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 April 2021
DfE data capture
Please note, there is no Department for Education data capture for the numbers of children currently accessing early years provision this week.
Twice-weekly rapid testing to be available to everyone in England
On 5 April, the Prime Minister announced that from 9 April all people in England will be able to access twice weekly rapid tests for coronavirus. There is no change to the current arrangements for staff in nurseries, who should continue to collect their home testing kits from nursery and continue to report their results online. Twice weekly testing should continue throughout term time and the holidays. Childminders and wraparound childcare providers should continue to access home test kits here. Settings may wish to encourage the families of the children attending their provision to order tests through the various available routes. Visit our website for information on how families can access home testing kits.
Childminder Virtual Conference - Presentation focus
The West Sussex Virtual Childminder Conference 2021 is on Saturday 15 May 2021, 9.30am to 2.00pm. Each week we will introduce a different workshop; this week ‘Our Words - What Impact?’ delivered by Gail DuBock of Enable Children Ltd. This presentation will focus on:
- helpful reflections and actions, which support childminders to understand and enhance the power and impact of their words and communication behaviours,
- each child’s perception of their own value and their abilities as a learner.
The session will emphasise the huge impact of practitioners’ words on a child’s progress, sense of identity and self–esteem. To find out more about the conference and book your free place, go to Eventbrite and search for Childminder Conference 2021 - ‘Putting Children First’.
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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#143 (COMF reminder, final EYFS published, recovery and renewal survey reminder, summer term childminder network, online learning)
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#142 (SEND under 5's support process, contain outbreak management fund - round 2)
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#141 (Updated Covid-19 Guidance, FE Estimate Payments, Recovery & Renewal Survey, Virtual Childminder Conference)
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#140 (Asymptomatic testing letter for parents, Ofsted inspections, Contain Outbreak Management Fund round 2, Talking Heads with our LADOs)
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#139 (FE - Provider Declarations, Asymptomatic Testing Guidance, Qualifications Pathway, Public Health Webinar, SEND Survey, Reporting COVID-19 cases over the holidays)
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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