This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Service Lead for Early Years and Prevention, Michael Jarrett, for the attention of the Early Years Sector.
Please find below updates and information for all settings regarding the operation of provision during COVID-19.
Welcome back to the daily updates following the bank holiday weekend, we hope this update finds you safe and well? Please let us know if you have any questions or queries about the current situation and we will try to follow them up the best we can via the daily updates.
During this unfamiliar time the team would like you to know that we are here to offer you support, in whatever way you may need it? We are on the other end of the phone or email and will continue to provide you with daily email updates. Even if you are currently closed the team can offer a range of support from discussing government guidance documents to reviewing local area initiatives.
We understand that this is a difficult period for everyone and in these uncertain times it can often help to share concerns, questions and queries with others, so please do keep in contact and pick up the phone anytime for a catch up.
You can email and call individual members of the team or for general enquiries contact earlyyears@slough.gov.uk or call 01753 476554.
If your setting is currently still open and are considering closure please discuss with the Early Years Service and for further information, advice or guidance please contact the team on 01753 476554 or email earlyyears@slough.gov.uk.
Family Information Service
Slough’s Family Information Service has a record of all settings currently open for children of key workers/vulnerable children, please signpost parents and carers to the FIS if they need to find care including holiday provision if you are unable to stay open, call 01753 476589 or email fis@slough.gov.uk, Slough’s Services Guide.
Domestic Abuse | Slough Safeguarding Partnership
Challenging times may result in the need to access specialist support, don’t be alone, attached are some resources that might be able to help. You can also visit the Slough Safeguarding Partnership here to learn more.
Alternatively if you can also access the Slough Safeguarding Partnership newsletter by clicking here.
Mental Health and Well-being
If providers have any children or young people displaying any Mental Health and or well-being concerns, then please contact the East Berkshire Getting Help Service by emailing CAMHSGettingHelpEast@berkshire.nhs.uk.
Family Life During Lockdown | NHS East Berkshire Clinical Commissioning Group
Over the past few weeks, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has brought a lot of sudden changes for families with children. Parenting can be very rewarding. However, in these uncertain and challenging times you may be feeling stressed as you try to balance work, childcare and self-care while dealing with worries – both your children’s and your own. In recognition of this, we have put together some of the best reliable and free sources of information and advice to help you and your family to cope under lockdown. Please see the attached document for more information.
HMRC: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
HMRC want to help you get ready to make a claim under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
If you’re eligible for the scheme, there are things that you can do now to be ready when the system is up and running later this month.
You’ll need to provide the following to make a claim:
- The bank account number and sort code you’d like us to use when we pay your claim.
- The name and phone number of the person in your business for us to call with any questions.
- Your Self-Assessment UTR (Unique Tax Reference), Company UTR or CRN (Company Registration Number).
- The name, employee number and National Insurance number for each of your furloughed employees.
- The total amount being claimed for all employees and the total furlough period.
If you use an agent who is authorised to act for you for PAYE purposes, they will be able to make a claim on your behalf, so please speak to them now.
However, if you use a file-only agent (files your RTI return but doesn’t act for you in other matters), they won’t be able to make a claim for you and you’ll need the information listed above from them to make the claim yourself.
For more detailed advice, please visit GOV.UK, this guidance is being regularly updated, so please review it frequently.
You may also find this recorded webinar helpful, Coronavirus (COVID-19) Job Retention Scheme, available on HMRC’s YouTube channel.
Ofsted COVID-19 Rolling Update
Ofsted guidance and information relating to Coronavirus (COVID-19) for schools, early years, children's social care and further education and skills providers. Updated to request that early years and social care providers use our online forms if possible, and if they need to use a printable form to please send this to us by email. Update to include guidance for children's social care and early years and childcare providers on Ofsted's regulatory activity and urgent monitoring visits during this time. For more information on the latest update click here.
The single most important action you can take is to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives. https://twitter.com/GOVUK