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
Difficulty viewing this bulletin? Click here to view in your browser.
Wednesday 17 August 2022
Ofsted Updates
On 9 August, Ofsted published the following documents:
Childminders on the compulsory Childcare Register: Ofsted requirements
Childminders on the voluntary Childcare Register: Ofsted requirements
Daycare providers on the compulsory Childcare Register: Ofsted requirements
Daycare providers on the voluntary Childcare Register: Ofsted requirements
Nanny: Ofsted requirements
Please make sure you are up to date with all Ofsted requirements by reading the relevant guidance on their website.
Polio Vaccine Booster Campaign
You may be aware that a polio vaccine booster campaign launched in London in response to detection of poliovirus in sewage. All children aged 1 to 9 in London to be offered a dose of polio vaccine - GOV.UK. The following information may be helpful for you and to share with families.
Following the discovery of type 2 vaccine-derived poliovirus in sewage in north and east London, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that a targeted inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) booster dose should be offered to all children between the ages of 1 and 9 in all London boroughs. Nationally the overall risk of polio is considered low because most people are protected from this by vaccination.
The message for families outside of London is to check their children’s Personal Child Health Record (or “Red Book”) and if they are not up to date to catch their children up as soon as possible. Anyone who is not up to date with their immunisations should contact their GP surgery to catch-up. Further context and information can be found on the UK Health Security Agency web pages.
Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs webinars: Wednesday 17 August and Friday 19 September
The National Children’s Bureau (NCB) is delighted to invite colleagues from early years settings to attend a webinar about the Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs programme. You can attend on either:
Wednesday 17 August 2022, 3.00pm to 4.30pm - Click here to book your place
Friday 9 September 2022, 10.00am to 11.30am - Click here to book your place
The content will be the same at each one, and you only need to attend one webinar.
Along with NCB, the webinars will also be attended by the Department of Education (DfE) and the Education Endowment Foundation, and there will be an opportunity to ask questions. The webinars are designed to support settings with their applications and are aimed at those involved in the application at senior level, including setting owners, setting managers, early years teachers, EYFS leads, heads of early years as well as headteachers and governors. Webinars will be held on Microsoft Teams and a maximum of two places per setting are available on a first come, first served basis, to attendees in England only. The webinars will be recorded and the recording will be available on the Foundation Years website shortly after the session.
The Stronger Practice Hubs programme launches in November 2022 and is part of the DfE's Early Years Education COVID-19 Recovery Package. The programme aims to support settings to address the impact of the pandemic on young children, by sharing effective practice and building lasting local networks.
The application process for Stronger Practice Hubs is now open (Stronger Practice Hubs - eligibility and registration). Applications to become a Stronger Practice Hub are welcome from individual settings or a partnership of up to five settings. Childminders can be part of a partnership application but cannot apply to lead a hub. More information regarding the role of Stronger Practice Hubs and the eligibility criteria can be found here.
NCB looks forward to working with the sector to deliver this transformative programme.
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)
-
Practice support (EYFS, Diversity and Inclusion, health and wellbeing, transitions, legislation, regulation and safeguarding)
-
Supporting families in your childcare setting (includes CLaWBA, integrated reviews)
-
Tools for schools and settings (supporting the inclusion of all children in early years)
-
Business support (Free Entitlement, marketing, finance, recruitment, advertising)
- Training and qualifications
-
Network meetings/events (Learning and development, INCO SENCO, business and welfare)
-
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.
-
#227 (Autumn term 30 hour code deadline reminder; living with COVID-19; inspire children and parents to get active together; new vodcast on mental health and wellbeing)
-
#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)
-
#225 (Making recruitment safer - free webinar today; parental perceptions of childcare in England; new campaign #WeAreEducators)
-
#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)
-
#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)
| 
