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 24 July 2020
As we come to the end of the week we thank you for all your efforts in operating your childcare provision for those children and families who need it and wish you a restful weekend, with loved ones, wherever this is possible.
Informing Public Health of suspected/confirmed COVID-19 cases within your setting
Please can we remind all settings of the information provided in previous broadcasts about what to do if a child or staff member develops symptoms. It is essential that the guidance within this flowchart is followed, to ensure the robust management of suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. All relevant contact details can be found within the flowchart.
Updated guidance on safe working in education, childcare and children's social care
The guidance Safe working in education, childcare and children’s social care was updated late on 21 July. The changes clarify advice on the system of control measures including PPE and the NHS test and trace process.
Reminder: Summer term applications for 30 Hours Free Childcare
Parents who want to take up a 30 Hours place in the Autumn term must apply before 31 August if they want to be sure they will get a place. As always, parents should allow plenty of time to apply to ensure that a valid code is received well ahead of the deadline.
The DfE have made some temporary changes to 30 hours policy, so that parents are not disadvantaged during the coronavirus outbreak. Specifically:
- Parents who lose income and fail to meet the minimum income threshold due to the outbreak will be treated as meeting that test.
- Critical workers who exceed the maximum income threshold due to working additional hours in response to the outbreak may also remain eligible.
We continue to strongly encourage all eligible parents to continue to apply for, and reconfirm, their 30 hours and Tax-Free Childcare entitlement, even if they have not been accessing their entitlement due to COVID-19 and related closure of childcare settings. This will help to ensure parents have a smooth transition back into childcare when possible.
Parents can use the guidance available on Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours free childcare during coronavirus outbreak if they have questions about their eligibility for their childcare offer.
Hungry Little Minds
Hungry Little Minds is the Department for Education's three-year campaign to help parents support their child’s early language development at home. The campaign website has been updated to ensure all the activities are in line with the current social distancing guidance. The aim is to give families some more inspiration for activities they can do whilst they are at home with their children.
Some additional online educational resources are listed on the Hungry Little Minds website to help pre-school children to learn at home. These have been brought together by some of the country’s leading educational experts and are free to use. The Hungry Little Minds website received 245,302 new users in recent months, seeking out tips, activities, apps and resources to support children at home.
Please keep promoting the campaign website and messaging in your communications with families. You may also wish to promote guidance for parents which sets out to reassure them that parents are not expected to be early years practitioners or teachers, but to try and support their child’s wellbeing and learning as much as possible. The guidance aims to provide clear answers to the most common things parents may be worried about and includes content on supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing.
Impact of restrictions on 2 year olds
The University of Chichester are exploring the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on 2 year old children who usually attend childcare. Please share this quick and easy online survey with your parents of 2 year olds. The more parents that participate, the more reliable the research will be.
Best Beginnings
Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England, has published a report, Best Beginnings which is an in-depth examination of early years provision in England. It describes a system that is disjointed and often failing to target those disadvantaged children with development problems who most need early help. The report sets out seven recommendations to guarantee support for children and their families in their earliest years to ensure that every child, no matter their starting point, is able to have the best spring board possible into school.
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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#70 (FE funding for Autumn, 2YO FE extended eligibility, updated guidance, support and resources)
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#69 (EYFS reforms)
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#68 (summer contact details, autumn term extended FE, 20/21 EY training brochure, Early Help summer offer)
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#67 15 July (contact details for summer - first two weeks, updates to OOS guidance, September staggered start, children attending more than one setting, number of funded weeks in term, face coverings, planned IT upgrade, diabetes in children, EYFS Forum)
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#66 13 July (Autumn term FE estimates, CJRS Calculator, updated FAQs, vulnerable children over the summer break)
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:
- 02 Sep - FE Actuals submissions open for Autumn term
- 17 Sep - Autumn Term headcount day (FE)
- 25 Sep - FE Actuals submissions close for Autumn term
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