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 FEEEAutumn Headcount TaskThank you to all providers who completed and submitted their headcount. We are now busy processing the information to ensure that providers are paid on the 23rd October 2019.
We received an extremely large number of enquiries during this time, and we would like to thank you for your patience whilst we worked through them.
As potential issues can always arise when completing the headcount/amendment tasks, we do encourage FEEE providers to complete it as soon as possible to allow us to rectify these before the headcount/amendment closes.Extended 2-year-old entitlementThe DfE have made the decision to extend FEEE payments to the below groups of children where they meet the equivalent income requirements:- Children of Zambrano Carers;
- Children of families with no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
- Children of a subset of failed asylum seekers (supported under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 – 'the 1999 Act').
Numbers of children from the groups outlinned above are expected to be small, and it is the responsibility of the Local Authority to assess eligibility. For further guidance, please see the attached information.Change of circumstanceIf you have a change of circumstance relating to your business, it may affect your access to the funding, so it is important that you make the local authority aware as soon as possible. The types of things you need to let us know about are change of banking details/ownership etc. You can access the change of circumstance form onlineFunding periods/calendarA polite reminder that Leicestershire has moved away from school terms to funding 'periods' as of Autumn 2018. This is in recognition that the constantly changing term dates can make planning difficult. This new way of working will provide consistency year after year, but also brings the funding in-line with eligibility deadline dates and birth-date criteria. The funding calendar can be downloaded here.2-year-old funding codesDuring the autumn headcount we had 97 two year claims our system didn't recognise. Please remember If parent/carers have an existing code from another Local Authority, we will require evidence of this before payment is issued for their 2-year-old. Please upload evidence via Any Comms+ prior to the submission of your headcount/amendment task. | | | TrainingAutumn 19 courses are now available to book on Eventbrite.
| Course Code | Course Title | Day | Date | Time | Venue | DirectBook link | | 8354 | SEND Drop In Event | Tues | 8.10.19 | 1.00pm - 4.00pm | Hinckley Golf Club | Book Now | | 8355 | SEND Drop In Event | Thurs | 10.10.19 | 1.00pm - 4.00pm | Salvation Army, Wigston | Book Now | | 8318 | Safeguarding Children: Childminder Designated Safeguarding Lead | Sat | 12.10.19 | 9.00am - 2.00pm | The King's Centre, Wigston | Book Now | | 8309 | Essential Safeguarding Awareness | Wed | 23.10.19 | 9.30am -4.30pm | Gorse Covert, Loughborough | Book Now | | 8346 | SEND training for EY SENCOSs and Managers | Wed | 23.10.19 & 30.10.19 | 9.30am - 12.30pm followed by 9.30am -4.30pm | Salvation Army, Wigston | Book Now | | 8310 | Essential Safeguarding Awareness | Wed | 29.10.19 | 9.30am -4.30pm | DBS Managed Offices, Glenfield | Book Now | | 8347 | Two Hour how to write SEND plans | Wed | 30.10.19 | 9.30am - 11.30am | Green Towers, Hinckley | Book Now | | 8301 | Quality of Teaching & Learning | Thurs |
31.10.19 | 9.30am -4.30pm | Gorse Covert, Loughborough | Book Now | | 8359 | Conference: SEND in the Early years – communication and interaction | Sat | 2.11.19 | 9.30am -4.30pm | NSPCC Centre, Beaumont Leys | Book Now | | 8311 | Essential Safeguarding Awareness | SAT | 2.11.19 | 9.30am -4.30pm | George Ward Centre, Barwell | Book Now | | 8356 | Championing Chatty Children | Tues | 5.11.19 | 9.30am - 1.00pm | Leicester Race Course, Oadby | Book Now | | 8357 | Championing Chatty Children | Wed | 6.11.19 | 9.30am - 1.00pm | NSPCC Centre, Beaumont Ley | Book Now | | 8371 | Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing of practitioners working within Early Years provision | Mon | 6.11.19 | 9.30am 4.30pm | Salvation Army, Wigston | Book Now | | 8358 | Championing Chatty Children | Thurs | 7.11.19 | 9.30am - 1.00pm | Charnwood Arms | Book Now | | 8302 | Positive Behaviour | Sat | 9.11.19 | 9.30am -4.30pm | Marlene Reid Centre, Coalville | Book Now | | 8306 | Understanding Specific Areas of the EYFS | Wed | 13.11.19 | 1.30pm - 4.30pm | The King's Centre, Wigston | Book Now | | 8329 | Signs and Symbols | Thurs | 14.11.19 | 9.30am -4.30pm | George Ward Centre, Barwell | Book Now | | 8317 | Safeguarding Children: Designated Safeguarding Lead | Sat | 23.11.19 | 9.30am -4.30pm | Melton Carnegie Museum | Book Now | | 8312 | Essential Safeguarding Awareness | SAT | 23.11.19 | 9.30am -4.30pm | DBS Castle Donington | Book Now | | 8370 | Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing of practitioners working within Early Years provision | Wed | 25.11.19 | 9.30am 4.30pm | Gorse Covert, Loughborough | Book Now | | 8313 | Essential Safeguarding Awareness | Wed | 4.12.19 | 9.30am -4.30pm | Melton Carnegie Museum | Book Now |
Cancellation Policy Please be aware that we will now be enforcing our cancellation policy for free training events.
Our recent EYFS 3i events were extremely popular with waiting lists. 50 people failed to attend therefore costing the local authority significant funds that otherwise would support the sector. It was disappointing that these providers did not inform us of their non-attendance prior to the event to enable us the opportunity to offer their place to a fellow provider.
We highlighted at the event that we currently offer training at a subsidised price but running courses with wasted places will impact on our future training offer, therefore we must enforce our cancellation policy (see below) for all future free events.- If you cancel a place or fail to attend where a course is free, you will be charged £25 (childminders) and £50 (nursery/pre-school). This will be recovered through deducting FEEE payments or raising an invoice.
Do you have new practitioners in your setting? Are you a new practitioner?A package of introductory training courses has been specifically developed to support practitioners new to the childcare sector and the EYFS or those wanting to refresh their knowledge.
The courses are all advertised on Eventbrite as individual courses but they all fit together as a complete package for new practitioners. Not all of the courses are available each term but there is a rolling programme throughout the year. Watch out for the course when it is near you.
The package consists of 3 courses- Understanding Child Development
- Understanding the Prime Areas of Learning
- Understanding the Specific Areas of Learning
Although it would be better to access the courses in the above order, this is not absolutely necessary as each course does 'stand-alone'.
The courses focus on the role of the practitioner in supporting children's learning and development and also highlight key aspects of the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework (September 2019) to support practitioners during Ofsted inspections.
NOW LIVE!! E-LEARNING: SEND: The Graduated Approach - Assess, Plan, Do, ReviewWith the new start of an academic year comes new opportunities for training and development. We are very excited to announce the launch of a new e-learning toolkit available from the Early Years SEND Inclusion Team.
The 'SEND: The Graduated Approach' e-learning toolkit is available for practitioners working with children and young people who may have a SEND. It is a resource to provide information and to help you reflect on your practice and provision, guiding you through the 'assess, plan, do, review' cycle and linking you to key documentation.
This is particularly important when considering a referral to our service as for the majority there will be an expectation of evidence of the assess, plan, do and review cycle.
How do you access the toolkit we hear you ask? Please log on to Eventbrite and register for a licence (a fee of £10 expiring on 1.3.20) to access all e-learning resources including the ECAT toolkit as well as the brand new 'SEND- The Graduated Approach' toolkit. Partner Training 2 Day Mental Health First Aid training planned for the 16th to 17th of October at Town Hall As more young people are facing issues with mental health, it is essential that we provide an environment that we feel comfortable to talk about mental health and understand how early intervention can help with recovery.
Please note that organisers reserve the right to charge for this event to cover the costs of licensed materials. A flat rate price is in place for all delegates across all sectors/organisations.
Duration: Two-day course
Target Audience: Those working frontline with young people.
Session Aim: To provide you with the skills, confidence & knowledge to support a young person who may be experiencing mental health issues.
Session Objectives:- To preserve life where a young person may be a danger to themselves or others.
- To provide help to prevent further issues with mental health developing into a more serious state.
- To promote the recovery of good mental health.To provide comfort/support to a young person experiencing a mental health issue.
- To raise awareness of mental health issues in the community.
- To reduce stigma and discrimination associated with mental health.
The registration is one click from here!
Training for Designated Safeguarding LeadsPlease see the links for a new half-day Session for Working Together to Achieve an Effective Referral training
at City Hall taking place on the 23rd October, and inform your colleagues appropriately.Session ContentKnow how to make good quality referrals when there is a concern about a child
Understand the Threshold for Services - Understand the parameters of sharing information
- Understand how to use the Multi-Agency Referral Form (MARF)
- Understand the roles and responsibilities of those involved in a referralnow!
Joining the GenerationsCentral England Co-operative and Little Starts Nursery are holding a FREE Conference aimed at all care homes and nurseries/pre-school which is based on the Channel 4 programme promoting the benefits of inter-generational play. The link to the film can be found here.
They will be sharing the successes and resources for other nurseries/pre-school and care homes to help and support with this initiative. You can book your place for this conference taking place on the 1st November here.
Brand-new training course planned for the 6th of November at Blaby Council A new course covering Child Sexual Exploitation - Intro to CSE, Trafficking, Missing & County Lines Training will help you with:- Understanding the definitions of CSE, Trafficking and County Lines as used in local LSCB procedure and how they fit into the national policy framework.
- Applying knowledge of vulnerability factors, key signs and indicators, in relation to child and young person development, in order to intervene at the earliest opportunity.
- Recognising when a child or young person is in danger, or already involved in CSE and missing, and be able to take action to protect them.
- Understanding local developments and procedures, including how information is shared locally within and between agencies.
Ensure you get a place by booking here.
You can find all LSCB upcoming events listed under the LSCB websites including multi-agency safeguarding training opportunities at the links below:
http://lrsb.org.uk/upcoming-events
http://www.lcitylscb.org/lscb-learning-development/training-resources/upcoming-training-events/
If you would like to keep up to date with all the new trainings LSCB unit provides please click FOLLOW on the box in this link.
Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner Apprenticeship Standard - SurveyThe Trailblazer Group tasked with developing the Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner Apprenticeship Standard invite you to complete a very short survey.
The survey is seeking to evidence if early years employers want early years practitioners to be highly qualified (Higher Education) and if the cost of this should be picked up through apprenticeship funding as it is with many other sectors. The employers on the Trailblazer Group agree that to ensure this apprenticeship standard achieves the desired outcomes of raising quality, enhancing career prospects and attracting talent to the early years sector a Foundation Degree must be mandated to the apprenticeship standard.
The funding provided to deliver an apprenticeship standard will cover the cost of everything that is mandated to the standard, anything that is 'desirable or optional' (not mandated) is unlikely to attract sufficient funding to cover the cost of these additional elements, therefore if we want the learners to achieve a qualification, or CPD course etc it needs to be mandated in order to attract sufficient funding to cover the cost.
The Trailblazer Group must provide evidence that the sector wants and needs this high level of education and training, unfortunately due to the current recruitment crisis most job adverts for leaders, deputies, managers or lead practitioners do not specify higher education qualifications so we cannot prove that employers want this level for their Leads. The Institute for Apprenticeships have understood this and agree to take on board the results of a survey.
The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education are concerned that a practitioner enrolled on the Level 5 Apprenticeship will be incapable or uninterested in completing a Foundation Degree level program as the government only mandate a Level 3 qualification for practitioner status. Other similar level 5 standards in apprenticeships such as Leader in Adult Care, Learning and Skills Teacher, Children, Young Peoples and Families Manager include a mandated and funded Foundation Degree. The Trailblazer group is concerned that without the inclusion of the Foundation Degree, the Level 5 Apprenticeship in Early Years may be seen as less attractive, which may further adversely affect our recruitment and retention.
Please click here and complete the short survey.
| | | | | | Safeguarding
Prevent Training
Prevent training is part of the statutory framework and Ofsted have been focusing on this for some time now. Prevent training with the home office came out in 2016 and was updated in Spring 2018. Please ensure your settings have all completed the updated 2018 version by clicking on this link. Certificates of completion should be located in employees' personal files.
Safeguarding inspection guidance 'Inspecting safeguarding in the early years, education and skills settings – Guidance for inspectors carrying out inspections under the education framework form September 2019' Reference no.190014 was published in May 2019 and updated in September 2019.
There is a strong emphasis on child criminal exploitation and includes the Ofsted definition of 'County lines':
'to describe situations where children may be trafficked within England for the purpose of criminal exploitation by urban gangs that supply drugs to suburban areas, market towns and/or other suburban areas'
New risks specified in the document include those linked to using technology and social media:
'risks linked to using technology and social media, including online bullying; the risks of being groomed online for exploitation or radicalisation; and risks of accessing and generating inappropriate content, for example 'sexting'.
There is an emphasis on contextual safeguarding in this revised document of 'Inspecting Safeguarding'. As well as child protection risks at home, the document also references risks 'outside the home such as sexual and/or criminal exploitation, radicalisation, bullying and children going missing'.
New paragraphs include:- Children and learners are protected and know how to get support if they experience bullying, homophobic behaviour, racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination. Any discriminatory behaviours are challenged and help and support are given to children about how to treat others with respect.
- Adults understand the risks associated with using technology, including social media, of bullying, grooming, exploiting, radicalising or abusing children or learners.
- In cases of peer-on-peer abuse, staff should consider what support might be needed for the perpetrators as well as the victims.
- Adults understand that children's poor behaviour may be a sign that they are suffering harm or that they have been traumatised by abuse.
Further additions refer to staff supporting children with their mental health and their understanding of 'what constitutes a healthy relationship both online and offline and to recognise risk, for example risks associated with criminal and sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, substance misuse, gang activity, radicalisation and extremism, and are aware of the support available to them'. Ofsted are looking for how well staff handle safeguarding concerns both in and outside the setting, understand the local multi-agency safeguarding partner arrangements and have the relevant training to implement current policies and procedures.
When inspecting, Inspectors will look for how the 'provider is implementing its safeguarding policy and processes effectively and keeping them under review. As well as ensuring children and learners are safeguarded while on the premises, the setting should be proactive about anticipating and managing risks that children and learners face in the wider community'.
All providers are advised to read the revised document to ensure that they are up to date with the current requirements in safeguarding. In addition, training in in safeguarding can be accessed via Eventbrite. | | | Local News EYFS 3i (Information, Inspiration, Interaction) events Autumn 2019The events focusing on the new Education Inspection Framework 2019 (EIF) were all very well attended and received. Hopefully, everyone came away feeling confident in knowing what they need to do, to be fully prepared for their next inspection. The slides from the PowerPoint presentation can be found here. These may be useful to share key messages about the new framework with staff teams.
If you were unable to attend the events, then the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework webinar available on the Foundation Years website explains the main changes in more detail.
Remember that the new EIF is statutory from September 2019.
Two important new booklets were given out at the above events. We hope that the Early Years Inclusion and Childcare Service Guide clarifies teams and support available and that the Graduated Approach for children with SEND in the early years will support early identification. If you did not attend the events, then we have plans to ensure that all early years providers receive copies.Children in Care Until now the responsibility for the Personal Education Plan (PEPS), has been with the Early Years and Inclusion Child Care Service. However, from the Autumn term 2019, responsibility for all Early Years Leicestershire looked after children, will be the responsibility of Leicestershire Virtual School.
This will mean that there will be some slight changes to the process and your support with this would be appreciated.
We are delighted that Jill Thompson will remain in the post of Early Years Improvement Officer so will continue to attend and chair the meetings as before.
From now on, all PEP invites will be sent from the Virtual School admin team. Unfortunately we will no longer be able to offer funding to support the PEP meeting. There are no changes to the way Early Years Pupil Premium will be allocated, although we will need to know how it is being used at the PEP meetings and the PEP document and pupil views pages have been reviewed and simplified to ease the process.
Thank you for your ongoing supporting in ensuring our most vulnerable children receive high quality care and education.Provider PortalWe have recently rolled out access to the Provider Portal to all childcare providers. Previously, the portal was only used by FEEE providers and was specifically for FEEE-related tasks (e.g. submitting headcount claims, validating eligibility for 2 year old funding, etc.).
However, the portal also has some additional functionality called "Self Update" which allows settings to check and update the information we hold, which we would previously have collected using the Provider Update forms. This information would include:- Telephone numbers
- Email address
- Web address
- Number of places offered
- Whether there are vacancies and how many
- Costs
- Opening times
- The 'About Us' statement shown on the 'find-a-childcare-provider' pages
- The age ranges catered for
- The specific care scheme types offered
- The individual special needs catered for
Please ensure that any updates are now made via the Provider Portal. Instructions have been provided to all existing providers, to the individuals nominated to update their setting details. New accounts are automatically set up for new providers as they become active, provided you've supplied us with details for your portal account (no account can be opened until we have received them back).National Nursery AwardsCongratulations to both Kiddy Kapers and Little Stars Nursery School who are both finalists in the National Nursery Awards! Information about the award can be found here. | | | National News
Ofsted News
The following are links to 3 videos that Ofsted have created following the introduction of the Early Years Inspection Framework.
Inspecting early years providers – care before and after school - Julie-Ann Morris, Ofsted's Senior Manager, Early Years Policy, talks about providers that only offer care before and after the school day or during school holidays.
What does 'cultural capital' mean for early years? - Wendy Ratcliff, Her Majesty's Inspector, Early Years Policy, explains how 'cultural capital' applies to early years and gives children the knowledge and skills to prepare them for future success.
What happens on early years inspection? - Wendy Ratcliff HMI explains why you should not do something different in your setting just because you think it is what the inspector wants to see.Support with tax returnsIt doesn't matter whether you're new to self-employment or you've been in business for a while – HMRC has got the support you need.
HMRC's YouTube channel has videos for quick guidance such as 'Expenses if you're self-employed'. You may also find 'Do I need to register my business for VAT' useful.
Their online guide, 'Starting your own business', is easy to navigate. It has sections looking at the records you need to keep, sending your tax return, paying HMRC and more. Keep it as a favourite in your browser so that you can dip in and out when you need help.
You can also catch up with a recording of a recent live webinar, 'Self-employment and HMRC – let's get started'. This covers the basics you need to know on National Insurance, Self Assessment, expenses, payments and where to find further help.
Support at your fingertips – available 24/7.Last chance to have your say!
This is a reminder that the Department for Education has launched a consultation, which is seeking views on a proposed increase to the application fee and the annual fee paid to Ofsted by childcare providers on the Early Years Register with a view to changes coming into force from April 2020.
The DfE is also seeking views on the principles that should underpin a revised Early Years Register fee model to be introduced from April 2021.
The consultation, which was launched on 18 July, is available here and will close at 10am on 9 October 2019. |
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