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
Difficulty viewing this bulletin? Click here to view in your browser.
Wednesday 28 June 2023
Sharing Safeguarding Information to Support Transitions
Information sharing builds on the good practice of parent partnership and recording accurate information about any concerns and actions taken. In most circumstances, parents should be aware of, and have access to, any records held about their child. All information recorded should:
- be factual,
- be precise,
- be recorded in a way that makes clear any concerns identified,
- record the impact for the child, and
- clearly outline what actions are being taken to mitigate any identified risks.
To support children’s safety and wellbeing, it is crucial that key information gathered about a child is shared between settings at transition points. This is important to ensure continuity of support for the child and family, as well as allowing the new setting to have the full picture of the needs of the child. A child’s start at a new setting can be seen as a “fresh start” and, while this is a positive approach for children, it is crucial that the new setting has as much information as possible as this is a protective factor to keep the child safe. Key information that you should share with a setting can be found in the early years universal transition guidance.
When passing on information to a new provider, you must make arrangements to share the information securely. Where possible and appropriate, a conversation between providers should accompany the transfer of any recorded information. You may wish to keep a record of the information shared to the new setting, signed by both parties. Safeguarding information can be shared without parental permission. However, parents should always be aware of any concerns identified by a setting unless this would lead to harm to the child. Please see the West Sussex Information Sharing Agreement for more information.
If a child for whom you have significant concerns about leaves your setting without informing you of where they will now be attending, you need to notify the local authority to discuss next steps. In some instances, for example if a family enters a refuge, it is important for information to be shared without disclosing the child’s previous location. In this situation, please contact the Family Information Service who will support the transition of documents to the new provider. You can contact them via email family.info.service@westsussex.gov.uk or phone 01243 777807.
Please ensure that you understand, and share with parents, the privacy notice for parents of children accessing early years and childcare provision. This is so they are aware of and understand what information is shared about their child and why this is important.
Further information and guidance on information sharing and the transition process can be found in the early years universal transition guidance.
Possible Business Opportunity in Adversane
We are sharing a possible business opportunity to take on early years provision in Adversane, a hamlet between Billingshurst and Pulborough. This is currently a sessional, term time only provider based in Adversane Village Hall. There is potential to increase the hours to longer days and for more weeks of the year.
Please direct any questions about the opportunity to alex.openshaw@sequoiamontessori.co.uk. Please note, any provider wishing to explore this opportunity should ensure they seek appropriate legal advice, as well as carrying out due diligence in terms of business planning and cash flow forecasting.
Foundation Years Online Event
Bookings are open for Foundation Years’ next free online event. Attendees will have the chance to hear from:
- The Department for Education on the Early Years Foundation Stage Consultation,
- Education Endowment Foundation on the evidence behind approaches to Personal, Social and Emotional Development,
- Education Development Trust on the Early Years Professional Development Programme, and
- Ofsted on their newly launched resources for the sector.
These events provide the opportunity for early years professionals to engage, connect and share best practice.
- Thursday 6 July - 2.00pm to 4.40pm
You can book to attend here.
New Consultation - Changes to Statutory Guidance: Working Together to Safeguard Children
The Department for Education has launched a consultation on revisions to the Working Together to Safeguard Children statutory guidance. The consultation aims to gather a wide range of views to help deliver on the government’s plans to transform children’s social care as set out in Stable Homes, Built on Love.
As your roles are essential to children's safety and welfare your views are important. You can read the supporting consultation document here and drafted guidance for the consultation here. Online consultation events are also available to provide you with further support and context to the consultation, these will be linked below. The consultation closes on 6 September and can be found here.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 open access consultation events:
- Thursday 29 June - 10.00am to 11.00am - Join here
- Monday 4 September - 3.00pm to 4.00pm - Join here
Vodcast on the Early Years Foundation Stage Consultation
In this new vodcast, Ada Simpson (Head of Early Years Quality in Settings) and Daniel Blenkley (Early Years Qualifications Policy) discuss the current Early Years Foundation Stage Consultation. The vodcast explains the proposals and answers questions submitted by the sector.
You can watch the vodcast here and download the slides here.
West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership Training
West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership still has places available on the following upcoming courses. You can find their full training calendar here.
Professional curiosity (webinar) is for all those who work with children and young people. It will provide learners with an opportunity to discuss professional curiosity and apply it to their daily practice. The key phrase for this course is 'professional curiosity' and costs £60 per person.
- Wednesday 5 July - 1.00pm to 3.00pm
Supporting LGBTQ+ children and young people in a safeguarding context (webinar) is suitable for childminders and out of school providers, it is focused on children aged 7 years and over. This course will help learners develop their awareness of safeguarding issues that relate specifically to LGBTQ+ children and young people. The key phrase for this course is 'supporting LGBTQ+ children' and costs £60 per person.
- Wednesday 12 July - 1.00pm to 4.00pm
A basic awareness to trauma informed practice (webinar) will enable learners to recognise the importance of using a trauma informed approach when working with children, families and also colleagues. The key phrase for this course is 'trauma informed practice' and costs £60 per person.
- Thursday 13 July - 1.00pm to 3.00pm
Neglect (face to face) is for professionals from all agencies who work with children, young people, their parents and carers. It focuses on child neglect and how the multi-agency network should respond to it. The keyword for this course is 'neglect' and costs £120 per person.
- Thursday 13 July - 9.30 am to 4.30 pm - Horsham RH12 1XH
The role of the LADO in keeping children safe (face to face) is for anyone working with children and young people and will support learners to explore the role of the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). It will focus on the role of the LADO in relation to safeguarding children and young people when allegations are made against potentially unsuitable adults. The keyword for this course is 'LADO' and is free to attend.
- Tuesday 18 July 2023 - 1.00pm to 4.00pm - Horsham RH12 TXH
To book any of the above courses please log on to the Learning and Development Gateway and search for the course using the corresponding key word or phrase.
Budgeting Tips for the Summer Holidays
The summer holidays will soon be here and it is a time for families to spend more time together and reconnect without the pressures of homework and the school run. For many parents the school holidays can be taxing, on both their time and their wallets. Research shows that a third of parents worry more about their finances during the school holidays.
To help support families this summer, Salary Finance has shared some creative ways to entertain the whole family that are cost friendly. Read the blog here and share some of these ideas with families in your setting.
New Guide from Health and Safety Executive - Introduction to Managing Health and Safety
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has developed a new online guide to help you quickly find and understand what your business must do to comply with health and safety law.
The step-by-step guide will help you:
- understand what managing health and safety means,
- find the right guidance for your workplace, and
- use the Plan, Do, Check, Act approach to manage health and safety in a way that is simple and proportionate to your risks, while still complying with the law.
HSE also has guidance on common workplace risks where you can find specific advice for your workplace.
- 07 Jul - Portal closes for Autumn Estimates
- W/C 17 Jul - Autumn term estimates payments due
- 31 Aug - Summer term Sufficiency deadline (all providers)
- 04 Sep - Portal opens for Autumn term Actuals
- 29 Sep - Portal closes for Autumn term Actuals
- W/C 23 Oct - Autumn term 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)
-
Practice support (EYFS, Diversity and Inclusion, health and wellbeing, transitions, legislation, regulation and safeguarding)
-
Supporting families in your childcare setting (includes CLaWBA, integrated reviews)
-
Tools for schools and settings (supporting the inclusion of all children in early years)
-
Business support (Free Entitlement, marketing, finance, recruitment, advertising)
- Training and qualifications
-
Network meetings/events (Learning and development, INCO SENCO, business and welfare)
-
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.
-
#271 (Free entitlement autumn term estimates open; 30 hour codes summer autumn deadline; childminder networks; reminder to submit - termly childcare provider update form; Screen in the early years - digital devices and online safety webinar; starting school questionnaire consultation; updated government guidance; transitions to school - transition summary template; retention of staff)
-
#270 (Early Years Covid-19 Recovery Programme - autumn 2023; EYFS consultation - new supportive document; Free Entitlement funding rates 2023/24; New Post-Headcount/Exceptional Payment request form available; new consultation - changes to inspection complaints system; scam alert; hot weather advice and guidance; new oral health guidance; early years training)
-
#269 (Free entitlement summer term headcount payments; early years foundation stage profile information and guidance; EYFS regulatory changes consultation; Ofsted code of conduct; early years training; the Summer Reading Challenge)
-
#268 (Safeguarding focus: updated safeguarding letter for parents; Adverse Childhood Experiences - free online learning; Learning and Development Gateway help guides; A Better Start webinar; National Week of Play; new training module - supporting physical development; food safety and sensory food education webinar)
-
#267 (Ofsted blog - child ratios; updated government guidance; immunisations campaign; EYFS networks; West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership professional zone; NSPCC - infant case reviews)
| 
