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 5 January 2021
Although 2021 hasn’t started as anyone would have hoped, we begin by wishing you all the very best for 2021.
Since our last broadcast, before Christmas, it has been an ever changing picture, and continues to be, in relation to COVID-19. The current situation, as outlined in Boris Johnson's announcement last night (04/01/21), is that the early years sector is to remain open for all children. Wrap-around-care is only able to open for vulnerable children and children of critical workers. For Free Entitlement (FE) funding, the current position remains the same in that children need to be in attendance at headcount (21 January). If anything changes in relation to FE funding we will of course inform you via these broadcast emails.
We are aware that some settings have already been in touch regarding parents who do not intend to send their children back to early education until later in the term and we acknowledge that the position within the early years and childcare sector is different from schools, colleges and universities. Early Years and Childcare umbrella organisations are continuing to liaise with the Department for Education and the Children's Minister regarding the current situation and potential impact. We are also sharing concerns with the Local Government Association.
We recognise the tremendous pressure at this time and know that your professionalism throughout this pandemic will continue to be at the heart of your decision making, benefitting children and families whilst maintaining safety for all.
Urgent Reminder - DfE data capture for period 4-17 January open until the end of Wednesday 6 January (midnight)
The DfE data capture for the numbers of children currently accessing early years provision is open now, and will close at the end of Wednesday 6 January (midnight). Please use this link to complete your return. We will be using this information to feed into the West Sussex County Council COVID-19 risk assessment and support the planning for sustainable provision. It also remains critical that you inform the Family Information Service if you plan to close, or are re-opening, so we can gain a current picture across the county.
Updates to the Government COVID-19 Guidance over the Christmas Break
On 30 December 2020, the government updated the guidance Actions for Early Years and Childcare Providers on:
The national lockdown changes what you can do from today, 5 January 2021. Therefore, this guidance will be updated shortly to provide further details on those changes. Please also note that the definition of vulnerable children was changed on 31 December and is a wider criteria than it was previously. We would therefore encourage you to look at the detail of the revised criteria.
Public Health seminars
To support early years providers to manage cases of COVID-19 and to reduce the risk of outbreaks within their setting, our local public health team are hosting some more small group seminars for up to 15 leaders and managers of early years settings. These webinars will provide the chance to raise issues and ask questions as well as to share good practice between providers. It is unlikely that these webinars will be repeated so we would strongly encourage settings to access them whilst available. The webinars are free and are available to book via the links below:
- 15 January - 12.30pm to 1.30pm (7 places remaining) - book
- 21 January - 3.30pm to 4.30pm (15 places remaining) - book
- 28 January - 1.00pm to 2.00pm (13 places remaining) - book
Early Years Dedicated Schools Grant - Consultation
In case anyone missed our special broadcast yesterday (04/01/21) please note that this is now live. Please read the briefing paper and consider your response before you start completing the survey. The deadline for this survey is 15 January and we would like as many practitioners as possible to contribute their views.
Important: Mandatory Early Years Census 2021 (FE providers only)
As you may know, every year we carry out the Early Years Census for the Department for Education (DfE). The Early Years Census is crucial because it is used to calculate the amount of funding West Sussex County Council receives for free early education. The Early Years Census is mandatory for all Free Entitlement (FE) providers claiming funding for at least one child in Spring Term 2021. If you are registered to provide FE but are not claiming for any children in Spring Term, you do not need to complete the Early Years Census.
Please read the Census letter for further information, then view our simple guide to completing your census on YouTube (six minutes). A PDF help guide is also available.
The Online Provider Portal is now open for FE providers to complete the following:
- Submit your Spring Term actuals claim between 4-29 January 2021 and
- Complete your annual Early Years Census form between 4-29 January 2021
For your information: Headcount day is Thursday 21 January 2021.
Free Entitlement Spring term Actuals
As previously communicated in Setting update 115, Spring term funding will return to the normal approach and be based on Headcount data (Headcount day – 21 January 2021). To ensure you submit your claims correctly please refer to the Actuals help guide and YouTube video, which also covers how to submit Disability Access Fund (DAF) and Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) claims.
For further information, including termly limits for stretched claims please read the document entitled ‘Claims process pdf’ on our website.
Extended FE claims:
In order for a 30 hours code to be valid for Spring term:
- Parents must have applied for, or reconfirmed their 30 hour code before 31 December 2020.
- The code ‘start date’ must be before 1 January 2021 and the ‘Grace period end date’ covers the Spring term 2021.
Please note, 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 Spring term, then only Universal hours can be claimed. WSCC cannot fund without a valid code.
If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact the Family Information Service on 01243 777807 and ask for the Specialist Team, or e-mail free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk
Ordinarily Available Inclusive Practice (OAIP) document for Early Years Providers
The EY OAIP is available on the Tools for schools and education settings website. You can also print a downloadable copy, but please be aware that updates will be made to the version on the website to ensure it has the best and most up to date information to support you. Please use this document to support children within your setting who need additional support to make progress in their learning and development. There will be opportunities to provide feedback on the tool and this will be further developed before the formal launch in September 2021.
A series of free online information sessions to find out about the use of the OAIP in Early Years will be held on:
- 11 January - 10.00am to 11.00am - book
- 11 January - 1.30pm to 2.30pm - book
- 12 January - 4.00pm to 5.00pm - book
- 12 January - 7.30pm to 8.30pm - book
Business Map - Free national business support Zoom webinar for early years and childcare providers
The Department for Education has funded Hempsall’s to deliver a new national webinar for all types of early years and childcare provider. Managing an early years and childcare setting, whether it be a homebased childminder, out of school club, a small voluntary playgroup, a nursery or a chain, a school or children’s centre, is a complex task. It is one of balancing quality, health and safety, with parents’ and children’s needs, funding and fees, and business sustainability.
The webinar will outline steps providers could take to business plan for now, summer term and across 2021. Developed around a six-step Business Map process, the webinar will assist anyone thinking about necessary business decisions to support business change and sustainability, whether they are new to the role or an experienced manager.
You can book your free place(s) today by clicking the links: 19 January 2021 - 9.45am to 12.30pm tickets or 6.30pm to 8.45pm tickets.
Would you like to try Makaton?
Makaton is a language programme that uses signs together with speech and symbols, to enable people to communicate. It is designed to support the development of spoken language, so can support children with communication delays or difficulties. Try a Makaton Taster Webinar for only £30. Log onto the Learning and Development Gateway and search for the course code to book and pay by card.
- 18 January 1.30pm - 4.00pm - EYT 21/269 (6 places remaining)
- 1 March 10.00am - 12.30pm - EYT 21/270 (5 places remaining)
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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04 JAN Special broadcast - Consultation - Early Years Dedicated School Grant (DSG)
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22 DEC Special broadcast - Early Years Dedicated School Grant (DSG)
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#115 (DfE data capture, FE payments Jan 21, government guidance OOS/wraparound care, results of COVID-19 survey - wave 2, final reminder sufficiency data, role of inclusion co-ordinator - new course)
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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)
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 - Annual EY Census submissions open (mandatory for FE providers)
- NOW - Spring Term FE Actuals submissions open
- 21 Jan - Spring Term FE headcount day
- 29 Jan - Annual EY Census submissions close (mandatory for FE providers)
- 29 Jan - Spring Term FE Actuals submissions close
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