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 2 March 2021
Reminder - this week's DfE data capture
This week's Department for Education 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.
Vaccine Prioritisation
The government announced on 26 February that the next phase of vaccinations would not be targeted by profession. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has stated that targeting people by occupation “would be more complex to deliver” and warned that this approach “may slow down” the UK’s vaccination roll-out.
Instead, the JCVI has opted for an “age-based approach”, rolling out the vaccine based on age groups after priority groups 1-9 have received at least one dose of the vaccine, starting with everyone aged 40-49 years old.
The chair of the JCVI, commented: “The evidence is clear that the risk of hospitalisation and death increases with age. The vaccination programme is a huge success and continuing the age-based rollout will provide the greatest benefit in the shortest time, including to those in occupations at a higher risk of exposure.”
Ofsted Early Years Inspections
On 17 March 2020, all routine inspections of schools, further education, early years and social care providers were suspended. Urgent inspections where specific concerns have been raised are still going ahead. Ofsted continue to plan for a safe and phased return to routine inspection for early years providers. The programme of assurance inspections was paused in January this year because of national restrictions. Ofsted are planning to return to full graded inspections as soon as they can in the summer term. Therefore, they have decided not to restart assurance inspections this term as restrictions ease, but will keep these plans under review.
You can find more information about Ofsted activity during the COVID-19 restrictions in their rolling update on their website.
Summer term Extended Free Entitlement (FE) and 30 hour code deadline reminder
In order for children to access an Extended FE place in the Summer term their 30 hour code must be issued by HMRC by 31 March 2021. Any existing codes with a grace period ending 31 March 2021, or earlier must also be reconfirmed by this date.
Please advise eligible parents to:
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apply now to ensure they have their 30 hours code by 31 March 2021;
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log in to their childcare account to check their details are up to date, and reconfirm their eligibility by 31 March 2021 to ensure they continue to be eligible for Extended FE: gov.uk/sign-in-childcare-account;
- contact the HMRC helpline if they are experiencing issues applying or reconfirming on 0300 1234 097.
If you offer Extended FE places it is recommended that you use the online eligibility checker to check a child’s 30 hour code is valid for the upcoming term. Our helpful video guide covers:
- how to use the online eligibility checker via the Online Provider Portal,
- when to use the online eligibility checker, and
- how to instantly check a code is valid.
Please note, where a parent no longer meets the eligibility criteria for 30 hours, and their child is already in a 30 hours place at your setting, they can continue to access their funded place for the duration of the code’s grace period. For further information regarding Extended FE please see our webpage: www.westsussex.gov.uk/freechildcare or for any queries please email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk
Mapping the West Sussex Wellbeing Landscape
We recognise that having a therapeutic understanding of children and young people underpins the practice of many schools and early years settings in West Sussex. In order to create a rich picture of the wellbeing approaches used, we would be grateful if you would fill in a short questionnaire and return to Kathryn.Kellagher@westsussex.gov.uk by 31 March 2021.
We would also like the Emotional Wellbeing information page on Tools for Schools to reflect good practice from within West Sussex and have therefore asked you to indicate, on the form, whether you would be happy to provide contact details. You may then be contacted, by the relevant team, to discuss the good practice being implemented in your school/setting.
The approaches identified within this survey will be used to build a whole school/setting wellbeing catalogue which can then be accessed via the Inclusion section on the Tools for Schools website.
Getting to Grips with the EYFS Changes from September 2021 Webinar for Childminders
This webinar will support childminders to recognise the key changes in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework. We will consider how non-statutory guidance, such as the new Development Matters and Birth to Five Matters supports your understanding of children’s learning and development. Through this webinar, you will enhance your awareness of the ways you can apply this knowledge in your daily interactions with children and in the environment you provide for them.
Cost is £15 per place. Log onto the Learning and Development Gateway and search for the course code to find out more book and pay by card.
- 16 March - 7.00pm to 9.30pm - EYT 21/1092
- 25 March - 7.00pm to 9.30pm - EYT 21/1204
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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#131 (Final chance to apply for funding, COVID Public Health webinar, planning for positive transitions, healthy eating and safe food preparation)
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#130 (Information transferred in government guidance, deadline approaching for Contain Outbreak Management Fund, FE spring term payments released, FIS Website and OPP down today, EYFS revised draft consultation, stories with symbols)
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#129 (Vaccinations for early years and childcare practitioners, planned IT upgrade, free early years virtual conference)
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#128 (Contain Outbreak Management Fund reminder, updated public health action cards, autism aware in early years)
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#127 (COVID cases during half-term, notifying Ofsted of COVID cases - updated information, planned IT upgrade, SEND and Inclusion newsletter, Tools for Schools surveys, Inclusion Framework free peer support sessions, Business Map webinars, Makaton new dates, international research project on child poverty)
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:
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