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 12 January 2021
Further to our last setting update sent on 7 January, we remain acutely aware of how much stress and anxiety there is regarding the current situation with Free Entitlement (FE) funding, not just for the sector but for parents too. We understand how important it is to have clear information about the funding, so that you can make decisions, and we aim to be able to communicate these to you by the end of this week.
Any updates relating to funding will be sent out without delay via a Special Broadcast and would not wait for the normal Tuesday/Thursday updates.
We will continue to lobby on your behalf and the weekly DfE data capture will form a fundamental part of how we can obtain a clear picture, and understand the issues you are facing right now.
DfE Data Capture
Before Christmas, we informed you that we would be reducing the frequency of the Department for Educations (DfE) data collection from weekly to fortnightly with effect from 7 January. At the time of that decision, the DfE felt that the national situation was stable enough for us to make the change. Following the Government's announcement on 4 January of a new national lockdown, we now find ourselves in a different position. After careful consideration the DfE have decided that we need to return to a weekly collection while the current national COVID-19 restrictions are in place, with immediate effect.
We know that this will be frustrating for some of you and that it will cause additional work. However, with the new lockdown in place, it is essential that we have timely data to enable us to monitor supply, demand and resulting sufficiency of childcare places closely, and to identify emerging risks and issues as a result of the current lockdown. For the most recent data capture 86% of FE group settings have returned and cannot stress how important it is that we achieve as near 100% return rate as we can.
As stated above, this information is crucial evidence to help us with lobbying the government on your behalf around funding, guidance and support. The DfE have confirmed their intention to reduce the frequency of the collection to fortnightly again as soon as they are able.
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.
Actions for Early Years and Childcare Providers During the COVID-19 Outbreak
This guidance has been updated with additional guidance for early years education and childcare settings during the national restrictions from 5 January 2021.
You should also read the additional guidance Education and childcare settings: national lockdown from 5 January 2021.
Protective measures for holiday and after-school clubs, and other out-of-school settings during the COVID-19 outbreak
This guidance was updated on 8 January to reflect the current restrictions. Updates include, information on who should attend.
For the duration of the national lockdown, out-of-school settings should only offer face-to-face provision for:
- children of critical workers, where it is reasonably necessary to enable their parents to work, search for work, attend education or training, or attend a medical appointment;
- vulnerable children and young people.
Out-of-school settings should not be used as a replacement for school or early years attendance.
For the duration of the national restrictions, children who are home educated should not attend out-of-school settings for face-to-face provision unless they are vulnerable children and young people, or the children of critical workers. Providers should be moving to remote education as far as possible for those not eligible to attend for onsite provision.
Foundation Years - New Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A new FAQs document has been published on the Foundation Years website. This document answers the FAQs from the early years sector on the national restrictions. These answers have been checked with the Department for Education (DfE) and cover:
- Safety of settings.
- School based nurseries, maintained settings and Reception classes.
- Wraparound childcare, childminders and support groups.
- Attending more than one setting.
- Testing, vaccinations and PPE.
- Support groups.
- Funding and financial support.
- Clinically Extremely Vulnerable staff and children.
- Census collection.
If you have any further questions, please submit these to foundationyears@ncb.org.uk. The Foundation Years COVID-19 resources hub will continue to be updated to include the latest information and guidance, in addition to hosting a variety of resources to support early years settings during the COVID-19 outbreak.
COVID-19 Secure Working Measures - Health and Safety Executive Checks
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are carrying out some spot checks on settings' COVID secure working measures. If you are selected by the HSE, you will be contacted by phone and this will be followed up by an email. Please check that this email comes from an hse.gov.uk email address and then respond appropriately.
Advice for Settings When they have a positive case of COVID-19
We are aware that some providers, when contacting the Department for Education (DfE) following a confirmed case of COVID-19, have been directed to their local authority to make decisions about action they need to take. If you are advised by the DfE to contact your local authority, or you feel you need additional guidance on the actions you need to take, please contact the Surrey and Sussex Health Protection Team (HPT) on 0344 225 3861 (0844 967 0069 out of hours). If the matter is not urgent you can email ICC.SurreySussex@phe.gov.uk. These contact details can be found at the top of the flowchart for managing confirmed cases of COVID-19 in an early years and childcare setting.
Childcare providers: telling Ofsted about significant events
From the 28 January 2021, childminders, nurseries and all other childcare providers must use the online notification form to notify Ofsted of significant events. Providers should no longer notify Ofsted by phone or email. The form is accessible and can be used on mobile and tablets, so that you are able to submit information swiftly and at ease.
When notifying Ofsted using this form, you will need to have to hand:
- your unique reference number (URN),
- the childcare address, and
- details of the incident and details of those involved.
Ofsted will confirm receipt of the information and you can also download a copy for your records. They may contact you for further information.
You should notify Ofsted as soon as practical, and in any case within 14 days of a notifiable event happening. For full guidance on what is classed as a notifiable event or serious incident, you should refer to our early years and childcare compliance handbook. Ofsted understand that some people may have different needs and may not be able to use a form. You can find further information about accessibility for this service.
Maths webinar spaces available - 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. Cost is £15 per person. Please log onto the Learning and Development Gateway and search for the course code to find out more, book and pay by card.
- 26 January - 7.00pm to 8.30pm - EYT 21/475
- 10 March - 10.00am to 11.30am - EYT 21/589
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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#117 (DfE data capture, DAF spring claims, EYPP spring claims, starting school applications - one week to go, springtime crafts, ICON)
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#116 (Urgent reminder - DfE data capture, updated guidance, PH seminars, DSG consultation, mandatory EY census, FE Spring actuals, OAIP, business map webinars, Makaton taster)
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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)
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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