Newsletter for Early Years and Childcare providers in West Sussex
#47/2024 - Wednesday 20 November 2024
This week's newsletter includes:
- Safeguarding focus - Why language matters - criminal child exploitation
- Safeguarding special newsletter
- Early Years Funded Entitlement spring term 2025 estimates now open
- Early Years Funded Entitlement for Working Families - spring term code deadline
- Early Years and Childcare expansion - funding timeline of events
- Autumn Budget 2024
- Kent Early Years Stronger Practice Hub November newsletter
- Early Years Training
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Latest Ofsted news and updates here.
When you hear the words "recruited" or "working" you probably think about legal, safe employment. However, these terms are used by those who groom and coerce children and young people into criminal activity such as moving money and drugs. When these terms are also used by the wider public and by safeguarding professionals to describe child criminal exploitation (CCE) it can reinforce this idea of "working" and legitimise CCE.
Terms like "recruited" and "working" also mask the harm caused by CCE. They imply that the child or young person is responsible for, and in control of, the situation they are in. These perceptions can then prevent children and young people from receiving the protection, help and support they need.
For more information and to view the information in full, including blogs and briefings visit the NSPCC website.
On Friday 1 November we shared a special newsletter with you which outlined some of the safeguarding practices early years and childcare providers should follow. Please read this important newsletter to ensure you are following relevant legislation and implementing current best practice within your setting.
The Online Provider Portal (OPP) is open for you to submit your spring term 2025 estimates for all EYFE including the new 9 month old offer.
- Headcount day for spring term 2025 is Thursday 16 January 2025.
- The deadline for estimate submissions is Friday 29 November 2024.
- Payments are scheduled to be received by providers who have no outstanding queries regarding their estimate figures week commencing Monday 9 December 2024.
Please remember that estimates for 2 year old EYFE for Working Families and 2 year old Local Authority Issued EYFE will be a combined figure.
If you are open for more than the standard weeks and are claiming stretched funding at headcount, please follow steps 9 and 10 of the guidance to ensure you are claiming correctly.
If, after viewing the guidance available on our website you require further support, in the first instance please email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk, or phone the Family Information Service on 01243 777807.
For children to access EYFE for Working Families places in the spring term, please advise all eligible working parents to:
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apply now to ensure they have their code by Tuesday 31 December 2024 - www.westsussex.gov.uk/fundedchildcare,
- log in to their childcare account to check their details are up to date, and reconfirm their eligibility by Tuesday 31 December 2024 - gov.uk/sign-in-childcare-account,
- contact the HMRC helpline if they are experiencing issues applying or reconfirming on 0300 1234 097.
Please use the eligibility checker via the Online Provider Portal to check the code dates are valid for the spring term:
Working families eligibility codes must be validated before a child takes up their EYFE place. If you have any questions, after viewing the help guide available on our web page, please email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk.
The Early Years Funding team will be offering online training sessions to support providers in checking the validity of Early Years Funded Entitlement (EYFE) for Working Families eligibility codes using the OPP in December. See newsletter #46/2024 to book and for further details.
An updated timeline of events which details key dates and next steps in the early years and childcare expansion in 2024/2025 is now available.
On Wednesday 30 October, the government announced the Autumn Budget 2024. The government budget details how much money will be spent on public services like health and education.
Key changes will be effective from April 2025 and include:
- a rise in employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) from 13.8% to 15%
- a reduction in the threshold for employers to start paying NICs on employees' earnings from £9100 to £5000 annually,
- an increase in National Living Wage of 6.7% for 21-year-olds and over from £11.44 to £12.21, and
- an increase in the National Minimum Wage, including a 16.3% rise for 18-20 year olds (from £8.60 to £10) and an 18% rise for under 18s and apprentices (from £6.40 to £7.55).
The Department for Education have advised that they are looking at what these changes will mean for the early years and childcare sector and will announce more details as soon as they can.
For further information see the Education Hub’s blog about what the 2024 budget means for education. The blog explains what this year's budget means for early years providers.
Our business support web pages provide advice on business and financial planning. If you are concerned about ongoing sustainability you can request Targeted Setting Support from our early years and childcare team.
The November edition of the KEYSPH newsletter is now available.
Please see below a selection of courses that have been added to our training programme this month. To book a course, click the course name below. You can also visit our booking portal West Sussex Services for Education and select your required course.
If you experience any issues when booking your course, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk.
Useful information
- 20 Nov - Portal scheduled to open for spring term estimates
- 29 Nov - Portal closes for spring term estimates
- w/c 9 Dec - Spring term estimates payments due
All private, voluntary and independent early years and childcare providers who currently offer EYFE must complete the Stage Two survey. We are currently awaiting responses from 41% of providers. Early Years and Childcare Advisers will be in contact with these providers to offer further guidance and support if needed to complete the survey. The deadline for completing the survey is 11:59 pm on Sunday 8 December.
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.
We’re committed to providing excellent support to all providers we engage with. Please take a moment to complete our Early Years and Childcare Provider Feedback Survey and let us know about your experiences. Your feedback will help us improve our service and better support settings like yours. You can visit the web page or scan the QR code.
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#46/2024 (Working families eligibility codes - Online Provider Portal webinars; Post Headcount Exceptional Payment requests for eligible working families of children aged 9 months to 2 years - final reminder; Early Years Funded Entitlement Payment consultation - Stage Two mandatory survey; New childminder category - childminders without domestic premises; Updated Ofsted poster for parents; Do you love working in early years and childcare? We need your help; Oral health support; Early Years Training)
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#45/2024 (Wraparound childcare grant funding reminder; Spring term National Professional Qualification Early Years Leadership news; Hampshire County Council Inclusion Conference 2025; Information Commissioner's Office tool to develop bespoke privacy notices; Ofsted videos for early years providers; West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership newsletter October 2024; Early Years Training)
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#44/2024 (Business focus: E-learning business support; The West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership: invitation to November Partnership Group meeting; Brighton and Hove childminder conference - November 2024; Childcare Works Hub; Early years provider business opportunity; Early Years Training)
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#43/2024 (Early Years Funded Entitlement - autumn term actuals payments; Autumn term Post Headcount Exceptional Payment requests for children aged 9 months to 2 years; Inclusion/Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator networks autumn 2024; Updated childhood immunisation web page; Early years and childcare workforce steering group; Passionate and inspiring leaders wanted for a project in secondary schools; Changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework; Update - Ofsted Big Listen)
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#42/2024 (Safeguarding focus: Supervising mealtimes – preventing choking; Free support groups for early years practitioners; Childhood immunisations – new web page; Autumn term network presentations; SEND and Inclusion Networks; Brilliant Babies to Terrific Toddlers – A Tool for Reflection; Help Ofsted to develop their understanding of vulnerability & inclusion; Best Start in Life Ofsted report; Early years provider business opportunity; Early years training)
Early Years and Childcare newsletter web page.
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