years settings during the coronavirus outbreak. This includes:
- Using sandpits and water troughs
- Taking groups of children to outdoor public places
- Testing for under 5s
Discretionary fund
Some settings have contacted us about the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund which was announced in May to provide additional support for businesses. The fund is designed to offer some support to small businesses that were not eligible for the Small Business Rate Relief, Rural Rate Relief Grant Fund or the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant fund.
Each of the district and borough councils in West Sussex have set out guidance and criteria for their fund. Information can be found by visiting your district and borough councils website - links to these are available from the Business West Sussex website.
All providers please complete a short online survey, once a week. The link to the survey is different each time. A link will be provided in each Monday broadcast, and the survey will be open for three full days each week from Monday to Wednesday, closing at midnight on the Wednesday. The latest link to the survey is also available on our website.
If a family you know are struggling to ensure they have food for their family, collect medication, or are in need of any additional support, contact West Sussex County Council Community hub.
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#48 3 June (Actions guidance, OSC provision, EYFS disapplications, Ofsted, PHE letter, resources, toothbrushing/fluoride varnish)
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#47 1 June (Data capture, Use of funding, Self-employment support, Stay at home guidance, Insurance)
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#46 29 May (confirmation of next phase of recovery strategy, testing for under 5's, new guidance for children with SEND, new Neglect Strategy)
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#45 27 May (planning for broadening your offer to more children, communicating with parents about re-opening)
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#44 26 May (early years planning guide)
We have a range of online training available for you to access for your staff to ensure they have the most up to date information to support them in their role:
- 15 Jun - Summer Term FE Actuals payments released (week commencing)
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