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Broadcast for Early Years and childcare providers in West Sussex from West Sussex County Council
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Wednesday 2 March 2022
COVID-19 Guidance
Last week further updates were made to the following COVID-19 guidance for early years and childcare settings to reflect the new public health guidance from 24 February. The guidance includes updates to the tracing of close contacts and self-isolation section and updates related to when an individual develops COVID-19 symptoms or has a positive test.
You may also wish to view Living with Covid - Education Settings (YouTube video) which gives an overview of the changes in guidance from now and after 1 April and outbreak management. Should you have any issues viewing this video you may need to change your web browser for example to Google Chrome.
Department for Education Testing Update
The Government announced on 21 February that staff and students/children in all mainstream education settings (including PVI and maintained nurseries) are no longer advised to undertake twice weekly asymptomatic testing. You will no longer need to distribute test kits to your staff for regular testing. Updated guidance was published on 21 February which can be found in the Testing In Education Settings - document sharing platform. More information can be found in the frequently asked questions on the document sharing platform.
You may need to resume regular testing in the event of an outbreak within your setting but should only do so following advice and agreement with PublicHealth@westsussex.gov.uk. Further information regarding this is in the contingency framework. If you are experiencing an outbreak you should agree what measures you are taking with Surrey and Sussex HPT (South East), email ICC.SurreySussex@phe.gov.uk or telephone 0344 225 3861 (out of hours urgent enquiries 0844 967 0069) before placing any orders. They will help your setting to decide who should test, how frequently and for how long. Settings should keep a record of discussions with local authority/health contacts, and be ready to provide information about the additional testing measures that have been agreed.
Until 31 March, staff in all settings can access test kits from their local pharmacy or by ordering on gov.uk if required.
Schools Forum Representative
We are pleased to announce that, following the ballot, Sharon Moody (Kids Capers) received the most votes and will now be the Early Years Representative for the West Sussex Schools Forum. Congratulations Sharon!
We would also like to extend our thanks to the other candidate Coral Lindsay (Donkey Field Pre-School) for her application and dedication to supporting settings in West Sussex.
In next week's broadcast there will be an article from Sharon to introduce herself and how she intends to support settings in her new role.
30 hour codes - application and reconfirmation deadline for Summer term
In order for children to access an Extended FE place in the Summer term, please advise eligible parents to:
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apply in good time to ensure they have their 30 hours code by 31 March 2022 - www.westsussex.gov.uk/freechildcare,
- log in to their childcare account to check their details are up to date, and reconfirm their eligibility by 31 March 2022 - gov.uk/sign-in-childcare-account,
- contact the HMRC helpline if they are experiencing issues applying or reconfirming on 0300 1234 097.
The online eligibility checker is always available to check a child’s 30 hour code is valid for the upcoming term. If, after viewing the guidance available on our website you have any questions, please email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk or phone the Family Information Service on 01243 777807. Please note, parents must apply/ reconfirm their eligibility by the above deadline in order for their code to be valid for Summer term.
Free Entitlement (FE) Summer term estimate claims - opening soon
The Online Provider Portal (OPP) will be open from 9 March 2022 for you to submit your summer term estimates for Free Entitlement (FE) 2, 3 and 4 Year Olds: www.westsussex.gov.uk/ecsportal.
If you wish to view the guidance ahead of the OPP opening please see our website.
Please note, upcoming Headcount and submission deadlines can be found on our website also. If you have any questions, please email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk or phone the Family Information Service on 01243 777807.
Advance Notice - Provider Declaration 2022/2023 – existing Free Entitlement providers only
The new Free Entitlement (FE) Provider Declaration (April 2022 to March 2023) is due to be live on our website from Monday 7 March 2022 when the Online Provider Portal will also open for existing Free Entitlement providers to sign up to continue to deliver FE from April 2022.
Supported Transition Programme for Early Years Settings and Schools 2022
This year, headteachers have provided feedback that schools have seen an increase in the number of children starting school with a need for additional support to access the learning environment. To support these children make a good start to their time in school, it is important that you share with the school the information you have gathered about the strategies that support them and the progress they have been making. To assist you to plan an effective transition for children with additional support needs who are starting school in September 2022, we have produced a helpful programme of key dates and available resources.
The programme is designed specifically for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and other vulnerabilities. Some of these children may benefit from a supported transition, taking a much more individualised approach than the standard transition programme you provide for all children leaving your setting for school. As an early years provider, it is your responsibility to identify children who will benefit from Supported Transition and highlight these children at the Universal Transition Events and to Reception Teachers ensuring the process of supporting our most vulnerable learners is effective.
You will find that the Supported Transition Programme outlines key dates, provides links to resources, guidance and identifies who can support you at each stage of the process.
SEND under 5 referrals
The SEND Under 5s referrals can now be made online - please use this simple process for all new referrals. Please note that from 1 April 2022, we will no longer accept paper referrals.
Before you make your first referral, you will need to set up an account here. To create an account, please read and follow the instructions. Once you have created an account you can use your email address and password to log into the system for any future referrals.
DfE Early Years Covid-19 Recovery Experts and Mentors Programme
The Department for Education (DfE) have shared information about the Early Years Covid-19 Recovery Experts and Mentors Programme. This is part of the government’s £180m programme of support for early years recovery that we shared information about in October. If you are interested in benefitting from this programme or becoming an Expert, Mentor or Area Lead, please read this information from DfE.
Network meetings in Spring 2022 are running as online webinars. Follow a link to book a place via the Learning and Development Gateway:
Learning and Development Network Meetings
These took place online in January and February. The network focused on reviewing the quality of your provision and ongoing quality improvement planning. View the key presentation slides and the updates shared at the meetings.
INCO SENCO Network
- Tuesday 8 March 2022 - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - EYT 22/221
- Wednesday 9 March 2022 - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - EYT 22/222
- Thursday 10 March 2022 - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - EYT 22/556
Childminder Event
To allow our Early Years and Childcare Advisors to focus their support to where it is most needed, we ask that you check for information online before you contact us.
COVID-19 guidance
Other information and guidance (WSCC)
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Practice support (EYFS, Diversity and Inclusion, health and wellbeing, transitions, legislation, regulation and safeguarding)
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Supporting families in your childcare setting (includes CLaWBA, integrated reviews)
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Tools for schools and settings (supporting the inclusion of all children in early years)
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Business support (Free Entitlement, marketing, finance, recruitment, advertising)
- Training and qualifications
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Network meetings/events (Learning and development, INCO SENCO, business and welfare)
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Online Provider Portal (submission dates, help guides)
For help to access information
To request additional support for your setting
All early years providers must follow a new reformed EYFS framework from September 2021. View the new framework to see how the changes affect you, and access updated Learning Journal materials online.
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, and inform Ofsted.
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.
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#203 (Last chance to vote for your EY representative, confirmed COVID-19 cases, FE spring term payments, free e-learning modules, NHS healthy start, masters degree in education and early childhood, EY leaders forum for children we care for, coaching and mentoring for the early years, understanding Ofsted - are you ready, EY SEND conference)
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#202 (Final DfE pulse survey on COVID issues affecting the sector, planned IT work, OFSTED registration fees, tax free childcare webinar, MMR vaccination campaign, SEND and inclusion newsletter, foundation years blog on SEND, learning and development network meetings, supported transition programme, five to thrive, early years conference, introduction to adverse childhood experiences and trauma informed practice)
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#201 (Free Entitlement funding rates 2022/23, update re FE funding for Afghan resettlement programmes, EY representative - voting now open, planned IT work affecting online provider portal and FIS website, SEND and inclusion conference)
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#200 (EY PVI Rep - deadline 04/02/22, new literacy videos, working with children with EAL, child development training, EY annual conference)
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#199 (COVID-19 guidance update, Census and FE actuals deadline this Friday, FE funding for Afghan families, childcare sufficiency report, transition events 2022, early years annual conference - SEND and inclusion, spring term training courses)
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