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 24 May 2023
Latest blog from Ofsted - How staff to child ratios work
Here is Ofsted's latest blog, answering some frequently asked questions about staff to child ratios in early years: How staff-to-child ratios work - Ofsted: early years (blog.gov.uk)
Updated government guidance - Emergency planning and response for education, childcare and children's social care settings
The "Emergency planning and response for education, childcare and children's social care settings" guidance has been updated. The new updates relate to:
- information on emergency alerts,
- building local partnerships, and
- recording attendance for remote education.
New links have also been added to additional resources, templates, and checklists. You can find the updated guidance here.
New Childhood Immunisations campaign in West Sussex
West Sussex County Council (WSCC) is launching a new Childhood Immunisations awareness campaign on 1 June 2023. There has been a slow decline in the uptake of childhood immunisations in West Sussex over the past two years and WSCC would like to ask for your help to promote the campaign to families you work with.
Routine vaccinations play a huge part in protecting children, families, and the community against unpleasant and sometimes serious diseases. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of childhood vaccination and to encourage parents to catch up on any vaccinations their children might have missed before they start school. So, how can you help?
- Help to spread the word amongst families you are supporting, and in your local community.
- Display campaign materials around your setting.
- Upload the digital screensaver in reception areas (should you have one) and post an article on your website or newsletter.
- Follow WSCC social media accounts and share their posts.
Below you will find some useful resources and links to utilise in communications with families.
Resources:
Useful Links:
Campaign Social Media Accounts:
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Leader Network Meeting Presentations
We want to thank all who attended the most recent Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Leader Networks. We apologise for any challenges you may have experienced booking on to the events and have shared these challenges with the Learning and Development Gateway team. Moving forward, we are aiming to provide useful guides on how to access events and courses in future broadcasts.
We are pleased to share the presentations from these meetings with you. The online presentation features more detailed slides and the main event presentation provides a concise summary. We have also included a poster with information on Community Food Hubs which you can share with families in your settings.
West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership (WSCCP) professional log in zone
Have you signed up to the West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership (WSCCP) professional log in zone on the WSSCP website? This is for practitioners to access resources and documents that are not available to the general public. This includes safeguarding practice reviews that cannot be published due to a number of reasons.
To request a username and log in details, please email wsscp@westsussex.gov.uk from your professional email address. This will help WSCCP to identify that you are requesting access as a professional and not a member of the public.
Infants - Learning from case reviews
The NSPCC have recently published a summary of key findings and learning of case reviews in relation to children aged 2 and under. This briefing looks at case reviews published between 2018 and 2022 which involved children aged 2 and under.
The large number of case reviews published where children aged 2 and under were seriously harmed or died reflects the fact that this age group is particularly vulnerable. The majority of the children in the case reviews used for this briefing were aged under 1, with many being pre-mobile and pre-verbal. Children aged 2 and under are often unable to communicate their needs verbally so professionals must identify safeguarding and child protection concerns through other means.
The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel have published reports on safeguarding children under 1 from non-accidental injury and bruising in non-mobile infants that highlights this vulnerability.
You can read the full review from the NSPCC here.
- 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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#266 (Spring budget announcements and future planning; reducing parental conflict - new resources; Education and Learning strategy 2023 to 2025; safeguarding training - domestic abuse; SEND and inclusion newsletter; National Numeracy Day)
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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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