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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Thursday 17 September 2020
Advance notice - next week's DfE data capture
Next week's DfE data capture for the numbers of children currently accessing early years provision will be open from Monday, and will close at the end of Wednesday (midnight). Please use this link to complete your return.
Important information – new process for reporting positive confirmed cases of COVID-19 in your setting
You must take swift action when you become aware that someone who has attended your setting has tested positive for COVID-19. You should now contact the DfE Helpline on 0800 046 8687 and select the option for advice on the action to take in response to a positive case.
There has been an update to the process for managing confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 when the individual is known to have been in an early years and childcare setting.
The update means that instead of calling your local Health Protection Team when there is a confirmed case in your education setting, you should now call the DfE’s helpline.
From today, 17 September, this new service can be reached by calling DfE’s existing helpline on 0800 046 8687 and selecting the option for reporting a positive case.
The line will be open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, and 10am to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Please only select this option if you have a confirmed case of COVID-19 within your nursery, school or college.
You will be put through to a team of advisors who will inform you what action is needed based on the latest public health advice, and work through a risk assessment to identify close contacts.
If, following triage, further expert advice is required the adviser will escalate your call to the local Health Protection Team. The Health Protection Team will also contact settings directly if they become aware that someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 attended the setting - as identified by NHS Test and Trace.
The DfE helpline also remains available for all other queries about COVID-19 relating to your education and childcare setting on 0800 046 8687. Please listen carefully to the available options and select the one most appropriate to your setting’s current situation.
Actions for early years and childcare providers during the coronavirus (COVID_19) outbreak has been updated to reflect these changes.
Previously released flowcharts will be adapted to reflect these changes and will be circulated to you via this broadcast when the amendments have been made.
Fever following regular immunisations during COVID-19
Some providers have asked what they should do if a child has a fever in the 48 hours following routine immunisations. Public Health England states the current position within the Clinical guidance for healthcare professionals on maintaining immunisation programmes during COVID-19. The following information can be found on page 10 of this document:
How will parents and carers know when their babies have a temperature after their regular immunisations whether it is an expected reaction or COVID-19?
The vaccines given may cause a fever which usually resolves within 48 hours (or 6 to 11 days following MMR). This is a common, expected reaction and isolation is not required, unless COVID-19 is suspected.
Fever is more common when the MenB vaccine (Bexsero) is given with other vaccines at 8 and 16 weeks of age. Where parents are able to obtain liquid infant paracetamol, they should follow existing PHE guidance on its prophylactic use following MenB vaccination: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/menb-vaccine-and-paracetamol
As has always been recommended, any infant with fever after vaccination should be monitored and, if parents or carers are concerned about the infant’s health at any time, they should seek advice from their GP or NHS 111.
This advice applies to recently vaccinated people of all ages.
COVID-19 testing kits for schools
Some of you have may have heard about the testing kits for schools and FE providers. To clarify, this relates to schools and Further Education providers and does not currently include early years setting. For staff and children with COVID-19 symptoms, they will need to contact NHS to access a test either online via nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119.
Government guidance: Early years providers, schools and colleges in the autumn term: translations for parents and carers
Information for parents and carers about going back to school, nurseries and colleges in the autumn term can be found here. It's available in a range of languages which may be helpful for you to share with families who have English as an additional language.
Risk Assessments for Children with EHCPs
On 16 September, the Guidance for full opening: special schools and other specialist settings was updated with an amendment to the information on risk assessments for children with an EHCP. Settings should consider any adaptations to the provision that would need to be made to support a child who is not able to attend their educational setting due to self-isolation, temporary closure of the setting or in the event of a local lockdown.
Where the learner will not be attending for more than 14 days, a copy of the risk assessment must be sent to SENAT. Where the provision will be adapted while the child is not attending, a copy of the provision analysis must be sent to SENAT. Please use your usual SENAT contact, however if you do not know who this is, please use one of the following shared email addresses: SENAT.North@westsussex.gov.uk or SENAT.South@westsussex.gov.uk
For more information or support with carrying out a risk assessment or reviewing the provision for a child with an EHCP, please contact your EYCA.
Autumn term Extended Free Entitlement (FE) claims
Please note, the Department for Education (DfE) encouraged Local Authorities to use discretion around 30 hour code deadlines in Summer term due to COVID-19. However, as settings and workplaces are opening more widely, the DfE have confirmed that parents can only access an extended FE place in Autumn term if they applied by 31 August. This applies to all parents, including critical workers. Therefore, in line with this guidance, WSCC cannot fund Autumn term Extended FE claims where a code is not valid for the current term.
How do I know if a code is valid for Autumn term?
Use the ‘Online eligibility checker’ via the OPP to find out if a code is valid. Watch our YouTube help guide which shows you how to instantly check.
IMPORTANT - codes are valid for Autumn term if the code ‘start date’ is before 1 September 2020 and the ‘Grace period end date’ covers the Autumn term (31 December 2020).
A parent cannot start a new Extended FE place if the code is in the grace period, for example, where a parent falls into their grace period before the child has started an Extended FE place. If a code is not valid for Autumn term, then only Universal hours can be claimed. Please advise parents to ensure they apply, or reconfirm their eligibility by 31 December 2020 in order to access a Spring term place.
For further guidance on submitting extended FE claims via the OPP, please refer to the actuals help guide steps 15 & 16: www.westsussex.gov.uk/ecsportal
Can WSCC apply discretion if a code is not valid?
- In cases where a parent has applied, or reconfirmed by the 31 August deadline, but the code is issued after the deadline by HMRC e.g. code start date is between 1-14 September, WSCC may be able to apply discretion.
- In cases where a parent has missed the reconfirmation deadline, and their code start date is after 1 September, we can check if the extended hours might be covered by a previous code’s grace period.
- In both of the above scenarios the setting should contact the Free Entitlement team who can investigate further.
Who can I contact for further assistance?
If you have a 30 hour code query please email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk, providing the below information:
- Child’s initials
- Child’s DOB
- 30 hours code
- Parent/carer NI number
Where a parent has experienced issues applying for, or reconfirming their code, such as technical issues with the application process, and this has resulted in them being unable to access a 30 hours place this term, parents can complain via the 30 hours compensation route: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childcare-service-compensation
Calling all managers, deputies and future managers
We have online training available to suit your career advancement and development needs, whether you are a new or experienced leader. To book, log onto the Gateway here https://www.westsussexcpd.co.uk and search for the course.
Pedagogical Leadership Webinar (Cost: £10)
This webinar will help you evaluate your educational values, professional identity and leadership style, and look at ways to support change in the setting.
- Thursday 1 Oct 19:30 - 21:00 EYT 20/2250
- Saturday 07 Nov 10:00 - 11:30 EYT 20/2333
- Tuesday 17 Nov 19:30 - 21:00 EYT 20/2334
Advanced Leadership Development Programme Webinar (Cost: £60)
The webinar uses highly structured coaching techniques to support you to make decisions, take actions and motivate yourself and your staff. You will gain techniques into managing finances and developing your overall leadership skills.
- Friday 2 and 9 Oct, 6 and 20 Nov 09:15 - 12:15 EYT 20/2212
Understanding Positive, Proactive and Effective Leadership (PPE for Leaders!) Webinar (Cost: £15)
This webinar considers the attributes, skills and competences that enable leaders to be positive, proactive and effective. It explores what your setting needs from you and considers how strategic, operational and team leadership differ. Available to book in October.
- Tuesday 24 Nov 10:00 - 12:00 EYT 20/2473
- Tuesday 24 Nov 13:30 - 15:30 TBC
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 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 Thursday update for the following week, 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.
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EYC Special Broadcast - New NHS number to get a test - updated flowchart
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#86 (Amendment to PHE flowchart, exemptions from 'rule of 6', new LADOs, Five to Thrive webinar, Foundation Years newsletter, business support training)
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#85 (Suspected cases guidance, PHE pack, what to do if child displays symptoms, school readiness integrated review, changes to EY training and networks, PFA, EYFS, disapplications)
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#84 (Suspected cases update, early outbreak management, DAF autumn claims, EYPP autumn claims, EYCA setting visits, autumn additional payments reminder, EYC representatives reminder, Gigabit broadband voucher scheme)
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#83 (Updated Local lockdown guidance, FE autumn term actuals, suspected COVID-19 cases, school readiness integrated review, inclusion funding for autumn)
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.
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:
- NOW - FE Actuals submissions open for Autumn term (opened 2 Sep)
- 17 Sep - Autumn Term headcount day (FE)
- 25 Sep - FE Actuals submissions close for Autumn term
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