Early Years News – April 23
April 18, 2023
FAO: Solihull Early Years and Childcare Leads
Action Required
- Tax free childcare webinar 3 May 2023 6.30pm – 8.00pm
- EEF projects recruiting in Solihull
- World Daily Mile Day 27th April
For information
o Solihull SCP Newsletter [attached]
o Looked After Children – training for providers May 16th 9.30am
o National budget updates – what do we know?
o School Forum Reps- who represents early years and childcare settings in Solihull
o Statutory guidance for local authorities on the provision of early education and childcare update
o National Literacy Trust -parents Walk and Talk trail
Reminder/ revisit
- Workforce survey -Family Hubs survey [request to complete]
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Action Required
Tax free childcare webinar 3 May 2023 6.30pm – 8.00pm
Funded by HMRC and free to attend. Aims to increase early education and childcare providers’ understanding of TFC. Booking through Eventbrite, book your place here.
The webinar will be useful for early education and childcare settings, out of school, and activity club providers across the UK. We will provide an overview of all the information you need to know to sign up and offer TFC to families to help them pay for the childcare they need. ……….
- Provide a step-by-step guide to Tax-Free Childcare.
- Consider the opportunities for all types of providers – linking to the current economic climate and childcare market to increase take-up.
- Consider TFC from a providers’ perspective.
- Highlight activities we can all do to ensure families and childcare providers benefit from TFC.
- Signpost you to toolkits and assets that can be used to promote TFC.
Education Endowment Foundation [EEF] projects recruiting in Solihull
Concept Cat (2023/24 trial) | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) [link]
Would you be interested in taking part in a funded trial for Concept Cat – supporting children to learn concepts such as ‘first’, ‘wide’ and ‘empty’. The teaching process includes staff acting out a scripted story with a toy cat. Families are engaged with simple home activities which will be available in a number of community languages. Follow the link to sign up.
World Daily Mile Day 27th April
The first ever World Daily Mile Day is taking place on Thursday 27th April 2023 are you joining the fun? The Daily Mile is an initiative where children run, jog, wheel, or toddle for just 15 minutes a day for daily exercise and well-being. Click the following link (https://www.thedailymileevents.com/world-daily-mile-day-registration ) to sign up and receive a free downloadable pack from The Daily Mile Foundation containing fun resources to help you celebrate on the day.
For information
- Solihull Safeguarding Children Partnership Newsletter – March 2023
View the latest edition of the Solihull Safeguarding Children Partnership Newsletter [attached].
- Looked After Children – training for Solihull Early Years providers May 16th 9.30am
Flier and further information is available on the solgrid/eyc training page here https://www.solgrid.org.uk/eyc/training/ and it attached to this e mail
- National budget updates – what do we know?
Summary of the March 2023 budget information from the Education Hub can be found at the link below ….including key dates and EYFS updates..
Budget 2023: Everything you need to know about childcare support – The Education Hub (blog.gov.uk)
You may find the budget summary above useful and the following summary. Early Years Alliance also has some FAQs
- School Forum Reps- who represents early years and childcare settings in Solihull
In a recent Alliance Connect News – it was reported that more than a third of early years providers had never heard of School’s Forum. In Solihull you are ably represented by Gina and Lisa
Solihull Schools Forum was established as part of the requirements of the Education Act 2002. The principal requirement is for local authorities to consult their schools’ forums on a range of financial matters concerning schools’ budgets and this includes early years. Decisions are made at full forum meetings which are held up to six times each year. Your early years reps on School Forum are:
Gina Godwin –Whitemore and Wise Owls Nursery and
Lisa Whitehouse- Tender Years Nursery
- Statutory guidance for local authorities on the provision of early education and childcare update
Updated guidance for local authorities making decisions on funding providers registered at an ‘ineffective’ childminder agency to deliver the free early education and childcare entitlements.
- National Literacy Trust -parents Walk and Talk trail
Walk and talk trail for 0-5 year olds | National Literacy Trust
NLT have recently developed and launched a free walk and talk trail to support parents and carers of 0- to 5-year-olds to chat and play more with their children while they are out and about. The specially designed set of cards aim to give parents pointers on how to engage with their child as they go about their daily routine. Find out more.
Reminder
- Workforce survey:
A research organisation called Ecorys UK is evaluating the Family Hubs Transformation Fund on behalf of the Department for Education. Ecorys UK are conducting an important survey in Solihull to gather the views and experiences of staff who will hopefully work in a Family Hub. Please click here to complete a 10-minute survey.
We hope that you had a great Easter break and had a chance to catch up with friends and hobbies.
