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Early Years update
Westmorland and Furness Council
early years banner children playing (cropped)
* Expansion of Funded Childcare Places [ #link_4 ]
* Transition [ #link_14 ]
* SEND [ #link_2 ]
* SEN Inclusion Fund [ #link_3 ]
* Family Help Partnership Strategy consultation for professionals [ #link_1 ]
* SEND Westmorland and Furness Send Partnership
[ #link_12 ]
* A guide to neurodiversity in the early years-from the Anna Freud Centre [ #link_15 ]
* Cumbria Safeguarding Children Partnership [ #link_11 ]
* Department for Education updates [ #link_5 ]
* Department of Work and Pensions -DWP [ #link_6 ]
* National Literacy Trust - Home Learning Resources [ #link_7 ]
* Podcasts/Blogs
[ #link_10 ]
* Dates for your diary
[ #link_8 ]
* Level 3 Early Years SENCO Award [ #link_13 ]
* PACEY's childcare and early years conference
[ #link_9 ]
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Expansion of Funded Childcare Places
The roll out for 15 hours of funded childcare for children of working parents from 9 months is underway.
Parents can now apply for a code and we have been asked by the DfE to remind providers to verify eligibility codes *before* the child takes up the new place. We expect every parent taking up a place from the start of the autumn term to have their code validated ahead of their start date.
Westmorland and Furness were in the top 4 authorities in the country with 95% of codes validated prior to the extended 2 year old offer in April so it would be great if we could replicate this for September.
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Transition
Its that time of year when children are beginning to spend time with their new teachers, and visit their new learning spaces...This can throw up all sorts of feelings in a child. From excitement to anxiety, and all the feelings in between. Its vital we get these transitions right for every child. And every child needs an individual transition. Some children will glide through it, whilst others may need a little more support. That is the same for parents and families. They have made strong relationships with you as their child's teacher or practitioner, and now its time to move and change and meet new people. This can be very daunting for parents as well as children. Why not take a look at the documents on our website to support transition, and consider what you can do to support children and families as we go through the last few weeks of term.
Westmorland and Furness Support for Early Years and Childcare Provision [
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SEND
The SEND team are working on plans to separate requests for support for individual children with SEND from the Early Help process, this means that if you wish to request support and advice from an Area Senco/EY SAT or apply for SENIF you will not need to complete an Early Help.
This should make it easier to get parents on board and simplify the process.
This is currently in development so for now please continue to use the EHA and current process’.
The Area Sencos will roll out sessions to explain the changes in the autumn term as it is proposed that the changes will start from September.
Arrangements for Early Help are part of the consultation on the Family Help Strategy going forwards so please do respond to this (see below).
Early Help remains an important tool to support families who may need additional support.
The proposed changes will support schools and settings to get the help they need to support children and families.
The DfE have shared some free resources to support inclusive practice:
Dingley’s Promise: Fostering Meaningful Inclusion in Early Years Settings [
] - This package includes four short videos and four slide packs from Dingley’s Promise, a best practice SEND provision. The package intends to equip providers with the confidence to foster meaningful inclusion throughout their settings.
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SEN Inclusion Fund
It has been agreed that SENIF can be granted for a second year or longer if a child still needs support or is having an EHCP assessment completed but it has not yet been issued. Funded children from 9 months will now be eligible for SENIF from September and they may need to be supported for a longer time and so the changes will enable this.
More details on how to request SENIF following the initial year to follow.
From September EYPP and DAF can be applied for children from 9 months if accessing a funded place.
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Family Help Partnership Strategy consultation for professionals
Family Help
Family Help Partnership Strategy consultation for professionals
Westmorland and Furness Council is consulting on its new Family Help Partnership strategy. This is the first Family Help Partnership Strategy since becoming a new council in April 2023 –the strategy provides a framework for our work at early help level which is grounded in the belief that early intervention and prevention are essential to promoting positive outcomes for children and families.
This survey will close at 5pm on 31 August 2024.
Please see link to the consultation below
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SEND Westmorland and Furness Send Partnership
SEND logo 2
Please share with your parents/carers of SEND children and encourage them to fill in the survey below.
We want your views on home to school transport arrangements for children and young people with SEND
*Survey closes 15 July 2024*
Westmorland and Furness Council want to know what you think about the home to school transport arrangements for children and young people with SEND.
This is the first dedicated SEND transport survey that we are carrying out as the Integrated Home to School Transport Team, Children’s Services, Westmorland and Furness Council.
We want to understand how we can best communicate with you, understand your views, what is working well, what you are unhappy with, and what we can do together to improve how your child/young person gets from home to school each day.
We are working to:
* Develop a clearer SEND Transport policy approach.
* Develop a range of options to support eligible SEND children from home to school which are as inclusive as possible.
* Update our website and information for parents/carers to make clearer:
* Who is eligible for home to school transport support?
* What are the options?
* What is the process to put transport in place?
* How long might it take to put arrangements in place?
We will be carrying out a more detailed survey in the 2024/2025 Academic Year, share our findings with you and follow up every year.
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A guide to neurodiversity in the early years-from the Anna Freud Centre
In recent years, there has been an increasing dialogue about the best ways to support children who have developmental differences. These children are traditionally referred to as having special educational needs (SEN).
While this term was originally designed to ensure that we identify and support those children in a timely manner, it has been criticised for its dominant focus on a child’s deficits and delays. In short, SEN only gives us part of the picture yet it can often become a dominant label that negatively shapes and shifts their experiences. This has to change if we are dedicated to improving children’s physical, social, emotional, cognitive and academic outcomes.
The aims of the booklet are to:
* introduce the concept of neurodiversity in an accessible way
* consider how ableism is a barrier to inclusion
* explore neurodivergent profiles of development
* develop practical approaches in becoming neurodiversity-informed within our early years practice
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Cumbria Safeguarding Children Partnership
CSCP
*Important information*
The Learning Management System (*My Learning* [
])
where practitioners access safeguarding eLearning such as Basic Safeguarding Training, Child Exploitation eLearning and Domestic Abuse Training has been recommissioned and as of July 1st, 2024, this will be provided by a new company.
As of the 30thJune 2024 you will no longer be able to access training via the current My Learning site.
It is expected that there will be a short timescale where safeguarding eLearning will not be available.
We are waiting for further confirmation when the new platform will be ready for practitioners to access eLearning and once we have the details we will send you further information via a 5 minute briefing of how you can access the safeguarding eLearning.
Safeguarding Level 3
The CSCP have secured further dates for Safeguarding in Practice - Working Together to Safeguard Children - Multi-agency approach to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of children - Designated Safeguarding Leads - Only (Level 3 Training).
This workshop is part of a programme of learning events that practitioners and professionals, working with children, can access to support their learning at level 3.
A full programme of events will be available for staff to access according to their learning needs.
* *Friday 12 July 2024 (9.30-12.30) - Civic Centre, Carlisle*
* *Wednesday 17 July 2024 (9.30-12.30) - Kendal tbc*
To book your place please email *CSCP.Training@cumbria.gov.uk*
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Department for Education updates
DfE
Keeping Children Safe in Education
The Department for Education (DfE) has published draft Keeping children safe in education statutory guidance for 2024, pending publication of the final version. The guidance is due to come into effect in September 2024.
*Read the guidance:* Keeping children safe in education [
]
*Childcare when a child becomes 3-years-old *
We have been made aware of the large number of questions from parents of 2-year-olds about what happens when their child turns 3.
Children are able to access the universal 15 hours from the term after the child’s third birthday through to when they start school.
If the child is accessing the 15 hours entitlement for working parents of 2-year-olds and the parent remains eligible, the parent will automatically be moved onto 30 hours (Universal 15 hours + 15 hours for working parents) from the term after the child turns 3. They just need to keep reconfirming their code as normal and it will become usable to claim 30 hours (the actual code remains the same).
If the child is accessing the early education and childcare entitlement for families of 2-year-olds who receive certain benefits through their local authority, then they will be able to access the universal entitlement from the term after the child turns 3, which means in practice that they will continue to receive 15 hours of childcare.
Free courses for jobs
If you’re aged 19 or over, you could access a level 3 qualification for free. This is part of the support available from the government to help you gain the skills you need to get the job you want - whatever your stage of life.
Free courses for jobs - GOV.UK ( [
]__
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Department of Work and Pensions -DWP
A representative from the DWP came along to our managers meetings, to discuss working with providers to support with recruitment. There were lots of discussions and information sharing about the services they can offer.
Also discussed
* Disability Confident [
] – Information about employing disabled people and how the Disability Confident employer scheme can help your business.
*
Jobs Fair –providers attending the Jobs Fairs to promote job vacancies in the sector
They would like to hear from you on following
* Recruitment
* Retention
* Training
* Progression
* Future working in partnership
If you were unable to attend the meetings, we have a link to the PowerPoint shared at the meetings.
DWP recruitment support [
]
The local contacts for Barrow, Kendal & Penrith are included in the presentation (Slide 14.)
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National Literacy Trust - Home Learning Resources
photo
The National Literacy Trust has published ‘Chat, Play, Read’ an early years resource which contains fun and simple activities to support babies’ and toddlers’ communication and language development
It is available in 18 different languages for you to share with the multi-lingual families in your community too:
Chat, play, read booklets | National Literacy Trust [
]
They have also produced free ‘Walk and Talk’ trail cards for families which give ideas to enhance conversations and interactions between parents/carers and children when they are out and about, again these are available in a range of home languages:
Talking to your child when you’re out and about | Words for Life [
]
*National Literacy Trust*
The National Literacy Trust have also developed a free downloadable resource to help to equip children to develop a love of writing. “Stanley’s Stick”. This “"is a dynamic resource to do this in your own setting and help equip you to develop a love of writing in each child, using an everyday object- the stick” "
Supporting writing in the early years: Stanley's Stick | National Literacy Trust [
]
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Podcasts/Blogs
Froebel Trust podcast Developing language and literacy in the early years
*Episode 12* [
] of our popular podcast series is out today. This new episode looks at the ways educators can support babies and young children's language and literacy in schools and settings today. With discussions exploring the use of phonics, the importance of singing, play, storytelling and much more...
*Family blog*
Rachel Rouse's tips to increase staff retention: discuss quitting during the interview
Childcare staff retention and hiring tips | Famly [
]
Dates for your diary
Dates for your diary
*Plastic Free July*
Plastic Free July | BookTrust [
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Plastic Free July – Be Part of the Plastic Pollution Solution [
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*Thank you day 7th July*
Thank You Day brings together millions of people across the UK to celebrate and give thanks to those that go above and beyond for us. It’s an opportunity to thank the people on your street, in your local communities and all those who go the extra mile.
Find out how to get involved at
Thank You Day 2024 - Thank You Day [
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*Playday 2024* Wednesday 7 August.
Playday is the national day for play, celebrated each year across the UK on the first Wednesday in August.
The theme for this year’s Playday is …
the culture of childhood
Supporting play, fun and friendships
Playday [
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Planning your event | Playday (apc.org) [
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Level 3 Early Years SENCO Award
*Level 3 Early Years SENCO award for Early Years SENCOs – PVI Sector & Childminders*
*Free SEND CPD – Register your Expression of Interest*
Westmorland and Furness Early Years team is pleased to be able to offer a limited number of *free* places on the accredited NCFE CACHE Level 3 Early Years SENCO Award for Special Educational Needs Coordinator’s in Early Years Settings. This programme is for Early Years SENCOs or aspiring SENCOs working in the Private, Voluntary and Independent sector (including childminders) who want to gain a qualification and recognition for their role as an Early Years SENCO.
The training will:
- support SENCo’s to develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of SEND legislation
- enable SENCo’s to develop strategies, practices and policy to ensure children with SEND are able to make progress and meet their potential across the EYFS curriculum.
- provide you with a broad range of materials, tools and resources to support you in your SENCo role
- evidence the settings’ commitment to supporting children with SEND.
- provide the SENCO with the confidence, skills and knowledge to effectively lead and coordinate SEND provision for children within their Early Years Setting.
- provide opportunities to develop a network of support with local SENCo’s within the PVI sector including an opportunity to visit their settings to explore their SEN provision
- give you the opportunity to gain an insight into specialist SEND provision throughout the locality.
- meet and develop partnership working with a range of outside agencies, e.g. SALT, Portage, EAL Specialist advisory Teacher, etc.
The training consists of 12 days *face to face* training plus some independent study. It will take place between October 2024 and April 2025.
For further information or to register an Expression of Interest, please contact: Sue Harrington sue.harrington@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk – 07971446053
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PACEY's childcare and early years conference
*Early bird tickets for PACEY's childcare and early years conference are officially on sale!*
PACEY members receive a significant discount for all ticket types on top of early bird ticket prices, but be sure to book yours now before the early bird sale ends.
*The conference*
*When: *9am - 5.15pm on Saturday 26 October 2024
*Where:* Bishopsgate Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4QH
*Who: *This conference has been created with all early years providers in mind including childminders and their assistants, nursery managers and their employees, nannies and students.
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