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Broadcast for Early Years and childcare providers in West Sussex from West Sussex County Council
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Wednesday 20 October 2021
COVID-19 Guidance Update
On 13 October, the government updated the contingency framework to reflect the position for people previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV), the shielding programme and details on when increased COVID-19 testing can be recommended by Directors of Public Health.
The contingency framework describes the principles for managing local outbreaks of COVID-19 in education and childcare settings. It covers all types of measures that you should be prepared for. It also sets out thresholds for managing COVID-19 cases and when you should consider seeking public health advice. You should make sure your contingency plans outline how you would operate if your setting was advised to introduce any of the measures described in the contingency framework.
Where a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19, education and childcare settings do not need to routinely contact the NHS Self Isolation Service Hub to provide details of close contacts. However, to ensure eligible individuals identified as a close contact can access Test and Trace Support Payments you may consider providing staff details to the NHS Self Isolation Hub when:
- a staff member who was in close contact with the person testing positive has indicated they are not exempt from self-isolation, but the person testing positive was unable to provide that person’s details to NHS Test and Trace
- it is particularly difficult for the person testing positive to identify or provide details of some members of staff they were in contact with, for example, temporary workers such as supply staff, peripatetic teachers, contractors or ancillary staff.
Further information on the NHS Test and Trace Self-Isolation Hub is available in the guidance on NHS Test and Trace in the workplace.
Notification Reminder
Although you no longer need to notify the Family Information Service (FIS) of positive cases of COVID-19, you must continue to notify FIS if you need to reduce children's access to their FE hours or close your setting due to cases of COVID-19. You can contact them by emailing family.info.service@westsussex.gov.uk or calling 01243 777807.
Information on contact tracing in education and childcare settings
Education and childcare settings do not need to carry out routine contact tracing. NHS Test and Trace undertake the identification and notification of the close contacts of a positive COVID-19 case. In response to recent queries, the government has updated the contact tracing ‘frequently asked questions’ which can be found on the document sharing platforms for primary and early years, secondary schools, further education and higher education and children’s social care. If you are having issues accessing these links please try a different web browser, such as Google Chrome.
Childminders with a self-isolating household member
The government has provided updated guidance to childminders and how they operate while a household member is self-isolating due to a confirmed case of COVID-19.
Information on COVID-19 testing and test kit deliveries during October half-term
In settings that close over half-term, staff should continue to test twice-weekly over half-term and preferably take an LFD test the night before they return to their setting after the break. If settings do not have sufficient LFD stock for this, they should place an order through the online reordering portal. Deliveries to Private Voluntary and Independent nurseries will continue as usual throughout October.
CO2 monitors to help improve ventilation in education and childcare settings
Since the start of October, a regular supply of CO2 monitors has been established. These will be dispatched to eligible settings over the remainder of the autumn term. Consignments will be shipped on a 24 to 48 hour delivery window and settings will now receive an email directly from the supplier, once your monitor allocation is dispatched. Settings should only contact the supplier if the delivery has not been made after the date indicated on the email. Further information on the CO2 monitors is available in the ‘How to use CO2 monitors in education and childcare settings guide’
Health Protection Team (HPT) out of hours enquiry change
The UK Health Security Agency(UKHSA) has advised that the South East HPT will no longer be responding to routine COVID-19 issues outside of normal working hours (Monday – Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm). All routine COVID-19 enquiries should wait until the next working day please (including updates on case numbers). They will continue to provide an on call, out of hours service for public health emergencies and urgent health protection issues as normal. Additional information about asymptomatic testing and childminders with a household member in self-isolation can be found in these FAQs. If you are having issues accessing these links please try a different web browser, such as Google Chrome.
Free Entitlement for 2, 3 and 4 year olds – Autumn Term Payments
Please be advised that Autumn term payments have been released for:
- Free Entitlement actuals where there are no outstanding queries.
- Disability Access Fund (DAF) for all approved applications where evidence was provided.
Please note, payments can take three to five working days to show in your account.
The Online Provider Portal is now closed for Autumn term submissions, but you can still log back in to view your payment summary. Please refer to the provider portal help and guidance PDF and open the Actuals help guide for step by step guidance at www.westsussex.gov.uk/ecsportal. If you have any queries please email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk.
November Learn, Explore, Debate Events
Join the Department for Education and the National Children's Bureau to 'Learn - Explore - Debate' the key early years policy and practice developments that matter to you. The agenda has been developed based on feedback from the Foundation Years community and will include a focus on:
- supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND),
- early years and COVID-19, and
- Ofsted inspections under the revised Early Years Foundation Stage.
These events are aimed at all early years practitioners in England, including childminders and staff in nurseries, nursery schools, pre-schools, and nursery and reception classes in school. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. In order to offer the opportunity to attend to as many settings as possible, we are initially restricting bookings to one per setting so please check with colleagues before booking.
Due to the popularity of the events, they kindly ask that you do not book a place if you are not an early years practitioner or if someone in your setting has already booked a place as they may have to cancel your booking. The presentations will be recorded and will be available on the Foundation Years website after the last event.
- Tuesday 9 November 2021 - 1.00pm to 4.00pm - Book here
- Wednesday 10 November 2021 - 9.30am to 12.30pm - Book here
- Thursday 11 November 2021 - 6.00pm to 9.00pm - Book here
The events will be held on Microsoft Teams and will last three hours with a short break. Joining instructions and the agenda will be circulated to delegates nearer the event. The agenda will be the same at each event and will include a mix of presentations, case studies and opportunities for discussion.
Mental Health Aware (half day webinar)
This course is for early years and childcare leaders and managers. It is an official Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England course which aims to support you in being able to recognise and respond appropriately to signs of emotional and mental ill health in staff and other adults. You will receive a high quality manual to support your learning and your mental health role after the course and an online ‘badge’ to attach to your email signature. You will also receive an official MHFA England certificate.
These webinars cost £40 per place and are running on the following dates and times:
- Tuesday 16 November 2021 – 9:30am to 1.00pm – EYT21/1889
- Thursday 9 December 2021 – 9:30am to 1.00pm – EYT21/1948
- Wednesday 19 January 2022 – 9:30am to 1.00pm – EYT22/186
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.
SEND newsletter
The latest SEND newsletter, for October 2021, is now available to read and includes an article about children transitioning from early years to Reception classes.
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 ' What happens if there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 in an educational setting' 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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#185 (DfE data capture, starting school questionnaire, videos on implementing EYFS reforms, EYFS profile handbook, EYPDP phase 2 update, EY updates from the virtual school, provider survey, Christmas HAF - last chance to submit expressions of interest, child protection conferences)
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#184 (DfE data capture, important changes to reporting COVID-19 cases in your setting, self-isolation hub, Public Health England name change, FE children starting between 20/09/21 and 8/10/21, starting school applications, LoCASE business grants, step away from the star chart: strategies for responding to children's behaviour)
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#183 (COVID-19 guidance updates, HAF for Christmas, Nasen awards final reminder, EYPDP phase 2, area inclusion and improvement workshops, new DfE publications, oral health and the EYFS, Ofsted early years inspection handbook, choking hazards in settings)
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#182 (Final reminder - FE Autumn actuals, CLaWBA folders, pan Sussex safeguarding under 5's conference, a look at Christmas crafts)
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#181 (DfE data capture, COVID-19 updated flowchart, updated setting outbreak pack, FE actuals for autumn claims, FE leaflet stocks, nasen SEND training, nasen EY awards, updated OAIP and inclusion framework, foundation stage forum subscription ending, fire safety for early years, using social media)
- 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)
- 3 Jan - Spring term Actuals submissions open (FE providers)
- 3 Jan - Annual Early Years Census submissions open (FE providers)
- 20 Jan - Free Entitlement headcount day for Spring Term
- 28 Jan - Spring term Actuals submissions close (FE providers)
- 28 Jan - Annual Early Years Census submissions close (FE providers)
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