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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Tuesday 13 October 2020
Reminder - this week's Department for Education (DfE) data capture
The weekly survey that you have been completing over the last few months is a crucial data collection for DfE Early Years. The DfE needs to have data about attendance at, and availability of, childcare settings. This is critical to informing our decision-making around support for the sector, in particular whether the DfE should intensify support in certain parts of the country as we are seeing infections rate increase.
In June, we reduced the frequency of the data collection to weekly and committed to review the content and frequency again by the end of September. Due to the current position with increasing infection rates the DfE is concerned about local sufficiency issues that may arise. On this basis, the DfE have decided that weekly collection is necessary until at least the end of November 2020 (a month after the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ends), when they will review the collection again.
This week's DfE data capture for the numbers of children currently accessing early years provision is open now, and will close at the end of Wednesday (midnight). Please use this link to complete your return.
New tiered approach to COVID-19 restrictions
We are sure many of you will have seen yesterday's 13/10/20, announcement about the new tiered approach to more localised COVID-19 restrictions. Across West Sussex our local COVID alert level is medium.
This means:
- you must not socialise in groups larger than six, indoors or outdoors (other than where a legal exemption applies)
- businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-secure manner, other than those that remain closed in law
- certain businesses are required to ensure customers only consume food and drink while seated, and must close between 10pm and 5am
- businesses and venues selling food for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through
- Schools, universities, nurseries and childcare remain open
- places of worship remain open, subject to the rule of six
- weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on numbers of attendees
- exercise classes and organised sport can continue to take place outdoors, or indoors if the rule of six is followed
You must:
You should continue to:
- follow social distancing rules
- work from home where you can effectively do so
- when travelling, plan ahead or avoid busy times and routes. Walk or cycle if you can.
If you wish to check the COVID alert level outside of West Sussex you can enter your postcode on the BBC website.
West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership (WSSCP) - Escalation process
Occasionally there may be times when workers from one agency feel that the decisions made by workers in another agency are either not safe or not in the best interests of the child. As professionals it is important we ask questions if we do not understand or would like more information in order to make an informed decision. Professional challenge and curiosity is a key part of effective safeguarding practice within joint agency working. The WSSCP have an escalation policy that outlines what needs to happen if professionals do not agree with a decision made by another agency relating to a child. Please note the WSSCP Escalation Policy is to be used between external agencies. If you need to escalate a concern within your own agency, please use your internal escalation process.
Treasure baskets need a refresh? New staff in the baby room?
Why not try our new Grasping My World: A Look at Treasure Baskets for Babies Webinar. You’ll learn to create a responsive and stimulating learning environment that meets the needs of under 2s using treasure baskets. You will evaluate your current practice and provision regarding treasure baskets and identify existing strengths and ways forward. Only £15, please log onto the Learning and Development Gateway and search for the course code to find out more, book and pay by card:
- Wednesday 25 November 10.00am to 11.20am EYT 20/2459
We have a selection of new webinars from Enable Children with each one costing only £15.
New course - A Look at the 1, 2, 3’s of Counting Webinar
You will explore how children learn the concepts of number and counting. You will learn how to engage in high quality interactions using appropriate gesture and mathematical vocabulary when counting.
Only £15, please log onto the Learning and Development Gateway and search for the course code to find out more, book and pay by card:
- Thursday 12 November 1.30pm to 3.00pm EYT 20/2464
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.
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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#94 (SEND consultation reminder, QR codes, self-isolation rules in a household, new EYFS webinar, WSSCP neglect training)
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#93 (School readiness integrated review, EYC reps, WSSCP website, helping children play to learn, speech and language monitoring tool, development matters vodcast plus Q and A session, COVID-19 resources, foundation stage forum)
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#92 (SEND consultation reminder, school readiness integrated review, Christmas crafts webinar)
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#91 (Updated PHE flowchart, EYFS disapplications, job support scheme, legal duty to self-isolate, lockdown lessons, freepost address, Yoopies warning)
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#90 (SEND consultation, updated guidance, FE Actuals, 30 hours code issue reminder, childminders and self-isolation, Networks, attachment and trauma training)
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:
- w/c 19 Oct - FE Actuals payment expected
- 11 Nov - Spring Term FE Estimates submissions open
- 27 Nov - Spring Term FE Estimates submissions close
- 07 Dec - Spring Term FE Estimates submissions payment expected
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