Early Years and Childcare Special Newsletter
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Tuesday 4 March 2025
The new Early Years Funded Entitlement (EYFE) Provider Declaration (1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026) is now available. Please ensure you fully read and understand the latest version which is on our web page: www.westsussex.gov.uk/providingeyfe.
Please see Appendix N for a summary of the significant changes in line with the updated Department for Education's statutory guidance from April 2025.
When do I need to implement these changes?
The changes to the statutory guidance will come into force from 1 April 2025.
The Department for Education (DfE) are expecting providers to have listed additional charges clearly and upfront on websites and invoices by January 2026, stating that ‘we understand that providers may require some time to update their systems to be able to itemise these charges for parents, but we want parents to be able to easily understand what any additional charges cover, and to be able to see that the entitlements are provided free of charge.’
For further information on the charging changes to the statutory guidance please refer to the DfE Questions and Answers. This document was originally developed for local authorities but has been amended by the West Sussex Early Years Funding team, so it is relevant for early years and childcare providers.
Important action for existing EYFE providers only
All existing EYFE providers must complete and return their signed Provider Declaration form via the Online Provider Portal (OPP) by 21 March 2025 in order to continue delivering EYFE from April 2025.
To complete the annual Early Years Funded Entitlement Provider Declaration form, sign into the OPP at www.westsussex.gov.uk/eycportal and complete your ‘EYFE Provider Declaration’ signature form electronically. Failure to return this form by the due date will delay your summer term estimate payment.
If you wish to add a new EYFE age group to your offer, please use the following guidance.
Action for providers wishing to offer EYFE for the first time, or add a new age group to their EYFE offer
Any providers wishing to sign up to deliver EYFE for the first time, or add a new EYFE age group to their offer, please email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk for a separate form and do not complete the OPP online form.
For further information regarding what you need to know before signing up to offer EYFE visit our apply to offer EYFE web page. If you wish to offer EYFE from the summer term and submit your documents before 31 March 2025, you will be able to offer funding from 22 April 2025.
The Parent Declaration document has been updated for 2025/26. Please ensure you use the latest version which can be found on our providing EYFE web page under the section titled ‘Parent Declaration Form’.
Following feedback from providers we have reduced the number of pages of the Parent Declaration to four pages. The ‘Notes on completing the Parent Declaration’ have now been separated out from the Parent Declaration and can be found as a separate document under the ‘Parent Declaration Form’ section of the web page.
We will be running a pilot in summer term 2025 for a selection of providers for monthly payments. If the pilot is successful, we will begin paying those providers who prefer this option from autumn term 2025. Providers can choose to continue receiving payments twice per term.
You will be able to choose how you would like to be paid when completing the EYFE Provider Declaration 2025/26 agreement form. Guidance to help you decide is available on our new how providers receive funding payments web page. This web page also includes payment dates for the coming year for both payment schedules.
If you have any questions, please contact the Family Information Service on 01243 777807 or email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk
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