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 14 December 2022
Scarlet Fever Management Webinar
West Sussex County Council (WSCC) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) held a scarlet fever outbreak management webinar on the morning of 12 December 2022. We are aware that due to short notice and pressures caused by severe weather not everyone was able to attend. In response, we recorded this webinar for you to view at a time which is convenient to you or to share with others within your setting. Click here (Passcode: EwHyR9&Q) to access this recording. You can view the slides from the presentation here.
As throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, if you need health protection guidance that the new UKHSA pack does not answer or support, please contact the WSCC Public Health Department via publichealth@westsussex.gov.uk.
UKHSA have recently updated two other outbreak packs for:-
- respiratory infections including COVID-19 and flu
- diarrhoea and vomiting outbreaks for education or childcare settings
You can access more information to support you on the government website - Managing outbreaks and incidents - GOV.UK
In addition, WSCC Public Health team have produced a pre-recorded webinar focused on “Infection Prevention and Control Beyond COVID-19", targeted towards primary school, early years and childcare staff. The webinar focuses on common childhood infections and explores how best to break the chain of infection by supporting the practical application of precautionary measures and actions.
UKHSA have produced a new online course called "Preventing and Managing Infections in Childcare and Pre-school", which covers information on what germs are and how they spread, explores simple ways of stopping infections from spreading and offers practical tips on keeping early years settings safe.
Starting School Applications - one month to go
The deadline for applying for a school place is Sunday 15 January 2023. Please make sure that the families who should be applying for a school place for their child, are aware of the deadline and complete their application on time. Please also check that families are aware that completing the Starting School Questionnaire is not the same as applying for a school place and that they have also completed their school application before the deadline.
To apply for a school place, or for more information on applying, please signpost parents to www.westsussex.gov.uk/admissions and read the Starting School Leaflet and the application checklist.
Checking Eligibility for 2 year old Free Entitlement (FE)
Back in September during the Autumn Term Headcount data submission, we noticed that we were receiving a large number of claims for children for 2 year old FE who were not eligible for the funding. To ensure that you are not left with a large bill that a parent cannot or refuses to pay, please be reminded of how to check that a child's eligibility has been confirmed with their Local Authority:
- For families who have applied via West Sussex
- Parents will be sent a letter (usually via email), which will confirm the child's six digit eligibility code and the month from when funding can start from.
- None of our eligibility codes contain letters, so if a parent gives you an alpha-numeric code, please advise the parent to check their inbox for an actual letter, or to email freechildcare@westsussex.gov.uk if they haven't yet received a response to their application.
- For families who have applied via another Local Authority
- Each Local Authority has a different set up, so always ask to see the letter or email that is sent confirming a child's eligibility.
- When submitting a headcount claim for these children, please ensure that you add the code and local authority details to the notes box as set out in the Headcount guidance.
Department for Education Childminder Mentor programme
This is a reminder that the Expression of Interest application window, for the roles of Area Lead and Mentor, is due to close on Friday 16 December. If you are interested in taking on one of these roles, please access the application page which is available here: Childminder mentor programme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Early Years Equality – Campaigning for better funding: A message from Claire Kenyon, manager of Busy Lizzie’s Nursery in Chichester and one of the leaders of Early Years Equality
Early Years Equality is a new campaign group, fighting nationally for better funding for the early years sector. We are constantly told how important the early years of a child’s life are, yet the central government refuses to fund it adequately. More and more nurseries and childminders are struggling to remain sustainable and with the next rise in minimum wage, alongside the increase in living costs, it is very likely many will be forced to close. The early years sector wants to be the ones to help provide the next generation with the best possible start in life, but this will only be possible if central government significantly increase the funding they provide. Early Years Equality aim to unify the sector – childminders, PVI nurseries, maintained nurseries (both providers and practitioners). We would love you to join us in our mission. You can find us on Facebook and Instagram @earlyyearsequality, Twitter @earlyyearsequal and on our website www.earlyyearsequality.com. If you have any questions, please send us an email on change@earlyyearsequality.com.
Setting Fees
Many settings implement a fee increase once a year, with a large number of these coming into place on 1 April to coincide with the new financial year.
The current Cost of Living Crisis is of course hard for providers as well as families which can put settings in a difficult situation: the last thing you wish to do is put families under more financial pressure by raising fees, yet equally, you are facing increasing bills due to rises in costs including but not limited to foods, utility bills and wages. It is important to remember that your business must be financially sustainable.
When sharing a fee increase with families, the following points might help:
- Give parents plenty of notice. Write to all parents at least two months before the fee increase takes place so they have time to prepare.
- Be clear about why the fee increase is necessary.
- From the time that parents are informed, try to have a plan of action in place to make sure they know and have read the information you have sent. Make yourself available to discuss any queries or concerns.
- Ensure staff are properly briefed about the increase and can speak directly to parents about it. They might not be able to answer in-depth queries, but they should be able to help parents understand the necessity of an increase and know to direct concerned parents to the manager.
- Outline a supportive approach. Offer parents sources of advice about help such as Tax Free Childcare, childcare vouchers and child tax credits.
- Make them aware about your fee collection policy and how you will always try to find solutions where parents are struggling, for example, due to a change in job and salary payment date or where a partner has lost their job.
For providers who offer Free Entitlement places, please do ensure any planned changes continue to meet the requirements of the Provider Declaration.
Slides from Network Meetings
Thank you to those of you who attended the recent network meetings. The presentations from the SENCO/INCO Networks and the Childminder Networks are available. The slides from the EYFS Leader Networks were shared on 02/11/22 in a previous broadcast (#239)
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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#244 (Rise in Scarlet Fever, Level 3 cold weather alert; Spring Term FE claims - 30 hour code deadline reminder; sufficiency update deadline approaching; consultation on level 3 early years educator qualification; flu vaccination information for early years providers; proposed changes to Worthing primary school places)#244
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#243 (Safeguarding focus: safe arrivals and departures; safer sleep in winter; safeguarding training; spring term courses; support for families with English as an additional language; starting school questionnaire; invest4 grant fund; national professional qualification in early years leadership; casting long shadows - new report from the first 1001 days movement; foundation years vodcast on improving the home learning environment; opportunity to help develop support for children with SEND; SEND and inclusion newsletter)
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#242 (Final reminder - FE spring term estimates; post headcount/exceptional payment requests; local offer information; supporting parents with childcare costs; HAF programme; EYPDP - phase three; first early years stronger practice hubs announced; best start in life review; measuring wellbeing in early years settings; five to thrive essentials; a look at dynamic displays)
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#241 (Childcare survey results; termly childcare provider update form; drones and education settings; DfE childminder mentor programme; DfE EY SENCO training; new foundation years blog; intermediate child development)
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#240 (Get involved in our early years strategy; FE spring term estimates open; starting school applications reminder; deadline for spring term pandemic recovery support; level 3 inclusive practice course; winter HAF; home learning environment resources and campaign; specialist advisory teachers referrals; assessment in the revised EYFS; West Sussex libraries)
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