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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Monday 6 July 2020
Welcome to the start of what is likely to be another busy week for all. We hope you have returned from the weekend, relaxed and refreshed. Thank you for your ongoing hard work and support to children and families. With more business opening up parental need for childcare is set to increase, making the services you offer even more vital.
Reminder
This week's DfE data capture for the numbers of children currently accessing early years provision is now open, and will close at the end of Wednesday (midnight). Please use this link to complete your return.
Clarification on "Bubbles" for Holiday Clubs
A number of organisations have raised concerns about the practicalities of requiring children to always be in the same group of children for every session. In response, the Department for Education (DfE) have said that they will be reviewing the requirement for children to be in the same group of children whenever they attend the setting, and will be issuing clarification in the form of a Question and Answer section which will be added to the guidance. However DfE have indicated that they had limited room to manoeuvre on this point as they have to follow the recommendations from Public Health England on restricting the mixing of children as much as possible. We will keep you updated as soon as any additional guidance is made available.
WSSCP Launch revised pan-Sussex procedure for fabricated or induced illness and perplexing presentations.
Fabricated or induced illness (FII) is a term and situation well known to professionals with potentially serious and harmful impacts on children, including deliberately induced illness and even death. What is perhaps less well recognised, but far more common, are ‘perplexing presentations’ (PP). West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership (WSSCP) have launched a new pan-Sussex procedure and further information is available in this flyer, or you can access the full guidance. Should you have any specific concerns relating to FII or PP you can also contact your Early Years and Childcare Adviser for further support.
Please inform the Family Information Service if your current operating status changes. Email family.info.service@westsussex.gov.uk and include your setting name, Ofsted URN, the date you intend to close/open, and any changes to your operating hours. If you inform us of re-opening, you will be reinstated on the public list and appear on our website www.westsussex.gov.uk/fis.
If you are have not been able to open at this time, you should already have submitted a COVID-19 Recovery Plan and sent a copy by email to the FIS. This is so that we can look at the barriers you have identified and support you to re-open as soon as practicable. If we have not received your plan, you will be contacted by your EYCA to support you further.
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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#62 3 July (local lockdowns, staggered school starts, FE estimates deadline today, EYFS reforms - government response, information for childminders)
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#61 2 July (removal of the requirement for 'bubbles', guidance for out of school provision)
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#60 1 July (Holiday provision, community facilities, OPP downtime, infection prevention and control webinar)
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#59 29 June (CJRS errors with claiming, FE Estimates reminder, PHE flowchart, broadband boost)
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#58 26 June (FE Parent Declaration Form - Word version)
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:
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