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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This will be our last planned broadcast for the year so we would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
We know that many settings are still open this week, as well as the days between Christmas and New Year and really hope that you are able to take some breathing space for yourselves, spending time with loves ones wherever possible.
Our first 'Setting Update' broadcast in 2021 is planned for Tuesday 5 January and will continue on a twice a week basis for the foreseeable future.
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Tuesday 22 December 2020
Advance notice - DfE data capture link
There is no data capture required until the New Year, at which point they will be required fortnightly. For the capture covering 4-17 January, please use this link to complete your return, which will be open between Monday 4 January and the end of Wednesday 6 January (midnight).
Free Entitlement (FE) payments from January 2021
On 17 December, the government updated its guidance on the use of FE funding during COVID-19 to clarify that local authorities should return to the normal funding approach (that is, ‘funding following the child’) for all providers from 1 January 2021. This is in line with the approach announced in July 2020.
Therefore, in West Sussex, spring term 2021 funding payments will be based on headcount data. If settings have no choice but to close temporarily due to COVID-19 we will continue to provide FE funding for the period of closure. We do expect all settings to read the government guidance and implement appropriate strategies to minimise the risk of the spread of infection and have contingency plans in place to minimise the risk of closure due to staff absence. If you are unsure of the steps you need to take, please attend the Public Health webinars in January or speak to your EYCA.
Providers should note that the guidance on Early Years providers’ access to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has been updated to reflect this approach to funding in the spring term, to take account of the position of any providers who see reductions in entitlements funding as a result. This updated guidance confirms that no organisation should profit from the exceptional financial support available, and should therefore only access the support required. For example, organisations which continue to receive government funding should not furlough staff whose salaries that funding could typically be considered to fund, and therefore will not need to access the CJRS.
Government Guidance - return in January
On 17 December, the government published new guidance for schools and childcare settings. In it there was confirmation that parents and carers can continue to access early years settings as normal from January 2021 and that out of school settings and wraparound childcare can continue to operate for face-to-face provision between 4 and 11 January 2021 for children who are home educated, in early years settings, in primary school and those in secondary schools who are accessing full-time on-site school provision.
Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers and COVID-19 - Wave 2
On 17 December, the government published the results of its survey of early years and childcare providers conducted between 25 September and 18 October 2020.
Collecting sufficiency data and accessing the Online Provider Portal - final reminder
Here is a final reminder that the information on sufficiency is due from all settings by 31 December, and is now submitted via a separate 'Sufficiency' tab on the Online Provider Portal. Guidance on how to access and complete this can be found here.
We have received a large amount of queries relating to settings creating accounts for the Online Provider Portal (OPP) in order to access this. Please note that access to the 'Sufficiency' tab, along with all other functionality, including forms and funding claims, is only given to accounts which have been issued to you by the Family Information Service. If you are unsure of your existing OPP account credentials, please email family.info.service@westsussex.gov.uk . For clarity, the submission of your sufficiency information is separate to the Termly Provider Update form, which is also due termly.
New course - The Role of the Inclusion Coordinator
Investigate the role of the Inclusion Coordinator and how they are key to promoting high quality education for all children. Clarify the expectations of the role and explore current, effective practice. Consider key skills needed, including those for hosting successful parent/carer meetings. Cost is £50 per place. Log onto the Learning and Development Gateway and search for the course code to book and pay by card.
- Thursday 4 February 2021 - 9.30am - 2.30pm - EYT 21/630
Please inform the Family Information Service if your setting needs to close or is re-opening. 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 closing due to COVID-19 please ensure you read and follow all the steps in the PHE South East Health Protection Team ' Managing Suspected and Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Early Years and Childcare settings' flowchart.
In the event of your setting having a confirmed COVID-19 case, if Public Health or the Department for Education have stated you must close for any period of time you must inform the Family Information Service. However, if Public Heath have not explicitly stated in correspondence to you that the setting must close, we would expect you to make contact with your Early Years and Childcare Adviser (EYCA) to talk through your circumstances, where possible, before making the decision to close the setting. If you are not able to make immediate contact with your EYCA then please email your nearest Early Help Hub using the following email addresses:
Where there are not clearly evidenced reasons why the setting had no option to close, there could be implications for funding received as per the government guidance.
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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#114 (Early years Census, public health seminars, COVID-19 Ofsted research, spring term 30 hours code reminder, Birth to 5 Matters consultation, Business Map webinar, nurturing and supporting children's wellbeing post lockdown)
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#113 (Updated 'Actions' guidance, change to self-isolation period, DfE helpline Christmas opening hours, Competitions and Markets Authority update, collecting sufficiency data, results of SEND/Inclusion funding consultation, starting school applications, Paediatric first aid)
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#112 (Update PH flowcharts, positive cases whilst closed, Ofsted inspections update, taking children's records off site, transitions survey, Putting wellbeing at the heart of practice, EYFS and Development Matters from September 2021)
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#111 (DfE data collection frequency, public health seminars, information sharing, LADO myth busting, SEND strategy update, springtime crafts, online sessions for children from West Sussex libraries)
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#110 (Public health seminars, updating your sufficiency data, IT maintenance 7 December, DfE research, Ofsted research, Makaton training, EYTS 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:
- 31 Dec - Deadline for Sufficiency information for Autumn 2020
- 04 Jan - Annual Census submissions* open (*mandatory for FE providers)
- 04 Jan - Spring Term FE Actuals submissions open
- 21 Jan - Spring FE headcount day
- 29 Jan - Annual Census submissions* close (*mandatory for FE providers)
- 29 Jan - Spring Term FE Actuals submissions close
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