Early Years Bulletin
Issue 10
July 2015
Welcome to the Early Years Bulletin.
This regular Bulletin will be the main method of disseminating information to all Early Years Settings and Providers, and their staff teams. It contains up to date information from all of the Teams who support Early Years Settings in Northamptonshire, and aims to keep all staff in the EYFS well informed of relevant information to support them in their work.
Kate Wilde – Senior School Improvement Manager – EY
Learning, Skills and Education
Children, Families and Education directorate
There is a similar bulletin for Children’s Centres and their staff teams that may be accessed through the link below:
Children’s Centre Bulletin
Accessing the EY Bulletin online / If you have had any issues in opening any documents or pages in this bulletin, you can access all the information, embedded articles and this document as a PDF file at the following address:www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/eyfs
or please open the link below:
EYFS website Bulletin
For further information about this article, please contact:
Which e-mail do I need? / The e-mail addresses below will take you directly to the teams identified, so if you have a specific request e.g. training or a Funding enquiry, if you use the e-mail identified, you will connect straight to that team.
E-mail addresses
Early Years Improvement Team /
Early Years Workforce Development Team
(for enquiries about training and qualifications) /
Free Entitlement and Funded Early Learning
(for all funding questi, Headcount questions) /
EY Website / All information for all Early Years Teams e.g. Funding information, EY Bulletin, Information about qualifications, EYFS Profile, Safeguarding, Assessment, 2 Year Old information etc. can be accessed through
www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/eyfs
EY Funding / Autumn Advance Funding:
The online form will be available for completion from 6th to 12th July and payment will be made by 26th August.
Second Headcount Form – extended opening:
The Second Headcount Day is 20th August 2015, with the online form now being available for completion from 13th July to 23rd August 2015. There will be an option on this form to submit a claim just for EYPP or SEN supplement on separate pages. You can only claim EYPP or SEN supplement in the Second Headcount Return if no claim was made for EYPP or SEN in the Main Headcount Return.
If you haven’t done so already, please remind your parents/carers to use the EYPP online eligibility checker at www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/eypp to obtain their reference number before the second Headcount Day.
Provider Survey:
We will be conducting a short survey about the Government’s proposed extension to 30 hours of Free Entitlement and would appreciate if as many providers as possible could complete it. The survey will be available at: www.eyccdcs.co.uk in the same place as your headcount forms etc.
Headcount days for the next year will be:
17th September 2015
21st January 2016
21st April 2016
The full calendar will be available on the website shortly: Resources for Providers - Northamptonshire County Council
Call for evidence about the cost of providing childcare
The DfE are doing some research and responses are required by 10th August. Please go to https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/cost-of-providing-childcare-review-call-for-evidence if you are interested in taking part.
Annual NCC Provider Survey / Thank you to everyone who responded to the Annual NCC Provider Survey. We had 226 responses and we are currently analysing them all and considering the feedback we have received. In the next bulletin we hope to give a detailed report and tell you how we will respond to the suggestions you have made.
Ofsted / Ofsted has launched far-reaching changes to the way it inspects early years provision, schools and further education and skills. These changes will come in to effect from September 2015 and details can be found by following the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/changes-to-education-inspection-from-september-2015
These changes include the introduction of a common inspection framework for all early years settings on the Early Years Register, maintained schools and academies, non-association independent schools and further education and skills providers.
Ofsted has published a new inspection handbook for early years inspectors. The Early Years Inspection Handbook combines existing guidance from Conducting early years inspections,the Evaluation Schedule and other Ofsted guidance.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-inspection-handbook-from-september-2015
The handbook has two parts.
Part 1: How early years provision will be inspected
This contains instructions and guidance for inspectors on the preparation for and conduct of early years inspections.
Part 2: The evaluation schedule
This contains guidance for inspectors on judging the quality of education and care provided by the early year’s provision they inspect, and sets out the main types of evidence they collect and analyse.
There is also an important publication about Inspecting Safeguarding in EY
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspecting-safeguarding-in-early-years-education-and-skills-from-september-2015
The Ofsted Website has all the information that you need to share with your staff about the new Framework and Inspection changes.
The following document devised by the Pre-school Learning Alliance also sets out the key changes that providers should familiarise themselves with, and is also useful for EY Providers.
Safeguarding / Early years Safeguarding courses
· Introductory safeguarding training - this course is for new practitioners only. It is not a safeguarding refresher course.
· Lead Designated Practitioner for safeguarding – new dates to be released soon. Learners attending this course will have the option of taking part in a pilot scheme where the lead practitioner delivers an in house safeguarding refresher course.
All safeguarding courses delivered by the Early Years team are fully funded. However terms and conditions apply. If you book a place and do not attend you will be charged for non attendance unless you comply with the cancellation terms and conditions. Places are limited only those who have booked may attend. New dates released when previous ones are full – dates planned throughout the year at a variety of times and venues. See the early years and training guide for details. www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/eycc
Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Board
See attached news letter for information on FGM, policy updates, early help and training
NSCB training click on the following link: NSCB Training Booking Page
Revised Government publications –all practitioners should be familiar with these documents.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2.
What to do if You’re Worried a Child is Being Abused: Advice for Practitioners.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-to-do-if-youre-worried-a-child-is-being-abused--2
Information Sharing: Advice for Practitioners Providing Safeguarding Services to Children, Young People, Parents and Carers
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-practitioners-information-sharing-advice
Early Help Assessments / Early help builds stronger families
Northamptonshire County Council and its Partners have made a transition from the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) to Early Help Assessment (EHA) from 1 June 2015. The new Early Help Assessment is simpler, more straightforward, and easier to use with families. The attached briefing provides details about important information about the new Early Help Assessment process, to share with your staff.
What is early help assessment or EHA?
The Early Help Assessment (EHA) hasreplaced the Common Assessment Framework (CAF).
The EHA is a simple way to help identify needs of children and families and make a plan to meet those needs. It is designed to be a shared tool which can be used by all agencies in Northamptonshire who are delivering early help. It is a standardised approach so that all children and families have the same experience of exploring their needs, strengths and challenges.
The EHA can be used to support children and young people between 0–19 years, including unborn babies and can also be used with consent up to the age of 24 where a young person has a learning difficulty or disability.
EHA principles are the same as the CAF, but because it is more simple and straightforward it should be much easier for you and families to use. The EHA is a fundamental part of Northamptonshire’s early help pathway. Further information is available at www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/earlyhelp
Lisa Marriott is the Early Help Coordinator (previously called CAF Coordinator) for early years settings. Early help means providing support as soon as the problem emerges, at any point in the child’s life from the foundation years through to the teenage years.
If you would like advice, guidance, information or support regarding a child or family in need of early help or would like to know more about the Early Help Assessment (EHA) then please get in touch with her.
Lisa’s contact details are below; however you can also phone the Early Help Support Service on 0300 126 1000 and select option 1, option 2. If you have a child protection concern contact the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub on 0300 126 1000, option 1, option 3.
Lisa Marriott
Early Help Coordinator
Early Help Support Service
Northamptonshire County Council
John Dryden House
Northampton
NN4 7YD
Mobile: 07912186322
Direct Line: 01604 364071
Email:
Making Children Safer / The next round of the popular ‘Making Children Safer’ events has begun, and focuses on:
· Best practice in and changes to Early Help
· Identifying and supporting children and young people vulnerable to, at risk of or being subject to Child Sexual Exploitation.
Dates and booking details for the 12 events are still available at www.lgss.co.uk/MakingChildrenSafer and others will be made available in the coming days and weeks.
The event objectives are:
· To increase awareness and understanding of the characteristics of a good early help offer and the role of all organisations in this offer
· To increase awareness and understanding of:
o New Early Help Pathways
o The New Early Help Assessment
o Support available
· To increase awareness and understanding of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), including:
o Characteristics of what makes YP vulnerable
o The CSE Toolkit Summary
o CSE assessment.
· To improve the quality and suitability of safeguarding referrals to NCC
· To reduce rates of re-referrals
· To build awareness and confidence in universal and targeted provision
· To improve the quality of Early Help work
· To learn from and share best practice with other professionals
We look forward to seeing you at one of the events
EY Market Place / The EY Market Place events on 23rd and 25th June were really well attended, and very successful!
We welcomed many colleagues from different Settings and from different teams who work with EY Providers.
Thank you to all who attended the sessions and for your invaluable feedback.
I would also like to thank all those who ‘manned a stand’ at the events for their time and amazing displays.
/ Meningitis B Immunisation for infants
From September 1st 2015 immunisation against Meningococcal disease group B will be added to the childhood immunisation programme. This will provide reassurance to parents who are concerned about the consequences of this disease. Babies born on or after July 1st 2015 will be offered this vaccine at two months and at four months. There will be a catch up programme for infants born between May 1st 2015 and June 30th 2015.
Health Professionals will be providing information to parents on Men B vaccination.
There has also been a change to the advice to be given to parents regarding the use of infant liquid paracetamol following immunisation.
We will provide you with more information and resources prior to the start of this programme in September, and we would be grateful for your support in communicating this change to parents.
Public Health advice for Early Years settings in hot weather
Prevent Duty / The Department for Education has published advice for schools and providers on the Prevent Duty which came into effect on 1st July, 2015. Schools and childcare providers are already responsible for keeping children safe, including from the risks of extremism and radicalisation, and for promoting the welfare of children in their care. The Prevent duty will reinforce these existing duties by spreading understanding of the risks and current good practice across the country. This advice is intended to help schools and childcare providers think about what they can do to protect children from the risk of radicalisation and suggests how they can access support to do this.
Please go to http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2015/06/prevent-duty-departmental-advice.pdf
Northamptonshire Nursery School Partnership / The NNSP offer a full programme of Professional Development for all Early Years Practitioners working in any setting across the EYFS.
Our exciting new timetable is now on the website, we have extended the programme this year to offer more twilight sessions and full day in the life visits detailed below. A full programme of visits and workshops can be found and booked via the website at www.nnsp.co.uk
Find us now on Facebook/nnsp, like and share our page to add us to your timeline and keep abreast of all our exciting sessions.
We are also tweeting regularly on Twitter, come and follow us @1nnsp
The NNSP are here to provide support and training to enable practitioners to provide ethical and child led learning across the field of Early Years. We aim to develop support to aid your development at any level, please contact us for further information,