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Broadcast for Early Years and childcare providers in West Sussex from West Sussex County Council - Early Help Service
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Wednesday 8 September 2021
COVID-19 Updates
Many of you will have been keeping a close interest in events and the trends in COVID-19 data and thinking ahead about the possible impact of developments on settings over the coming months. What is clear is that we are far from a position where we can discount risks and assume that we can all go back to where we were before March 2020. A great deal has been both achieved and learned over the last 18 months which will inevitably have affected our whole analysis of health, safety and the mitigation of risk. It has certainly led to a change in approach for us in offering a blend of face-to-face with virtual meetings and contact where this works best.
In view of this, settings should consider whether any of the measures used previously could continue to add value to their risk mitigation. We all want to see all our children back accessing the benefits of early years and childcare provision. Your own risk assessments and mitigations will be crucial in helping us achieve this. All settings will vary in their situation and the measures that they are able to keep in place, but please be clear with parents about the expectations within your setting and the reasons for the measures that you have put in place.
Whilst the government has indicated that bubbles are no longer required, we would suggest that settings consider some of the internal benefits that ‘bubbles’ have created. These include reducing the number of close contacts which will reduce the spread of COVID-19 if a positive case occurs. There may be other mitigations that you wish to continue within your setting, such as continuing to carry out show rounds for new parents out of hours or using virtual tours.
Although NHS Track and Trace are now responsible for contact tracing and children, and many staff, who are identified as close contacts are no longer required to self-isolate, you may wish to consider continuing your own records. This will enable you to identify close contacts and notify them quickly in the event of a positive case within your setting. There is a letter included in the COVID-19 Outbreak Pack (appendix B) which you can use to inform parents of positive cases.
If you have staff who are not yet fully vaccinated, you may wish to share information with them about the benefits of vaccination, the implications on isolation if they choose not to (i.e. they will have to isolate for 10 days every time they come into contact with someone who tests positive) and how they can book their COVID-19 vaccination.
Please remember that routine asymptomatic testing is not recommended for children in primary schools or early years. Children who are aged under 5 years old, who are identified as close contacts, will only be advised to take a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test if the positive case is in their own household. Children should not be asked to take a Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test or PCR test or to have a negative result before being able to attend your setting.
Please continue to inform the Family Information Service (family.info.service@westsussex.gov.uk) and Ofsted of all positive cases of COVID-19 within your setting.
Since the end of last term there have been a huge amount of national policy changes affecting early years and childcare settings. You may like to refer back to COVID-19 updates shared in the broadcasts over the summer:
#172 - Actions guidance update
#173 - COVID-19 Outbreak Pack, Contact Tracing, New Testing Kits
# Special Broadcast - Changes to self-isolation rules from Monday 16 August
#177 - Updated COVID-19 guidance, COVID-19 testing for children and young people, COVID-19 vaccine resources
#178 - Contingency Framework
#179 - Updated outbreak pack, CO2 monitors
The government and the National Health Service (NHS) has produced a series of leaflets for parents about children returning to education. You may want to share this leaflet with families who are worried about their child attending an early years setting due to COVID-19.
Last Chance to Complete the Early Years and Childcare Providers Survey
In the broadcast on 13 July we shared that we are carrying out a survey with all providers (pre-schools, day nurseries, nursery classes/schools, breakfast clubs, out of school clubs and holiday playschemes).
This is to help identify the current strengths and challenges within the sector, and will allow us to identify the areas where we can focus our support, in order to make the biggest impact.
158 providers have responded so far. Please don't miss your opportunity to have your voice heard and shape future support.
This survey can be completed online and will remain open until 10 September 2021.
DfE data capture required next week
The Department for Education (DfE) have decided to continue with the existing data collection in the autumn term, but to reduce the frequency of the collection to one per month in recognition of the feedback they've received within their consultation. We would like to thank you for your ongoing commitment to complete this as it has been crucial in planning for the COVID-19 response. Please ensure that you are reading our Early Years and Childcare 'Setting Update' email bulletins for updated information including advance notice of the dates that the data collection will be open.
The next monthly Department for Education data capture for the numbers of children currently accessing early years provision will open next Monday 13 September, and will close at midnight on Wednesday 15 September. Please use this link to complete your return.
SEND Under 5s
From September, children with SEND will be discussed by a multi-agency panel which replaces Early Years Planning and Review Meetings (EYPARM), called SEND Under 5s.
The aim of SEND Under 5s is to give earlier support to children with SEND and their families. If there are any children within your setting that you feel need to be discussed by the panel, please speak to the family about this and then speak to your Early Years and Childcare Adviser. You may wish to share the information sheet with families to help them understand the support what SEND Under 5s is offering. Children who were previously known to EYPARM, where no decision had been made about formal assessment, will be included in the SEND Under 5s discussions.
Information for Designated Teachers re changes to the Early Years Personal Education Plan (EYPEP)
Following last week’s broadcast item (#179), changes to the EYPEP are now live on the eGOV system. The guidance has been updated to reflect these changes and can be found on the Virtual School website. The revised guidance sets out what is expected of the Designated Teacher supporting Children Looked After before, during and after the EYPEP meeting so please make sure that you are familiar with these changes.
A number of online briefings have been arranged for you to hear about the changes and ask any questions that you may have. These are taking place on:
- Friday 10 September – 10.00am
- Friday 10 September - 4.00pm
- Tuesday 14 September - 4.00pm.
Please contact tina.marshall@westsussex.gov.uk to book a place. If you require any support or have any questions please contact the Virtual School ahead of your scheduled EYPEP meeting, by emailing carrie.o'rourke@westsussex.gov.uk.
School Readiness Integrated Review and School Applications
The school readiness integrated review will be carried out for all children born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018 who are due to start school in September 2022. This year the questionnaire for parents will be completed online only. Before the questionnaire opens, we will send you a template email to be shared with the families who have children in your setting in this age group. This email template will include a copy of the starting school leaflet and a link to the online questionnaire. You will need to add your setting contact details so that families provide the correct information about the setting that they attend. A copy of the completed questionnaire will then be sent to your setting email address. Full details can be found in the guidance on our website at www.westsussex.gov.uk/integratedreview.
At the beginning of October, settings will receive a pack of starting school leaflets and a poster from School Admissions. The poster should be displayed within your setting for parents to read and the leaflets should be distributed to the families of children with birth dates between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018 who will be applying for a school place this year.
New courses suitable for new staff or those wishing to upskill
Loose parts play (taster webinar); a ‘loose part’ is an everyday object which children can use and combine with other parts to create open-ended, imaginative, and creative play ideas. This play can boost social skills and problem-solving abilities. Learn how to introduce quality loose parts play into your setting. The cost is £15 per place.
- Thursday 16 September - 9.30am to 11.00am - EYT 21/1946
- Tuesday 9 November - 7.00pm to 8.30pm - EYT 21/2027
- Tuesday 18 January - 1.30pm to 3.00pm - EYT 22/203
- Friday 4 March - 9.30am to 11.00am - EYT 22/204
Ready, Willing and Able: children as confident, capable thinkers and learners; considers ways to provide positive relationships and enabling environments that offer opportunities for children to be independent, make choices and develop skills to express their thoughts. The cost is £15 per place.
- Saturday 18 September - 1.30pm to 3.00pm – EYT 21/2019
- Wednesday 13 October – 7.00pm to 8.30pm - EYT 21/1869
To book, search for the course code on the Learning and Development Gateway. If you have any questions, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk.
We are carrying out a survey to help identify the current strengths and challenges within the sector and areas where we can focus support in order to make the biggest impact. Your views are important to us. Responses will be used to shape the training and support, including information, advice and guidance, going forward.
Have your say now - Early Years and Childcare Provider Survey – Summer 2021
Our networks are for those who lead practice in early years settings. They provide updates, information and guidance to support and improve practice and are free to attend.
To book, search for the course code on the Learning and Development Gateway. If you have any questions, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk.
- Adur - 4 October – 1.00pm to 3.00pm - EYT 21/2074
- Arun – 29 September – 1.00pm to 3.00pm - EYT 21/2071
- Chichester and Petworth - 5 October – 1.00pm to 3.00pm - EYT 21/2077
- Crawley – 28 September – 1.00pm to 3.00pm - EYT 21/2070
- Horsham - 5 October – 1.00pm to 3.00pm - EYT 21/2075
- Horsham - 6 October – 1.00pm to 3.00pm - EYT 21/2078
- Mid Sussex – 29 September – 10.00am to 12.00pm - EYT 21/2072
- Mid Sussex – 29 September – 1.00pm to 3.00pm - EYT 21/2073
- Worthing - 7 October – 1.00pm to 3.00pm - EYT 21/2079
All early years providers must follow a new reformed EYFS framework from September 2021. View the new framework and how the changes affect you.
The West Sussex Learning Journal materials have been updated to reflect the changes to the EYFS from September 2021 and are available on our website.
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.
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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#179 (Updated PHE outbreak pack, CO2 monitors, update on changes to support for EYC settings, provider survey, FE autumn actuals claims, changes to EYPEP, LADO workshops, safeguarding training)
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#178 (Provider Survey, COVID-19 Contingency Framework, ICON Briefing, Getting to Grips with the EYFS Changes training, Ready, willing and able training, Makaton Taster Webinar, Safeguarding and Child Protection in Early Years Refresher)
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#177 (Updated COVID-19 guidance, COVID-19 testing for children and young people, COVID-19 vaccine resources, new FAQs, maths champions project, new wellbeing course, build your child development knowledge)
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Special Broadcast 16 August (Changes to self-isolation rules from Monday 16 August - amendment)
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#176 (EYC providers survey, LADO awareness raising workshops, fire safety training, new or returning staff in starting in September, safeguarding training dates for the autumn term)
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#175 (Amendments to Development Matters, vodcast on implementing the revised EYFS, pan Sussex safeguarding conference, autumn learning and development networks, learn about changes to EYFS and Development Matters)
- Now - Autumn term Actuals submissions open (FE providers)
- Now - New EYFS framework effective
- 10 Sep - West Sussex EYC provider survey closes
- 16 Sep - Autumn term headcount day (FE providers)
- 24 Sep - Autumn term Actuals submissions close (FE providers)
- w/c 18 Oct - Autumn term Actuals payments expected (FE providers)
- 8 Nov - Spring term Estimate submissions open (FE providers)
- 22 Nov - Spring term Estimate submissions close (FE providers)
- w/c 6 Dec - Spring term Estimate payments expected (FE providers)
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