Newsletter for Early Years and Childcare providers in West Sussex
#295 - Wednesday 5 December 2023
This week's newsletter includes:
- Warning - Online Provider Portal downtime
- Final Reminder - Childcare Expansion Forum Invitation
- Early Years Alliance - webinar on Childcare Expansion
- Provider survey - Childcare Expansion
- Childminder agencies - changes to guidance
- Updated - Childminder Start-up Grants
- Updated Ofsted guidance - checks on household members and visitors
- New mental health support resources for babies and children
- Early Years Training
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Please be advised that the Online Provider Portal will be unavailable Saturday 9 to Sunday 10 December whilst we upgrade our technology. Please note that parents and carers will not be able to submit 2 year old Free Entitlement applications, and our Family Information Service website will also be unavailable to the public.
In newsletter #294 we reminded you that we were looking for representatives to join the Childcare Expansion Provider Forum and applications close at midnight tonight. We understand your time as professionals is valuable and that is why successful applicants will receive £1,500 to cover the costs of being part of the Childcare Expansion Provider Forum (such as travel and expenses for attendance at meetings, as well as time for pre-meeting preparation and any agreed actions).
You can read the Childcare Expansion Provider Forum Invitation to find out more and email an Expression of Interest form to free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk. Applications will be closing at 11.59pm on 6 December 2023.
The EYA are hosting a free webinar for its members on the new childcare expansion offers and the new early years funding formula. If you are an EYA member you can book on to this webinar by visiting the EYA portal. The webinar is on 12 December 2023 from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.
A huge thank you to all of the providers who completed the survey's in November. 99% of the day nurseries and pre-schools completed this and 46% of childminders. The feedback is going to be critical for us to plan the support you need as we move through the next few weeks and months.
We will be sharing complete reports from the surveys early next term, and discussing the implications and next steps in the EYFS leader forums in January/February.
A key theme from your feedback is, unsurprisingly, about needing more information on the detail of the scheme. Please do refer to the information and timeline from last week's special newsletter for next steps including when we can confirm the hourly rates for 2024/25.
The Department for Education (DfE) has today updated its guidance on childminder agencies to reflect new regulations which mean that any childminder registered with an agency that closes will now automatically be registered with Ofsted at the point of closure.
The DfE has confirmed that the change does not mean that childminders transferred to Ofsted have to stay with the inspectorate - they can instead opt out of this process. However, the change aims to ensure that childminders previously registered with an agency that closes can continue operating without disruption.
The Childminder Start-up Grant Scheme, which aims to help childminders with the cost of setting up their own business, is now open for applications.
It launched on 30 November 2023 and is available to all new childminders who have completed their registration on or after 15 March 2023. Individuals who have previously been registered as a Childminder and wish to re-register into the sector may also apply for the scheme. There must be at least a 12-month gap between the date of your previous registration being cancelled and your new registration being finalised.
New Childminders will receive £600 if registered with Ofsted or £1200 if registered with a childminder agency. The childminder agency £1200 grant will be paid in two instalments with a six month limit on claiming the second instalment. Childminders must apply for the grant within two months of registering as a childminder, or within two months of the Scheme launching. Further information is available on the GOV.UK website.
The People connected with Ofsted-registered childcare guidance has been updated. They have clarified the checks they carry out on household members and visitors.
We all have mental health, just as we have physical health. In the same way that we can be more or less physically healthy from time to time, we can also be more or less mentally healthy from time to time too.
Help for Early Years Providers has added new information and guidance on supporting babies and young children with their mental health.
The guidance:
- explains how practitioners can support positive mental health in early years children,
- includes emotional and behavioural support strategies to use in early years settings, and
- links to further reading and resources.
For more guidance on supporting children in the early years, visit the Help for Early Years Providers website.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Essentials (Webinar) is an informative half-day webinar and is particularly relevant to new early years professionals, who may not yet be familiar with the core elements of the EYFS. It is also aimed at those who would benefit from developing their understanding of what is important in provision and practice. Using slides, video footage and activities, the course seeks to support you in developing your knowledge and understanding of the key elements of the EYFS. The key word for this course is "essentials" and costs £27 per person.
- Wednesday 31 January – 9.30am to 12.30pm
Staff Supervision for the Early Years (Webinar) is suitable for managers, deputies, room leaders and any others with responsibility for supervising staff. You will explore the potential and benefits of regular supervision. You will look at how this can support professional development of staff, improve the quality of children's experience and maintain vigilance in safeguarding. The key word for this course is "supervision" and costs £27 per person.
- Thursday 25 January – 9.30am to 12.30pm
Working with Vulnerable Families in the Early Years (Webinar) is a two-part webinar and aims to raise awareness and understanding around working with vulnerable families with children aged birth to 14 years. It focuses on identifying needs, achieving reach and working with other professionals and agencies to promote better outcomes for all children. The training offers strategies and explores the impact that high quality provision can have on vulnerable children’s achievements and the home learning environment. The key word for this course is "vulnerable" and costs £54 per person.
- Monday 29 January – 9.30am to 12.30pm
- Monday 5 February – 9.30am to 12.30pm
To book please log on to the Learning and Development Gateway and search for the course using the corresponding key word. If you experience any issues when booking your course, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk.
Useful information
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:
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#294 (Final reminder - Renaming Free Entitlement for 2, 3 and 4 year olds; Advanced notice - Online Provider Portal downtime; Invitation to join Childcare Expansion Forum; Final reminder - consultation on mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse; Tiny Happy People Champion training; Autumn Statement 2023; Ofsted annual report; New Traveller Education Support Early Years leaflet; Early Years Training)
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#293 (Online Provider Poral downtime; Final reminder - submit Spring Term Estimates; Your view on renaming Free Entitlement for 2,3 and 4 year olds; Invitation to join the Childcare Expansion Forum; Early Years Capital Funding; Reminder - consultation on the mandatory reporting on child sexual abuse; Oral health promotion; Kent Early Years Stronger Practice Hub (KEYSPH) newsletter; Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP); Support from Early Years and Childcare Advisors (EYCAs) when working with parents/carers; Early Years Training - new payment system coming soon; Early Years Training - booking and cancellation reminder)
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#292 (Free Entitlement Spring Term estimates now open; 30 hour codes - Spring Term deadlines; Consultation reporting of child sexual abuse; Holiday Activity and Food winter bookings; Schools Forum Representative - a message from Claire Kenyon; Upcoming Changes to Early Years Childcare Funding - survey now closed; Right from the Start: Early Years and Childcare Strategy event; Practitioner Wellbeing Support resource; New projects launched evidence-informed programmes; Top three tips for preventing tooth decay - translated infographics; Early Years Training)
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#291 (Final reminder - Upcoming Changes to Early Years and Childcare Funding survey; Schools Forum Representative results; Updated Ofsted poster for parents; Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) exemptions guidance; Reminder Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP) - free professional development; Childminder Mentor Programme; Early Years Experts and Mentors programme; New Early Maths module added to Department for Education (DfE) Online Training; Best start in life - a research review for early years; Early Years Training)
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#290 (Weather warning; Warning - Online Provider Portal downtime; Reminder - Your Voice Matters - Upcoming Changes to Early Years Childcare Funding; Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) consultation response; Stronger Practice Hub - webinar; Ofsted webinars; Early Years Training)
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