#39/2025 - Wednesday 1 October 2025
This week's newsletter includes:
- Update on autumn term flexibility for 2 year olds starting after headcount
- New childminder start-up grant scheme
- Pre-entry Inclusion Funding requests – guidance and deadline reminder
- Termly Provider Update
- Childminder virtual network
- Using paracetamol during pregnancy guidance
- Updated childhood vaccination schedule
- DadPad - supporting new dads in your setting
- Early Years Training
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Latest Ofsted news and updates here.
In newsletter #37/2025, we mentioned that there is some flexibility regarding autumn term Post Headcount Exceptional Payment (PHEP) requests for 2 year olds starting an Early Years Funded Entitlement (EYFE) for Working Families place after headcount week. Please note that the dates we previously mentioned were incorrect, please see correct dates below.
West Sussex County Council can approve PHEP requests for 2 year old children starting an EYFE for Working Families place between 22 September and 7 November 2025.
These PHEP requests will be accepted without the need for an exceptional reason. Approval is subject to a valid EYFE for Working Families eligibility code for the autumn term, and our usual checks.
For 2 year old children starting an EYFE for Working Families place after 7 November 2025, normal requirements will apply, and a child must have an exceptional reason to start post headcount.
We apologise for this error and any inconvenience this may have caused.
We are pleased to announce a new West Sussex County Council childminder start-up grant of £600. This is to help newly registered childminders with the initial costs of setting up as a childminder. The scheme is open to new childminders who meet both of the following criteria:
- you are working as a childminder in West Sussex
- you have completed your Ofsted or childminder agency (CMA) registration between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026.
Eligible childminders do not need to apply for the grant. If you register as a childminder with Ofsted or a CMA between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, we will send you a start-up grant award letter. This letter will offer the grant and explain the terms and conditions. We will shortly be contacting eligible childminders who have already registered within this time period.
Please note, childminders who have received the Department for Education Childminder start-up grant, including those waiting for the second payment, are not eligible for this grant.
For further information about the scheme please visit the Childminder start-up grants scheme web page on our website.
For all pre-entry requests for Inclusion Funding, please complete the Action Plan for Inclusion found on our Inclusion Funding web page. You must ensure that the support needed by the child in the setting is complete and use the evidence you have gathered from the child’s parents/carers and professionals involved in supporting the child. The application will be considered at the dedicated panel date. Only in exceptional circumstances would this be agreed outside of the panel date and must be discussed with a SEND and Inclusion EYCA.
Applications for autumn term 2025 must be submitted by 7 November 2025.
Have you submitted a Termly Provider Update form lately? We ask early years and childcare providers to complete a provider update form once a term. The update form is submitted via the Online Provider Portal.
By submitting a Termly Provider Update, you will receive free advertising for your business on our Family Information Service website, which receives thousands of views per month. Visit our advertising your childcare business web page to find out more about how keeping your information up to date can benefit you. If you do not update your details, your details will be removed from the public list on our website and you could be missing out on free promotion for your business.
The Kent and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub is hosting a webinar for childminders in West Sussex, East Sussex and Surrey. The aim of the event is to build a network of passionate and dedicated professionals, who want relevant evidence informed practice training to improve children's outcomes.
The webinar takes place on Tuesday 7 October, at 7.00pm to 8.00pm. Submit your details via the online form to book your free place.
There has been a lot of conversation in the media recently about the effects of paracetamol during pregnancy.
The Department of Health and Social Care has released a helpful factsheet and Q&A confirming that paracetamol remains the recommended pain relief option for pregnant women when used as directed. Please share this link with families in your setting for their awareness.
Illnesses like measles and whooping cough can spread very easily between children who are not vaccinated. These illnesses can make children very sick, leading to hospital stays or lifelong problems. It is important that vaccines are given on time for the best protection. If a child is not vaccinated, they are not protected. It is never too late to have vaccinations.
There have been recent changes to the childhood vaccination schedule. Please share the updated schedule with families in your setting via your usual communications.
Families can also check their child’s red book or speak to their GP practice or health visitor to see if they have missed any of their vaccinations. They can visit the childhood immunisations page for more information and support.
As an early years or childcare setting, you are in a great position to help families access useful resources. One such resource is DadPad, a free app available to dads in West Sussex.
Becoming a dad is an exciting time, but it could also feel overwhelming. DadPad is designed to help by offering clear, practical advice and information to build confidence and support positive parenting.
Developed with the NHS, DadPad includes helpful guidance on:
- the midwifery service and health visiting team
- feeding your baby
- safer sleeping
- holding your baby
- cleaning your baby
- getting to know your baby
- home safety
- support available
- child development
- parenting advice and support
- first aid.
Please encourage parents and carers to download the DadPad app for free from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. You can also direct them to the DadPad website for more information.
We have a number of courses to support children’s communication and interaction, including our series of courses under the Phonics Foundations title. These are shorter courses covering specific topics within Phonics, allowing you to target areas to send staff on to. To book, 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
- w/c 20 October - autumn term actuals payments due
- 7 November - inclusion funding deadline for autumn term 2025
- 2 January 2026 - autumn term sufficiency deadline
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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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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#38/2025 (Autumn term Early Years Funded Entitlement actuals – deadline this Friday; Ofsted Big Conversation; New strategy to improve West Sussex residents’ health and wellbeing; Help keep children safe from falls; Early Years Training)
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#37/2025 (Safeguarding Focus – Designated Safeguarding Lead networks and How Martyn’s Law will affect education settings; Autumn term 2025 actuals claims - reminder; Autumn term flexibility for 2 year olds starting after headcount; Post Headcount Exceptional Payment forms for children claiming in the 9 months plus age group; Submitting actuals correctly for 2 year olds; Ofsted guidance on school-based early years and childcare settings; Supervised toothbrushing in early years settings - support available; Childminder Groups; Kent and Beyond Stronger Practice Hub newsletter; Early Years training)
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#36/2025 (Starting school applications; New opportunity to join our Provider Forum; SEND updates - new online Child Development Centre referral form; Response to community impact from national and local protests; Grow, Learn and Flourish West Sussex Teaching School Hub – September 2025 newsletter, Congratulations, Early Years Training)
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#35/2025 (Business Focus - Funded course to support your childcare business; Autumn term 2025 actuals claims - action required; Online Provider Portal training - available to book now; Best Start in Life replaces Childcare Choices; Safeguarding in out-of-school settings; Free potty training webinar for parents/carers; Training opportunity with Ben Kingston-Hughes)
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#34/2025 (Safeguarding Focus - Neglect guidance; Congratulations to Welcome House Day Nursery; Supervised toothbrushing; Free toilet training posters and handouts; Early Years Training)
Early Years and Childcare newsletter web page.
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