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 31 August 2022
Autumn term Free Entitlement (FE) actuals claims – now open
The Online Provider Portal (OPP) is now open for you to submit your FE claims for 2, 3 and 4 year olds. Please refer to the Actuals help guide and YouTube video. The Actuals help guide also covers how to claim Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) and Disability Access Fund (DAF).
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Headcount day: Thursday 15 September 2022
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Deadline for submission: Friday 23 September 2022
Extended FE claims: 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.
Please note:
- The code ‘start date’ must be before 1 September 2022 and the ‘Grace period end date’ covers the Autumn term 2022.
- Parents must have applied for, or reconfirmed their 30 hour code before 31 August 2022.
- Codes which are applied for, or reconfirmed after 31 August 2022 will not be valid for Autumn term.
- 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.
Claiming Free Entitlement (FE) for Afghan families arriving in England under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Programme (ARAP) and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS)
A reminder that Afghan families arriving under the ARAP and ACRS scheme could be eligible to access FE for 2, 3 and 4 year olds. Please refer to setting update #206 for further information. To claim funding for ARAP and ACRS families residing in bridging hotels you must submit a Post Headcount/Exceptional payment request form (PHEP).
Important: Please complete a new PHEP form each term you wish to claim funding. Afghan children must not be added to your Headcount claim, even if they started with you before Headcount.
Subject to our usual eligibility checks, all ARAP and ACRS PHEP requests will be approved. If you have any queries please contact the Free Entitlement team by email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk or call the Family Information Service on 01243 777807 and ask for the Specialist Team.
Childcare Needs Survey - please share with families
As part of the Local Authorities statutory duties around sufficiency we are required to have an understanding of the supply and demand of childcare places and any gaps in provision, including how these gaps will be addressed.
To support this knowledge and understanding it is important that we include the voice of the families so we can better understand their childcare needs.
To do this we are running an online survey, from 01/09/22, and would like to request your help in sharing this with families who attend your provision. We would also welcome the views of any of you or your team who have children aged 0-14 years (and up to 18 for children with SEND). We want to hear from as many people as possible! The survey will close 30/09/22.
Here is some wording you are welcome to use. There are also posts on the Family Information Service Facebook page which you could share on your pages.
Stronger Practice Hubs webinar recordings
On 17 August, the National Children's Bureau hosted a second webinar to provide information to all early years settings who are looking to get involved in the Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs programme. You can see more information about the hubs and watch a recording of the webinar.
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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#229 (Autumn term FE actuals advance notice; FE stretched claims - termly limits; checks before offering an extended FE place; sufficiency updates deadline reminder; DfE changes press release around relaxing ratios; EYFS reform: one year on, lessons learned and future direction conference; story stuff - impromptu story making)
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#228 (Ofsted updates, Polio Booster Vaccine, Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs)
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#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)
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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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