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.
Newsletter for Early Years and childcare providers in West Sussex
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Monday 25 September 2023
Spring Budget - Wraparound care update
Whilst we await further information from the Department for Education (DfE) on the detail of the wrap around programme, we are able to update you with the information that provides more detail, which was shared with us by the DfE. Although this information is not new, it does give slightly more detail.
The principal aim of the wraparound programme is to increase the availability of school age wraparound provision between 8.00am and 6.00pm, Monday to Friday. This is because many parents depend on wraparound care to enable them to:
- go into new work,
- return to work,
- extend their hours, or
- work more flexible hours.
The wraparound programme will be a universal offer, open to all children and families. Parents are expected to pay for the wraparound they use, but eligible parents will be able to use government subsidies such as Tax Free Childcare and the childcare element of Universal Credit against payment for registered childcare.
The government announced an investment of £289m for the wraparound programme at the Spring Budget in March. The majority of this funding will be grant funded to Local Authorities (LAs) to deliver the programme. The funding will enable LAs to support growth of demand, through creating new wraparound provision and expanding existing provision to support increased demand and ensure sufficiency of places.
LAs will be able to decide how best to use the grant funding to achieve programme outcomes in line with delivery model(s) adopted by the LA. This could include allocating funding to schools and/or Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) providers, including childminders. This may then contribute to the start-up, expansion and running costs of provision, as well as costs for staffing, training and resources. Funding can be used to support running costs while demand is growing, before provision is made self-sustainable through parental payments, taking away any short-term financial risk to providers.
The DfE will publish guidance for all LAs in autumn 2023, in the form of a programme handbook, which will include:
- detail on the aims of the programme,
- operational and delivery guidance, and
- the roles and requirements (including use of programme funding, mapping supply and demand and reporting) for LAs.
We will continue to keep you updated via these newsletters as we receive more information.
New Targeted Setting Support - Business and Sustainability form
Early years and childcare, including out of school provision, can request business and sustainability support from the Early Years and Childcare team via the Target Setting Support (TSS) process. There is a new form for 2023/24 which can be used to request support around the following areas:
- Business Planning
- Cash Flow Forecasting
- Occupancy Levels/Marketing
- Free Entitlement
- Pattern of delivery
- Recruitment and retention of staff
- Premises
- Selling the setting
- Closing the setting
- Expanding the setting
You can access the TSS Business and Sustainability form via our request targeted support webpage. If you are looking to set up new provision, please refer to www.westsussex.gov.uk/childcaresufficiency.
Holiday Activity and Food programme - Expression of Interest
In newsletter #6 we let you know about the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme and shared some useful information on:
- how HAF can be accessed,
- information on the new booking system, and
- how HAF bidding and funding works for providers.
Expression of Interest is open from 1 September 2023 until 1 October 2023 to bid for funding over the winter holidays. For more information and to place an expression of interest visit the HAF webpage. Expression of Interest for 2024 will open on 1st December 2023 and the link to access this will be added to the HAF webpage.
If you would like to discuss your bid before you submit, or if you or families have any general enquiries, please contact haf@westsussex.gov.uk.
The 14th Annual Playwork Awards
These awards are an opportunity to celebrate all that is good about the playwork sector. They aim to praise the work people in the playwork sector do by identifying people who have made a noticeable contribution and difference to the lives of those they work with.
The nomination process has been reworked to make it simple and you can now nominate by video or audio. You can nominate your friends, your colleagues, a person you have worked with who you have always admired. These awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the work of the sector. The full details for each award can be found on the website, as well as some information about why the Annual Playwork Awards are important. The website also provides guidance on how to complete your nomination, which you can then submit via the online form.
The National Conference for Out of School Clubs
Club Central will be hosting the National Conference for Out of School Clubs on 14 October 2023 in Birmingham. The conference theme for 2023 is "Building a Better Future for Out of School Clubs". The conference is open to all those who work in Out of School provision or holiday playschemes, including:
- professionals who work directly with children,
- managers and team leaders, and
- organisation leaders.
If you want to challenge, review, improve and reflect on your practice the conference may be of interest to you. The conference will also provide the opportunity to hear updates from the Department for Education regarding the spring budget and how this will influence wraparound care nationally. You can read the full conference agenda and find out more by reading the conference overview.
The conference costs £229 per person but is reduced to £199 with the code 30OFF. To book your place at the conference visit the Club Central website.
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.
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.
We have a range of online training available for you to access for your staff to ensure they have the most up to date information to support them in their role:
- 1 Oct - HAF Expression of Interest deadline
- 31 Dec - Autumn term Sufficiency deadline
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#6 (HAF programme; HAF expression of interest; tax-free childcare webinar; reminder to submit - termly childcare provider update form; food safety and sensory food education webinar)
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#5 (Spring budget announcement; wraparound care for military families; TFC new HMRC mailbox; Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month; paediatric first aid courses available)
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#4 (Business opportunity in Wisborough Green; HAF - bookings open; HAF - expressions of interest; Ofsted themes; tax-free childcare; wrap around childcare for armed forces families; employment allowance; safe clubs for children; useful web links; green business newsletter)
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#3 (Ofsted out of school providers offering HAF places; national playwork conference is back; reminder to submit termly childcare provider update forms)
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#2 (Sufficiency updates; HAF expression of interest deadline; HAF providers - benefits of Ofsted registration; safe to play campaign; supporting families with childcare costs; safeguarding reminders)
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