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 communications from the Early Years and Prevention Service to keep you informed of various different initiatives and government updates from 28/05/2020. We hope you find this informative and if you have any suggestions about content please contact us on earlyyears@slough.gov.uk.
It is important to keep in contact with families during this time, so please share this information across all of your contacts.
What’s New
Data Collection
From Monday 1st June all providers that are open will be required to submit the following table with completed figures by 12pm on Monday’s and Thursday’s to earlyyears@slough.gov.uk. Please note we will NOT be requiring settings to submit Early Years registers every Friday from week beginning 1st June.
Attendance Totals – Children aged 0–4 years old only
- Total number of children who are attending your educational setting today 0-4 years old
- Number of children who’s parents are critical workers
- Children in need (CIN)
- Number of children with an Education , Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan)
- Number of children who are both CIN and have an EHC Plan
- Number of children assessed as vulnerable by providers or local authorities but not CIN and without an EHC Plan
Attendance Totals – Children Aged 5 Years and Over Only
- Total number of children who are attending your educational setting today 5 years and over
- Number of children with critical worker parents
- Children in need (CIN)
- Number of children with an Education , Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan)
- Number of children who are both CIN and have an EHC Plan
- Number of children assessed as vulnerable by providers or local authorities but not CIN and without an EHC Plan
Research Critical | Family Experiences of Expecting a Baby or Being a Parent to a Very Young Child During COVID-19
Research are conducting this survey on behalf of the charities Home-Start, The Parent Infant Foundation, Best Beginnings, and the Maternal Mental Health Alliance.
They are keen to hear about family experiences of expecting a baby or being a parent to a very young child during COVID-19, and the survey should only take about 10 minutes to complete.
Please click here to take the survey.
One Slough | COVID-19 Support for Children and Families in Slough
The current Coronavirus epidemic and the lockdown measures that are in place can present new challenges for children and families. The services and professionals that normally help children and families may not be available or may be working differently. However, in Slough the health, education, social care, police and the faith and voluntary sector are working closely together to ensure support is still available to you. Please see the attached flyer for more information.
Support For Families with Children 0-5yrs old
The Early Years sector has produced this guide EYFS Bursts for Learning 0-5 with contributions from Children’s Centres and Maintained Nursery schools to support you and your child during the COVID-19 lockdown period and beyond. The guide offers a burst of teaching ideas to ensure continuity of the EYFS curriculum.
New Government Updates for 26/05/2020 & 27/05/2020
Coronavirus (COVID-19) | Financial Support for Education, Early years and Children’s Social Care
Funding and financial support available for education, childcare and children’s social care organisations. Guidance updated to clarify statutory sick pay relief can be found here.
NHS Test and Trace | How it Works
An overview of the NHS test and trace service, including what happens if you test positive for Coronavirus(COVID-19) or have had close contact with someone who has tested positive.
Click here for more information.
Save the Children
Save the children have put together some guidance to help children to understand why there may be some changes to their early years setting.
Keeping in Touch and Targeted Support for Early Years Settings
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 closed and are considering opening 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.
Reminders
Early Years and Childcare COVID-19 Recovery Planning
We have updated the attached ‘Early Years and Childcare COVID-19 Recovery Planning’ documents to help you prepare to reopen to more children from 1st June. This document has been updated in line with the publication of Preparing for the wider opening of early years and childcare settings from 1 June.
The Early Years and Prevention Service will be making contact with all settings over the next few weeks to discuss what your plans are regarding opening or wider opening of your service?
If you are not planning to open in the very near future please let us know so we can update our records, alternatively if you are planning to open please contact the team to discuss what support we can offer you at this time. Contact 01753 476554 or email earlyyears@slough.gov.uk.
Preparing for the Wider Opening of Early Years and Childcare Settings from 1 June
A planning guide for early years providers, in England, to help prepare them to open their settings for all children from 1 June 2020 can be found here.
You should read this planning guide alongside:
- Actions for education and childcare settings to prepare for wider opening from 1 June
- Implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings
- Actions for Early Years and childcare providers during the Coronavirus outbreak
- Early Years foundation stage (EYFS) Coronavirus disapplications
- Supporting children and young people with SEND as schools and colleges prepare for wider opening
- Safe working in education, childcare and children’s social care settings, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE)