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 17 May 2023
Spring Budget Announcements and Future Planning
We continue to await additional information on the extension to Free Entitlement (FE) announced in the Spring Budget, this includes increases to what the funding rate may look like in West Sussex. We understand this is very unsettling for the sector and we are lobbying the Department for Education for more information to enable us and you to plan.
Any government announcements regarding this are made publicly, so we as a Local Authority receive the information at the same time as you do. As such, there may be a small delay whilst we also digest and understand the implications of any new guidance or updates. We appreciate your patience during these times.
In the meantime, if you are not already, you may find it useful to:
- Consider what you know about your current and future families. Think about who might be eligible, as this will allow you to better understand the scope and inform future planning.
- Think about what information you collect about your families. Is there anything else you could be asking them now?
- Reflect on how you currently set parental expectations around accessing FE hours. Is your documentation clear around your pattern of delivery and the options available to families?
- Do you have a clear admissions policy that includes how your setting prioritises places and if you limit the number of FE only places?
Reducing Parental Conflict - new resources available
Conflict between parents is normal, but if exposure is frequent, intense and poorly resolved, this can have a damaging impact on children. This can result in:
- long-term mental health issues,
- emotional, social and behavioural problems, and
- academic problems as they grow up.
Parental conflict can be reflected in a wide range of behaviours, from constructive (helpful) to destructive (harmful) behaviours. Parental relationship distress is different from domestic abuse. This is because there is not an imbalance of power, neither parent seeks to control the other and neither parent is fearful of the other.
West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership have developed a range of free resources available to all those working with children, young people and their families in West Sussex. These include:
- an animation,
- cards to support conversations with parents/carers,
- an app,
- a pre-recorded webinar, and
- role play activities.
You can view the full range of resources here: https://www.westsussexscp.org.uk/professionals/working-with-families/reducing-parental-conflict
Education and Learning Strategy 2023 to 2025
The Education and Learning Strategy for 2023 to 2025 has now been launched. West Sussex County Council want to enable every young person to secure the skills, knowledge, and confidence to achieve their ambitions. The strategy, developed with partners, sets out how the council will facilitate this by addressing inequality in education and levelling up provision (where it does not meet the needs of all).
The strategy takes a single view of the young person, including their life experiences both at home and school. Focusing on the early years through to post 16 and adult education. The strategy is underpinned by ten key principles, which are explained in this short-animated video.
You can read the full strategy and an executive summary on our Education and Learning Strategy webpage. If you have any comments or queries regarding the strategy, please get in touch via EducationandSkills@westsussex.gov.uk.
Domestic Abuse Awareness Training (Webinar)
This webinar covers basic Domestic Abuse Awareness and is aimed at anyone working with children, young people, adults and families who may be experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse.
The aim of this course is to provide you with a thorough understanding of the prevalence, nature and effects of domestic abuse. It also aims to increase your confidence in identification, risk assessment and safety planning. You will learn about the barriers people may experience when accessing support and increase your knowledge on where additional support and information can be accessed nationally and in West Sussex. This is delivered as an interactive webinar, where you will be part of a group with direct access to a trainer who will be leading the session. Face to face sessions will be made available at a later date. This course is free to attend.
- Wednesday 21 June - 9.30am to 1.00pm
Please book through the Learning and Development Gateway, you can use this guide to help you locate and book your course. If you have any questions, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk.
SEND and Inclusion Newsletter
The May SEND & Inclusion Newsletter is now available for you to read.
National Numeracy Day
Today is National Numeracy Day and it is the UK’s only day dedicated to everyday maths. National Numeracy Day tries to highlight how often numbers are used in our everyday lives. This can range from the sports that people watch, the books that people read and in the shops when using money.
The team behind National Numeracy Day have pulled together a toolkit containing a range of age-appropriate videos, worksheets, resources and events. National Numeracy's website also has a wide range of resources and activities available for you to use in your everyday practice.
- w/c 5 June - Actuals payments due
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 EYCA team 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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#265 (Reminder - new post headcount/exceptional payment form; FE administration fees and deposits; childminder grants scheme update; transition events; A Better Start research and articles; new Booktrust resource; National Week of Play 2023; infant mental health webinars)
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#264 (Reminder and guidance - summer term FE actuals; FE ethnicity information; pre-school vaccinations; early years development programme - registration open; A Better Start child development research; Foundation Years online event; supporting grandparents webinar; Early Education festival; safeguarding training - domestic abuse)
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#263 (Safeguarding focus: inadequate Ofsted gradings; possible business opportunity Poynings; claiming Disability Access Fund (DAF); toolkit to support mental health; professional development guide; sharing your coronation experience; paediatric first aid courses available to book)
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#262 (Business opportunity in Arundel; summer term FE actuals now open; reminder how to claim FE for Afghan families; article on integrated reviews; safeguarding training - domestic abuse)
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#261 (Committee run groups - free energy bill audit; IT maintenance; month of the military child; world daily mile day; early years in mind - neurodiversity guide and transition webinar)
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