Newsletter for Out of School providers in West Sussex
#2/2024 - Monday 4 March 2024
This newsletter includes:
- Welcome our new Early Years and Childcare Team Manager - Wraparound Childcare;
- National Early Years and Childcare recruitment campaign;
- Reminder - Expressions of Interest for Holiday Activities and Food programme are open;
- Updated guidance;
- Wrapround childcare report;
- Tax-Free Childcare - help parents save money.
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As stated by the Wraparound Programme Handbook, each local authority must have at least one designated wraparound lead to deliver the programme. We are delighted to announce that Katy Akrill has been successfully appointed into the role. Below you will find an introduction from Katy:
"I am pleased to introduce myself as the new Early Years and Childcare Team Manager leading on Wraparound Childcare. I am excited to step into this role having worked within West Sussex for the past 14 years supporting workforce development in the sector and most recently providing support to settings as an Early Years and Childcare Advisor.
The Wraparound Programme is a significant milestone for the sector and recognises the strengths of current wraparound provision and the vital role you all play in supporting families and ensuring children have the best start in life. We are currently mapping provision and analysing survey information from schools to identify priority areas to support with programme planning. I am looking forward to working with you as we progress with the roll out plans, further information and details will be shared soon."
The Department for Education (DfE) launched the Early Years and Childcare recruitment campaign on 2 February. The campaign aims to promote Early Years and Childcare careers, including the Out of School sector. The campaign has its own dedicated website and a section dedicated to working in before and after school clubs.
The website directs potential applicants to the Department for Work and Pension's Find a job platform. As an employer, you can list your jobs here for free. The DfE have developed instructions to help you add your current vacancies to the platform.
In newsletter #1/2024 we let you know about the HAF programme. We want to remind you that Expressions of Interest for the Summer/Winter HAF programme opened on 1 March 2024 and close at midnight 1 April 2024. For more information and to place an Expression of Interest visit the HAF web page. If you would like to discuss your bid before you submit, or if you or families have any general enquiries, please contact the HAF team by emailing haf@westsussex.gov.uk.
On 27 February the Department for Education published and updated three documents relating to the National Wraparound Childcare Programme.
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Methodology for allocating funding to local authorities for the programme was published.
- The programme handbook, guidance for local authorities, has been updated to provide additional guidance and information on the programme to further support local authorities with programme delivery.
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‘Right to request’ guidance for schools and academy trusts has been updated to ensure it aligns with the programme objectives. This update strengthens the role of the local authority, linking to their sufficiency duty, including informing schools of the availability of wraparound childcare and ensuring schools are communicating this to families.
Coram Family and Childcare were commissioned to undertake a report on wraparound childcare, which includes a range of case studies. The full report can be accessed via the Local Government Association website.
Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) is a childcare top-up for working parents. It can be used to help pay for accredited holiday clubs, childminders, or sports activities. Enabling parents and carers to access childcare during the school holidays, also saving them money. It is estimated that there are 1.3 million working families who are eligible for TFC in the UK, however only a small percentage are making use of the scheme. Around 75% of families are losing out on this support.
TFC is available for children aged up to 11, or 17 if the child has a disability. You can signpost families to Childcare Choices so they can see if they are eligible. You can find out more about the scheme by visiting www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare. If you are not yet signed up to offer TFC visit the GOV.UK website to find out more and signing up only takes around 10 minutes.
The Family Information Service has a search route on their website which identifies the settings who offer TFC. Parents may base their childcare decisions on whether they could claim TFC and save money on their childcare bills. If you already offer TFC, and your setting is not listed in the TFC search, please ensure that you complete a termly childcare provider update form.
Many parents don’t realise that TFC can be saved up on their accounts. Even if childcare is not required throughout the school terms, there is still the option to save up funds which could be used for holiday clubs or out of school care. As the holidays approach and families attend your setting, it is a good opportunity to remind families of these schemes so they can plan for future half terms and holidays. Please check out Childcare Choices and their catalogue of guidance and promotional resources, that you can display to promote this scheme.
If you have any queries regarding TFC, please contact us by emailing family.info.service@westsussex.gov.uk or calling 01243 777807. We share regular posts to raise parental awareness of TFC and other support available to them via the Family Information Service Facebook Page, so be sure to follow @FISWestSussex.
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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01/2024 (Expansion of childcare offers survey; New Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework; Holiday Activity and Food programme; Setting Support Phone Line; Free workshops - cost of living support for families; Ofsted outcomes; Out of School Alliance - National Wraparound Childcare programme factsheet)
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#8 (Government guidance - the wraparound childcare programme, Capital funding for the childcare expansion, Holiday Activity and Food Programme - Winter bookings, Sufficiency updates - deadline approaching, Consultation on the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse, Holiday Activity and Food Programme - Expression of Interest 2024, The Big Ambition survey, Right from the Start: West Sussex Early Years and Childcare Strategy event, The National Playwork Conference)
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#7 (Spring budget - wraparound care update; new targeted setting support - business and sustainability form; holiday activities and food programme - expression of interest; the 14th annual playwork awards; the national conference for out of school clubs)
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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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