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Monday 2nd March 2020
 
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What's in this edition:

FEEE: Mid-Term Adjustment and Initial Payment date

Training courses: A variety of courses on offer across March

Safeguarding: Latest courses available from the safeguarding board

Local News: Sustainability support tool

National News: Helpful resources for the Hungry Little Minds campaign
 
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FEEE

Adjustment and Initial Payment

If you have made any changes to your spring-period claim on the mid-term adjustment, this payment will be made on Friday 27th March along with your upfront payment for the summer period.
 
Late Adjustments


If you have any changes occur in the spring-term after the mid-term adjustment task closes, you need to notify us by the end of the spring period via Anycomms, so that we can do a manual update. Late adjustments must reach us by the end of the period that you want to make the adjustment for, or we will be unable to process them.

2020 funded weeks

A reminder that the spring period has 11 funded weeks, and the summer period will have 12. As the week commencing 30th March has 2 days falling in the spring period and 3 days falling in summer period, this full week will need to be claimed in the summer period to make 12 weeks. Please always refer to our online FEEE calendar if you want confirmation of how many weeks can be claimed for in each period.
 
Summer period 30-hour codes

If you have children eligible to claim for 30 hours from the summer period, please ensure that the code start date is prior to the 1st April 2020, or else they will not be eligible for the extended entitlement in the summer period. Please do make parents aware so they can apply in good time.
 
Children that we are unable to fund

Please be aware that as per the DfE's statutory guidance, you cannot receive FEEE funding for any children that have started school (as this would count as double funding).
Additionally, childminders cannot receive FEEE funding for their own child or a related child. A relative in relation to a child means a grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother or sister, whether a blood relation or by marriage or civil partnership.
 
FEEE payment cycle

We have received calls and emails from providers to say that they have not received their spring period funding on the final payment date (Friday 21st February). Please remember that you would have received a full upfront payment at the end of the autumn period for the spring.

The only way that you would receive a final payment on the 21st February is if you have had additional children added to your spring headcount and/or if existing children's hours were increased on it. You can refer to our FEEE payment cycle which explains how our payments work.

 
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Training

Spring 20 courses
 
Take a look on Eventbrite for training courses taking place across March. You can find the full list of the courses on offer at the bottom of this eblast.
 
Loughborough College Information Evening

On Wednesday 11th March from 5pm until 7pm, Loughborough College are hosting an information evening for early years practitioners/staff and volunteers to find out about their:

Foundation Degree in Children's and Young People's Services

This course is suitable for anyone; working or volunteering in early years for a minimum of 16 hours/week, holding a relevant Level 3 (or equivalent) qualification and has at least 1 years' experience working within the sector (the placement element of some relevant Level 3 qualifications does qualify).  This course is ideal for practitioners wanting to study a Higher Education course whilst actively working in the industry. It enables the learner to constantly embed learning into practice which supports the development of a knowledgeable, competent, confident and reflective practitioner. 

BA (HONS) Education Studies (Top Up)

This course is a suitable and natural progression route for early years practitioners who hold a relevant Level 5 such as HND Advanced Practice or a Foundation Degree. 

Please see this flyer for more details about the event. 

Both of the above courses can be fully funded through Student Finance and you will not repay any of the student finance loan until you earn above £25,000/year, click HERE and scroll down to page 3 for information on student finance and a typical repayment plan; if you earn £27,000/year you will only repay around £15/month.
 
Courses taking place around physical activity and well-being


You can have a look at this range of Early Years courses happening across March and April.
 
FGM – Empowering Cultural Change Conference

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an invasive procedure that currently affects over 200 million girls and women worldwide and approximately 140,000 in the UK. It is a procedure performed without medical reasons and is illegal in the UK (FGM Act 2003, section 70(1) of Serious Crime Act 2015), falling under child abuse.
 
This one-day conference taking place on the 23rd March at De Montfort University aims to offer participants the opportunity for the FGM cultural underlay to be safely discussed and challenged, and the space for those typical patterns of thinking about FGM to be disrupted. For more information including details on how to book, please click here.

 
 
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Safeguarding

Safeguarding Training

For all the latest training from the safeguarding board please visit: http://lrsb.org.uk/upcoming-events
 
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma Informed Practice - Half Day Training

The Violence Reduction Network (VRN) is offering free, half-day training to partner organisations interested in increasing their understanding of ACEs and developing trauma-informed approaches. The various dates and locations available can be viewed here.
 
Building confidence in safeguarding practice

The Leicestershire and Rutland Safeguarding Children Partnership website has some useful resources to support managers to build confidence in safeguarding practice https://lrsb.org.uk/building-confidence-in-practice.  These could be useful tools to add to your collection, perhaps to support a discussion during a staff meeting.

There are two sets of 'Responsibilities and Self-Assessment Questions', one aimed at practitioners, the other for supervisors and managers designed to support them to assess their own knowledge and skill base before discussing with practitioners.

Each lists 25 statements to consider divided into 5 sections:
  • Recognising Abuse and Harm
  • Procedures
  • Direct Practice
  • Multi-Agency Working
  • Reflecting on Practice
Questions are given to encourage practitioners to reflect on aspects of safeguarding practice including:
  • understanding the trilogy of risk, recognising CSE
  • knowledge of procedures for non-accidental injuries
  • confidence to challenge other professionals
  • asking challenging questions about very sensitive matters
R is for Remember

Prompt sheet containing lots of useful prompt questions including…

Recognition – What are the thresholds for concern?

Report – Do you know how to whistle blow?

Representing – Is the voice of the child or adult heard?

 
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Local News

Sustainability support
 
A reminder that due to increases to the Living Wage (applicable to people aged 25 and above) and the National Minimum Wage (applicable to people aged 24 and below) in April, this is the perfect time to check your sustainability. Please email Praksha Bathia, Business Development Adviser at Praksha.Bathia@leics.gov.uk and ask her to send you a sustainability toolkit. You can then complete and return it to Praksha, who can then support you if the outcome of the assessment is below 70%.
 
Upcoming increases to the National Living Wage (for people aged 25 and above) and National Minimum Wage (for people aged 24 and below) are shown below:
 

Year25 and over21 to 2418 to 20Under 18Apprentice
April 2019 (current rate)£8.21£7.70£6.15£4.35£3.90
April 2020£8.72£8.20£6.45£4.55£4.15
 

 
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National News

Hungry Little Minds campaign
 
Hungry Little Minds is a new three year campaign by the Department of Education to encourage parents (especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds) to engage in activities that support their child's early learning and help set them up for school and beyond.

Parents can search Hungry Little Minds for simple tips and activities
 
How can you help to spread the word about the campaign and encourage parents to chat, play and read more with their child?
  • Download the Campaign Toolkit
  • Like, share, favourite and retweet any #HungryLittleMinds posts you see from DfE Twitter feed: @educationgovuk
  • Download and copy the social media posts from the toolkit to use on Facebook, other social platforms, emails or your website
  • Display a poster promoting the campaign, editable posters and leaflets are available in the toolkit. We will be giving posters away at The Big Conference in March, book on Eventbrite to secure your place
  • Use and promote the key messages as you support parents to chat, play and read to their child more at home. Bring the messages into conversations as you pass on tips and ideas for simple, practical activities that parents can do themselves with their child
  • Go to the promotional materials page (page 9 in the toolkit) to find a range of resources to help you spread the wordhere. There is also a useful poster for you to display at your setting.
Coronavirus advice
 
The latest Public Health England advice around Coronavirus can be viewed here. There is also a useful poster for you to display at your setting.

Latest government information
 
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Training
 
Eblast (Training info)
 
A list of all the Spring training courses available to book through Eventbrite
 
Spring 20 now available to book
Course CodeCourse TitleDayDateTimeVenueDirectBook link
8577Chatty Childminders SurgeryMon2.3.207.00pm - 8.30pmMelton Baptist ChurchBook Now
8578Chatty Childminders SurgeryTues3.3.207.00pm - 8.30pmThe Kings Centre, WigstonBook Now
8501Championing Chatty ChildrenTues3.3.209.30am - 1.00pmSyston Town CouncilBook Now
8579Chatty Childminders SurgeryWed4.3.207.00pm - 8.30pmSt Francis Community CentreBook Now
8560The Big ConferenceFri6.3.209.30am - 4.30pmNSPCC Centre, Beaumont LeysBook Now
8518Safeguarding Children: Childminder Designated Safeguarding LeadSat7.3.209.00am - 2.00pmMarlene Reid Centre, CoalvilleBook Now
8549Autism Education Trust (AET) Early Years (EY) Tier 2 –  Good Autism PracticeSat7.3.209.30am - 4.00pmSyston Town CouncilBook Now
8581Chatty Childminders SurgeryTues10.3.207.00pm - 8.30pmBlaby Westfield House HotelBook Now
8550Autism Education Trust (AET) Early Years (EY) Tier 2 –  Good Autism PracticeWed11.3.209.30am - 4.00pmMarlene Reid Centre, CoalvilleBook Now
8504Everyday Maths in the Early YearsWed11.3.209.30am -4.30pmNSPCC Centre, Beaumont LeysBook Now
8521Committee WorkshopWed11.3.209.30am - 12.30pmDBS Managed Offices, GlenfieldBook Now
8502Championing Chatty ChildrenThurs12.3.209.30am - 1.00pmGeorge Ward Centre, BarwellBook Now
8516Safeguarding Children: Designated Safeguarding LeadSat14.3.209.30am - 4.30pmThe Kings Centre, WigstonBook Now
8539EYFS Senco NetworksMon16.3.204.00pm - 6.00pmQuorn Grange HotelBook Now
8582Chatty Childminders SurgeryWed18.3.207.00pm - 8.30pmThomas Estley Broughton AstleyBook Now
8566Including Children with Social Communication DifficultiesWed18.3.209.30am - 12.30pmGorse Covert, LoughboroughBook Now
8540EYFS Senco NetworksTues17.3.204.00pm - 6.00pmMarlene Reid Centre, CoalvilleBook Now
8541EYFS Senco NetworksThurs19.3.204.00pm - 6.00pmGreen Towers, Hinckley Book Now
8583Chatty Childminders SurgeryMon23.3.207.00pm - 8.30pmSyston Town CouncilBook Now
8542EYFS Senco NetworksMon23.3.204.00pm - 6.00pmMelton Baptist ChurchBook Now
8584Chatty Childminders SurgeryTues24.3.207.00pm - 8.30pmMarlene Reid Centre, CoalvilleBook Now
8543EYFS Senco NetworksTues 24.3.204.00pm - 6.00pmMarket Harborough Football ClubBook Now
8546EYFS Senco Networks (CM's ONLY)Wed25.3.206.45pm - 8.45pmNSPCC Centre, Beaumont LeysBook Now
8544EYFS Senco NetworksThurs26.3.204.00pm - 6.00pmBlaby Westfield House HotelBook Now
8517Safeguarding Children: Designated Safeguarding LeadFri27.3.209.30am - 4.30pmGreen Towers, Hinckley Book Now
8545EYFS Senco NetworksTues 31.3.204.00pm - 6.00pmSalvation Army, WigstonBook Now

 
 
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This message was sent to caroline.mcnee@leics.gov.uk.
 
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