The West Sussex approach puts the child first. We work with children, families, communities, our partners and schools in a restorative, strength based way. Strong relationships are at the heart of what we do.
Broadcast for Early Years and childcare providers in West Sussex from West Sussex County Council
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Wednesday 10 August 2022
Autumn term Extended Free Entitlement (FE) claims - 30 hour code deadline reminder
In order for children to access an Extended FE place in the Autumn term, please advise eligible parents to:
- apply in good time to ensure they have their 30 hours code by 31 August 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 August 2022: gov.uk/sign-in-childcare-account;
- contact the HMRC helpline if they are experiencing issues applying or reconfirming on 0300 1234 097.
Checking 30 hour codes are valid for Autumn term:
- To check a code is valid for Autumn term use the online eligibility checker and view our helpful video guide for step by step guidance.
- The code ‘start date’ must be before 1 September 2022 and the ‘Grace period end date’ covers the Autumn term 2022.
- Codes which are applied for, or reconfirmed after 31 August 2022 will not be valid for Autumn term.
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.
If you have any queries, please email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk or phone the Family Information Service on 01243 777807.
Living with COVID-19
On Monday (1 August), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) updated their COVID-19 Q&A toolkit including the latest developments and messages, with any changes highlighted in blue for ease. DHSC has also added updated resources including a Living with COVID-19 poster.
Inspire children and parents to get active together
Better Health (NHS) have launched their Disney-inspired 10 Minute Shake Up campaign. The campaign aims to inspire children and parents to get active together by breaking down the recommended daily hour of activity into manageable chunks by playing fun games, using some of their favourite characters from Disney’s Encanto and Frozen, and Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear, and Marvel’s The Avengers.
Resources for the campaign, which include take-home packs, posters and digital resources, as well as social media toolkits etc, can be obtained from the Campaign Resource Centre. All of the 10 Minute Shake Up games can be accessed for free on the 10 Minute Shake Up hub on the Better Health - Healthier Families website.
New vodcast on mental health and wellbeing
Foundation Years is pleased to share with you a new vodcast taking a look at the mental health and wellbeing of the early years professionals working every day with babies and young children. Gill Holden, Principal Officer of the Early Childhood Unit at the National Children’s Bureau, speaks to Sonia Mainstone-Cotton, an independent early year’s consultant who specialises in this area.
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
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 consult the guidance to check when to 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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#226 (Updated Ofsted guidance; consultation reminder on early years ratios and funding formulae; early years stronger practice hubs update; new blogs from Foundation Years and DfE; free training - EYSEND partnership)
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#225 (Making recruitment safer - free webinar today; parental perceptions of childcare in England; new campaign #WeAreEducators)
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#224 (FE autumn term estimate payments; checks before offering an extended FE place; sufficiency updates reminder; advance notice of parental childcare survey; update to Ofsted EY inspection handbook; safe sleep; family assist closure)
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#223 (Safer recruitment, selection and induction; welcome message from head of standards and effectiveness; welcome message from senior education adviser for early years; SEND and inclusion newsletter)
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#222 (Free Entitlement estimates, 30 hour code deadlines, Government drive to reduce the cost of childcare, Update from Early Years Team Managers, Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs, The power of music to change lives, Looking after children during heatwaves, National week of play)
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