EYRG Minutes 14 Nov 2023
Early Years Reference Group Minutes: 14 Nov 2023, 14.00 - 15.30 via Teams
Present
- Helen Gibson - EY Lead (Chair)
- Jo Chan - Early Years Team - SCC
- Karen Greenan - EY Sufficiency & Marketing Officer - SCC
- Debbie Nash - Education Commissioning Officer - SCC
- Amanda Richards - Early Education & Childcare Development Officer - SCC
- Felicity Pepper - EEAC Entitlement Officer - SCC
- Karen Winfer - Accountancy Support Team Leader-SCC
- Amanda Richards - EEAC Development Officer
- Natasha Richards - Wolstanton Kindergarten/ Cheadle Kindergarten
- Michelle Lindley - Sandytots
- Tim Hopkins -Humpty Dumpty
- Sharon Keane - Childminder
- Philip Siddell - Humpty Dumpty / PVI Rep on Schools Forum
- Nadine Key - Oaklands Nursery School
- Megan McComiskie - Colwich Preschool
- Helen Townsend - Hey Diddle Diddle
Apologies
- Cllr Mark Sutton- Cabinet Member for Children and Young People
- Jo Di Castiglione - Greenhall Nursery
- Becky Haynes - Codsall Community Nursery
- Sarah McCormick - Little Owl Childcare
- Rob & Tracey Lawford
- Jayne Waterman - Little People Nursery
- PVI reps from South Staffs
- Jude Russell - Staffordshire Safeguarding Childrens Board (SSCB)
- Vicki Green - EEAC Sufficiency Data Officer - SCC
- Sadie Shenton-Jones - Dollymixtures/PVI Rep on Schools Forum
- Emily Woodward - Three Peaks Primary
Minutes and matters from meeting 29 Sept 2023
Parents taking up 2 yr old offer-on agenda.
Health Visitor signposting - Amanda Richards has meetings scheduled next week to follow this up. Discussions are also taking place with Health colleagues.
Action: Felicity Pepper to chase Jude Russell ref review of timings of Safeguarding Forum meetings to enable settings to release staff
Minutes were agreed as an accurate record of the meeting.
Terms of Reference - sign off
- It was noted that TOR should be amended to reflect the expansion of the childcare offer to include under 2’s.
Action: Felicity Pepper: to amend TOR.
- TOR will be reviewed in October 2024-this could be time to review membership and for providers to let Chair know if they feel they will be unable to commit to a further year. Recruitment of replacement members could then take place as necessary. Where members retire or leave their post in the setting, the group agreed that their replacement would have an automatic place on the group, should they wish to take part.
Action: Felicity Pepper to add to TOR.
- The group agreed that membership of the group included all types of providers and that members of the group feel listened to and consulted with.The Chair thanked everyone for their commitment and time given to this group.
New funded entitlements - update
Virtual Provider Workshops have been scheduled which will explain the expanded entitlements offer for parents. Please share with all providers in your networks. There will be a member of Finance team and there will be an opportunity for Q&A at the end.
The Department for Education (DfE) have announced a recruitment campaign starting in the New Year. All Local Authorities (LA) have fed back to the DfE that funding is at the heart of Early Years being an attractive career.
Local authority delivery fund will be used for marketing, recruitment, processes and systems-to be signed off by Senior Leadership Team and will be shared with the DfE.
One provider commented that they thought the presentation which accompanied the Consultation survey was excellent and will help providers understand the context for the consultation; however, it did not include indicative budget of rates for April 2024, which makes it difficult for providers.
The Chair identified that this information has not been received from the DfE yet so there is not yet anything further to share with providers.
Wraparound - brief overview
A handbook has been shared by DfE and clarified the terminology of wraparound; i.e. childcare and not enrichment clubs, they should be a guaranteed regular service for Reception to yr 6 and available 8-6pm, and the service must be sustainable and viable.
Further details will be included in Provider Workshops.
Sufficiency update
Sufficiency audit Information will be carried forward to next meeting-this is due to be signed off in November and will be shared on the SCC Website.
From the data collected on sufficiency surveys, district profiles are being created which will include all the questions from the sufficiency audit. These will be shared with providers later in the year.
Sector updates - SCC Developments and DfE update/ projects
- Funding Consultation-closes on 8th December.
- Sufficiency survey closes Friday 17th November-thanks to those that have completed this already.
- 1001 days pathway-shows parents what services are available from conception. This is being trialled with some families and feedback will be shared at a future meeting.
- SCC bid to work with Lottery funded Dingley’s Promise was successful-Inclusion and Special Educational Needs (SEN). Launch took place recently and info was shared with all settings. The training offer is available to any personnel working with children and families.
- Hungry Little Minds-there has been positive feedback and successes from this award-winning campaign. Content will be updated soon based on feedback from parents.
- Early Outcomes Fund-Early Communication Screening data-3 cohorts of evaluations all have similar progress data which helps to show how robust the data is. Longevity of programme is currently being considered; however, training is recorded and all Early Years consultants have been trained.
- Cabinet paper is being taken to cabinet tomorrow (15/11/23) regarding Early Years strategic vision. The team recognise that there needs to be some development and alignment to the SCC strategic vision.
AOB
One provider asked if with the expansion of entitlements-formula has this reviewed SEN Inclusion Funding and will there be the same measure for 9 months old upwards? Further details will follow soon. DfE are currently carrying out some focussed work on this.
One provider asked whether the presentation which accompanied the Consultation could be shared wider?
Action: Helen Gibson to check with finance colleagues and will respond.
Date of Next Meeting 30th January 2024 14:30-16:00 (This is subject to release of Funding rates by DfE and may be rescheduled as funding workshops are usually held in January.