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 July 2020
Reminder
This week's DfE data capture for the numbers of children currently accessing early years provision closes at midnight. Please use this link to complete your return, if you have not already done so.
Ofsted Update
On 6 July, Ofsted published guidance on how they will be carrying out a phased return to inspection, starting with an interim period of visits during the autumn term. They intend to resume full inspections in January 2021, and are keeping the exact timing under review.
For early years providers, they will:
- Focus on ensuring sufficient capacity in the sector, supporting a safe return to education and care and responding to information that causes concern.
- Continue with the early years registration process, including on-site registration visits.
- Continue with emergency regulatory and enforcement work as concerns are raised.
- Begin carrying out regulatory activity in providers that have been judged inadequate or requires improvement and have associated actions to fulfil, from September 2020. Inspectors will look at what action leaders and managers have taken since the last inspection, and will confirm whether the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) are met. Currently, the DfE has disapplied the learning and development requirements until 25 September 2020. Visits will not result in an inspection grade, but inspectors can use regulatory or enforcement actions if appropriate and they will publish an outcome summary after a visit, confirming whether a provider has improved and is meeting the requirements of EYFS.
Vulnerable Children
Throughout the pandemic, settings have worked tirelessly to ensure that they are in contact with most vulnerable children and that they are able to attend provision where needed. This really has made a huge difference for families and we are extremely grateful for your ongoing commitment to ensure children are kept safe.
The Early Years and Childcare Advisors have been in touch with you about these children on a regular basis since early April. If you are remaining open over the summer holidays, this contact and support will continue. For settings who are term-time only, please ensure that where a child has a social worker, the social worker has been made aware that you will be closed and will not be having contact with these families during this time.
We will keep this level of support under review and update you when it is an appropriate time to return to these discussions as part of the normal termly Early Help Consultations.
Update from the Early Years Alliance: Operating during the coronavirus lockdown and beyond
Following the release of the updated guidance, and as you begin to plan for 20 July onwards, there is lots of helpful information from the Early Years Alliance which has been revised to reflect the most recent changes.
Shielding for children
The majority of children currently considered extremely clinically vulnerable to COVID-19 will be able to be removed from the shielded patient list. Children will only be removed from the shielded patient list by their GP or specialist doctor following consultation with the child and their family. Specialists and GPs will be asked to contact children and their families to discuss this over the summer. A small group of children will need to carry on shielding following consultation with their doctor. All children and young people should continue to shield until 31 July. For full details, you can read the press release Majority of children no longer need to shield.
Shielding guidance updated
The guidance COVID-19: guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable was updated with changes being applied from 6 July.
Going back to school
For your information, a short video has been created for children and young people about returning to school. This has been produced by West Sussex County Council in partnership with Kent County Council.
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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#63 6 July (data reminder, update on holiday club bubbles, WSSCP procedure on fabricated or induced illness)
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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)
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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