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 29 March 2023
Sexual harm practice guidance
The aim of this Practice Guidance is to support workers in keeping children safe from sexual abuse and to help reduce the impact of abuse when it has happened. There are excellent resources available to workers online and this Practice Guidance will reference where to find them, as hyperlinks. This Practice Guidance is designed to be accessible and brief, therefore it does not cover all the elements of sexual harm. The Child Sexual Abuse Centre has created a helpful guide that sets out the nine different types of sexual harm.
West Sussex works under a local framework called the Pan Sussex Child Protection and Safeguarding Procedures. When responding to concerns about sexual harm workers should always consult with these procedures, alongside this Practice Guidance. View the guidance in full - Sexual Harm Practice Guidance.
Read more about the Pan Sussex procedures.
New Post-Headcount/Exceptional Payment request form available
Our new Post Headcount/Exceptional Payment Request form has launched, and can be found on our webpage.
The new form is completed online, and has been designed to:
- be accessible on more devices (phone, tablet, PC),
- be simpler and quicker to complete than the previous Microsoft Word version,
- allow evidence to be uploaded and shared securely and directly with the Family Information Service and
- enable you to provide all information needed to allow us to fully consider your request, without back and forth querying.
For Summer 2023 term and onwards, the new form will be the only way to request a Post-Headcount/Exceptional Payment. Please delete any old copies of the form you may have stored, as we will no longer be able to accept these.
Please Note:
The new Post-Headcount/Exceptional Payment request form is not available on the Online Provider Portal and is accessed from the West Sussex County Council website. You do not need to set up an account to access and complete the form.
Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) - new resources for Early Years
The EEF provides information about how different approaches impact children's learning and development. It can help you create great learning opportunities for all your children, particularly those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
The EEF has recently published two new resources dedicated to supporting high quality early years practice:
Tiny Happy People
Have you looked at the BBC's Tiny Happy People website recently? The website has been live for several years and the content has been expanded to include lots of ideas and resources for parents and professionals.
There is a spreadsheet you can use to explore a list of the resources available, and a video with more information about the website and how it can support families. Content can also be accessed via Facebook and Instagram, which may be more accessible for some families.
SEND and Inclusion Newsletter
The March SEND and Inclusion Newsletter is now available for you to read.
- w/c 3 April - Payments due for Summer Estimates
- 14 Apr - Spring term Sufficiency deadline (all providers)
- 4 May - Summer Term Headcount Day
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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#258 (Final reminder - FE summer estimates; provider declaration form reminder for existing FE providers; 30 hours eligibility checker guidance; committee and charitable settings guidance; childminder assistants; TFC new HMRC mailbox; spring network presentations; HAF reminder)
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#257 (Budget announcement; healthy child programme; experts and mentors programme; Ofsted priorities 2023; national day nurseries training)
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#256 (Free entitlement summer estimates open; 30 hour codes summer deadline; HAF bookings now open; HAF expressions of interest 2023; updated Ofsted web pages; EYPDP phase three; home learning environment resources and campaign; the daily mile; new evidence based resources; DfE new early years child development training)
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#254 (Meeting the needs of international new arrivals; green business newsletter; early years training)
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#253 (Notice of planned downtime, Additional Bank Holiday, Ofsted update, Early years child development training, Government Education Committee review, Portage home visiting service, music training course)
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