Newsletter for Early Years and Childcare providers in West Sussex
#19/2024 - Wednesday 8 May 2024
This week's newsletter includes:
- Summer Term 2024 Headcount submissions close this Friday
- Update on the Expansion of Childcare
- Contact number for FE Finance
- Advertise your job vacancies on the West Sussex County Council website
- Tools for Schools website migration
- Wraparound Programme Funding
- Final reminder - Childminder consultation
- Consultation - Experienced based route for Early Years practitioners
- Free Communication Friendly Spaces event
- Early Years Training
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A reminder that the Online Provider Portal (OPP) is still open for you to submit your Early Years Funded Entitlement claims for 2, 3 and 4 year olds. However, we advise you submit your claims as soon as possible as the OPP closes at 11.59pm Friday 10 May. Please refer to Newsletter #16/24 for more information on how to claim correctly, including information on how to claim for Disability Access Fund.
If you have no children to claim for this term we still ask that you log in and check your Headcount information. We carry forward children’s details from the previous term, so you need to log in and remove any children's details that may have been carried forward. You can find useful guidance on how to do this on the Free Entitlement estimates and actuals web page. By removing children's details it will ensure you do not receive reminders from us about missing submissions.
The Department for Education (DfE) have provided us with some updates on the Expansion of Childcare offers. The DfE have shared some useful FAQs for parents. All Early Years and Childcare providers should read the FAQs so they can support parents accessing the new offers. Please can you also share the FAQs with parents and carers in your setting, so they are fully informed.
The DfE have also:
- announced changes to applications for parents who are starting work or returning to work from parental leave,
- provided further information on reconfirmation windows for codes, and
- provided information for parents applying for the first time.
These changes are summarised in the 31 day rule and reconfirmation document.
Once Early Years Funded Entitlement (EYFE) payments are processed by the Family Information Service and Early Years Funding teams, they are referred to FE Finance who will then arrange for the funds to be sent to your bank account. On occasion FE Finance may need to contact you by phone or email.
We have recently been made aware that some providers have been sharing FE Finance's phone number with parents and advising they call them. You must not share any contact information for FE Finance with parents, as they are only available to support with the technical processing of EYFE payments. If parents/carers have any queries or concerns regarding the delivery or payment of EYFE, please provide them with our email address Free.Entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk, or they can phone the Family Information Service on 01243 777807.
We are pleased to announce that all Early Years and Childcare and Out of School providers can now advertise their job vacancies on the West Sussex County Council (WSCC) partnership job page. We have developed a page dedicated to advertising Early Years and Childcare jobs which explains how to advertise your vacancies via the WSCC partnership job page, Department for Work and Pensions platform and Jobcentre Plus (JCP). It also contains useful guidance that outlines how JCP can support you.
Visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/AdvertiseEYCJobs to find out more and get support with your current recruitment needs.
Tools for Schools is currently being reviewed and updated. As part of this process the website will be migrating to the West Sussex County Council corporate site. A redirect system has been put in place, so you will still be able to easily access the website. However, due to accessibility requirements, it is likely that some documents will not initially be available. These documents are currently being reviewed and will soon be made available on the website. Whilst documents are being reviewed and updated please email ToolsforSchools@westsussex.gov.uk if there are any documents you require and these can then be emailed to you.
All relevant paperwork and guidance for Early Years and Childcare providers relating to inclusive practice is available at www.westsussex.gov.uk/EYInclusion.
In the special newsletter shared on Friday 26 April and newsletter #18/2024 we let providers know the Expression of Interest (EOI) form for Wraparound Childcare Funding opened. The deadline to submit an EOI is Friday 17 May 2024. Visit the Wraparound Childcare Programme Funding - EOI web page for more information and to complete an EOI.
In newsletter #18/2024 we reminded you of the Department for Education consultation relating to the recruitment and retention of childminders. The consultation closes this week, 11.59pm on Friday 10 May 2024. You can complete the survey by visiting the GOV.UK website.
The Department for Education have launched a consultation seeking views on an experience-based route for Early Years practitioners. The experience-based route would apply to practitioners in group-based and school-based providers only. Under the new proposals, Early Years managers would assess their staff’s knowledge, skills and experience against the level 3 Early Years Educator criteria. The consultation closes on 20 May 2024.
Brambletye School in East Grinstead are hosting an afternoon with Elizabeth Jarman on Thursday 23 May 3.15pm to 4.45pm, the event is free to attend. For more information please read the event flyer. You can then book your place via the online form.
To support settings with the upcoming Expansion of Childcare offers being extended to children aged between 9 and 23 months old, we have created a variety of baby-focused courses that will support you and your staff. These are all part of our subsidised ‘Expansion Support Offer’, this means all of the below courses cost only £10 per person. Boost your confidence and skills when working with babies by booking on to one of these brilliant courses.
Visit the Learning and Development Gateway to book your course. Please remember that you are required to book a space first on Learning and Development Gateway and then pay via the payment steps and link, which are shown on the course page. Your space is not confirmed until both booking and payment are completed. If you experience any issues when booking your course, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk.
Useful information
- 10 May - Portal closes for Summer Term actuals
- 31 May - Inclusion funding deadline for Autumn Term
- W/C 03 Jun - Summer Term actuals payments due
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:
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 EYCA team using the following email addresses:
Where there are not clearly evidenced reasons why the setting had no option but to close, there could be implications for funding received as per the government guidance.
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#18/2024 (Wraparound Programme Funding - Expression of Interest; Ofsted Big conversation; Starting school vaccinations; Reminder - Childminder recruitment and retention consultation; Early Years Training)
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#17/2024 (Safeguarding focus - Unregulated medical treatment for children; Online Provider Portal downtime; Help us to help you - eligibility code queries; Fire safety in Early Years and Childcare settings; Transition Events; Early Years Foundation Stage consultation - Safeguarding requirements Early Years Training)
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#16/2024 (Early Years Funded Entitlement Summer Term Actuals; Validating 2 year old working families eligibility codes; Early Years Funded Entitlement leaflets for parents; Claiming Disability Access Fund (DAF); Transition Events; Department for Education Roadshow - new date; Oral Health in Early Years pilot programme; Brilliant Babies to Terrific Toddlers - A Tool for Reflection; Early Years Training)
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#15/2024 (Business focus - Sign up to offer Tax-Free Childcare; Validating 2 year old working families codes; Reminder - Childminder recruitment and retention consultation; Kent Early Years Stronger Practice Hub newsletter and new supportive document for providers; Early Years Training)
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#14/2024 (Safeguarding focus - Dangers of laundry capsules; Accepting your provider declaration and estimate payments; Validating 2 year old working families codes; Transition Events; Pre-school immunisations; Ofsted's big listen consultation - for adults and children; Free trees for schools, nurseries and community groups)
Early Years and Childcare newsletter web page.
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