Development and Support
BAND's Development and Support (DS) team work with voluntary, private, independent and maintained group childcare providers to ensure that their settings (whether before or after school, holiday playschemes, nurseries or pre-school groups) provide good quality sustainable childcare. The DS team is also available to work with providers to develop new childcare provisions.
Bristol City Council have appointed the BAND DS team to provide all Bristol-based group childcare providers (existing and potential) with advice and guidance on meeting Ofsted childcare requirements. This includes registration advice and pre and post inspection support.
The DS team has developed, and continues to update a range of sample policies and procedures that promotes good practice and meet legal requirements. These sample documents are available for providers to use as a basis for creating documents which suits the needs of their setting.
The DS team have a wide range of skills with which they can support providers. In addition to playwork and childcare, these skills include finance, fundraising, business planning, employment, recruitment, personnel, crisis management, marketing and publicity. If the Development and Support team are unable to assist with a particular issue they will be able to signpost to the most appropriate source of help.
BAND's full member settings are further supported by the DS team with an annual monitoring visit, and annual finance health check and support for management committees following their AGM.
Bristol City Council are currently carrying out a Childcare Sufficiency Assessment for Out of School Provider and would like their questionnaire completed. Click here to go to the Bristol City Council Questionnaire
OfSTED VOLUNTARY CHILDCARE REGISTER (VCR)
Does your organisation provide:- extended services for schools?
- activities for children?
- care for children aged 8 and over?
- care for children before or after school for less than 2 hours a day?
- creche sessions?
- Increased bookings and financial sustainability
- Parents knowing that you have met basic standards designed to safeguard children and if eligible receiving financial help through Tax Credits and vouchers.
- Increased bookings from schools who are encouraged to contract registered providers to provide Extended Services.
Contact Julie Bassett tel: 0117 954 2148 e: julie@bandltd.org.uk
For further information please contact BAND's Childcare Managers, Julie Edwards T: 0117 954 2134, e: julieme@bandltd.org.uk and Jenny Winfield T: 0117 914 3038 e: jenny@bandltd.org.uk
Development & Support News
Ofsted Clarification Regarding Insurance Cover for Parent Volunteers and their Children
Ofsted Briefing Sessions for Childcare Providers
Important Ofsted update April 2010
Please be aware of the following changes to the Ofsted Helpline:
Ofsted Telephone Helpline
The Ofsted telephone helpline number has now changed to 0300 123 1231. The old telephone helpline number (0845 6404040) may still be used for the next 5 or so months until around Sept and callers will be automatically transferred to the new 0300 123 1231 number.
The change of telephone number means that the "Parent Poster" showing the Ofsted address and telephone number also need to be updated to show the new telephone number. Ofsted have advised that they will accept that settings display the old poster for the next few months, but it is worth thinking about updating it now. Remember it is compulsory for all providers on the Early Years Register, the Compulsory Childcare Register and Voluntary Childcare Register to display this poster. The new poster can be downloaded from the Ofsted Website at www.ofsted.gov.uk and enter Parent Poster into the search box.
If you have any queries or need help in accessing the poster please contact your Development and Support worker or the main BAND number and we will endeavor to help.
Sustainability Advice
Are you aware that our DS team offer support and guidance around:
- Business planning
- Marketing strategies
- Cash flows etc
Please contact your dedicated DS worker for further advice.
If you don’t have a dedicated DS worker please contact the Childcare Managers Julie Edwards (tel 0117 9542134, email julieme@bandltd.org.uk or Jenny Winfield (tel 0117 9143038, email jenny@bandltd.org.uk
Tax Credits
Are your families eligible for help with their childcare costs? Information about financial support can be found on the following websites:
- HM Revenue and Customs: visit www.hmrc.gov.uk or tel 0845 300 3900
- The Daycare Trust: visit www.daycaretrust.org.uk or tel 0845 572 6251
- East Bristol Advice Centre: visit www.advicewest.org.uk or tel 0117 9415892
One to one support and advice can be obtained from the Information Advice and Guidance Worker based at your local Children’s Centre. Click here to go to Bristol City Council Children and Young Peoples Service or tel 0845 1297217
Safe From Bullying
The Government issued two new guidance documents in April on anti-bullying. Young people and parents say bullying is among their top concerns. Bullying can make the lives of victims a misery; it can undermine their confidence and self esteem and can destroy their sense of security.
The Government, in line with the five Every Child Matters outcomes, has made tackling bullying a key priority. They want whole communities, along with all services for children and young people, to work together to change the culture, so that a strong clear message is being delivered that bullying is and always will be unacceptable.
The guidance can be downloaded from www.dcsf.gov.uk/behaviour/
CRB Records
CRB Records
Providers should check that they do not keep CRB certificates (originals or copies) for their staff. Instead, providers should keep a list which shows the following information:
- name of staff member
- date of CRB certificate
- CRB certificate number
- name of manager at the provision who checked the certificate
- date when CRB clearance should be renewed
For further information please contact the DS team.
Graduate Leader Fund
There is a requirement for private, voluntary and independent (pvi) sector full daycare providers to employ an Early Years Professional by 2015. Early Years Professional status (EYPS) is equivalent to Qualified Teacher Status. The Government has set up the Graduate Leader Fund (GLF) to support pvi settings to enable staff to gain EYPS.
There are several routes to gaining EYPS, ranging from 39 months to 4 months, depending on the trainee’s existing level of qualification. If the trainee needs to take the 39 month route, it makes sense to start this as soon as possible so that the trainee has EYPS by 2015.
Training providers are located in Bristol, Bath and Weston super Mare and training is also provided through the Open University. Funding is available through Bristol City Council – for further information and/or application forms please see: www.bristol-cyps.org.uk/early/graduate-leader-fund.html
www.bristol-cyps.org.uk/early/qualifications.html
New Safeguarding Unit
A new national safeguarding unit for the third sector in England, VCS Engage, has been established by the NSPCC and Children England working closely with a number of delivery partners. Their vision is for all children and young people taking part in organised voluntary activities to be safe from harm.
Action plans will be developed by the Unit for each region, taking into account the needs and existing resources highlighted in each regional audit and avoiding the duplication of scarce resources. For further details please contact: Fiona Phur on 01823 347958.
Ofsted Clarification Regarding Insurance Cover for Parent Volunteers and their Children
Some providers encourage parent volunteers to work at their setting; sometimes these parent volunteers also bring their other children with them. Providers need to ensure that insurance and Ofsted requirements are still met.
Providers should always check with their insurance providers to check that their insurance covers this situation. Generally insurance policies state that settings need to follow Ofsted regulations. Ofsted state that if the parent volunteer is a regular volunteer at the setting and is counted as part of the staff ration responsible for the children, they cannot give their full commitment to working with the other children if they have to look after their own children as well. Therefore the parent’s child will need to be counted in the child:staff ratios and within the conditions of the Ofsted registration re ages and numbers.
Contact the DS team for advice and guidance or Ofsted o 0845 6404040 or visit www.ofsted.gov.uk
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Ofsted Briefing Sessions for Childcare Providers
Ofsted Briefing Sessions will be held at BAND over the next few months as follows:
Refresher Sessions for providers that are already registered on the Early Years and Compulsory Childcare Registers: These Sessions are now fully booked, however additional sessions will be run in 2010. Once details have been confirmed we will update this page.
EYFS REFRESHER Session: for organisations who have already attended briefing session before.
Tuesday 15th December 2009 – 7.00pm. – 9.30 p.m.
Attendance on any of these briefing sessions must be pre-booked and places are limited to two representatives from each setting. If you would like further information please contact: Julie Edwards, Tel: 0117 9542134, Email: julieme@bandltd.org.uk or Julie Bassett, Tel: 0117 9542148, email Julie@bandltd.org.uk
Notifying Ofsted of Changes to Management
We have been advised that if Ofsted have tried, and failed on several occasions, to make contact with the Nominated Person at any setting, that setting will automatically be de-registered. Providers are requested to ensure that they submit EY2’s and EY3’s to Ofsted whenever there are changes to their management and keep Ofsted up to date and to meet the legal requirements. EY2’s and EY3’s are available to download from the Ofsted website or can be obtained from BAND. Visit www.ofsted.gov.uk
Ofsted Whistleblowing
Ofsted is trialling a whistleblower hotline to help protect children. Those working with children can now report any concerns they have about incorrect workplace methods which they believe could put children at risk. Whistleblowing means employees can quickly and easily raise concerns about practices or procedures for safeguarding children, rather than making a formal complaint.
To contact the hotline call 08456 404046, email: whistleblowing@ofsted.gov.uk or write to: WBHL, Royal Exchange Buildings, St. Ann’s Square, Manchester. M2 7LA.
A charity called Public Concern at Work gives free and confidential advice and can help you decide whether and/or how to raise your concerns at work first. Call them on: 020 7404 6609, email: helpline@pcaw.co.uk or visit: www.pcaw.co.uk/law/uklegislation.htm
Ofsted Fees
Group childcare providers who operate for three or more hours each day, but less than five days a week and/or less than 45 weeks a year will be charged £30 for the initial application and £30 for annual registration fees. Group childcare providers who operate for three or more hours each day and for five or more days a week and 45 or more weeks a year will be charged £200 for the initial application and £200 for annual registration fees. For further details please visit: www.ofsted.gov.uk or tel 0845 6404040
Recent Ofsted Inspections
Recent Ofsted inspections have highlighted the following issues
- Settings must be aware of the Early Learning Goals and ensure that plans of activities meet the Areas of Learning and Development.
Many settings already do this but also need to show which areas of Learning and Development the different activities fulfill. There are lots of opportunities children will encounter on a day to day basis that will be meeting these goals. Contact the DS team for advice and support.
- Settings that offer out of school childcare are regarded as the secondary EYFS provider and the school(s) that the children attend are the primary provider(s). It is important that settings establish links with the schools to ensure that they complement the experiences they are providing. Ofsted will require evidence that this is taking place.
Please contact the DS team for further advice and support.
Ofsted Complaints Commitment
Ofsted now have a Complaints Committee who are tasked with investigating complaints. Details are as follows:
- Ofsted will publish new complaints information on its website, separate from inspection reports, as soon as Ofsted have completed an investigation
- Ofsted will continue to publish information relating to complaints – made against childcare providers only in circumstances where Ofsted or the provider take action to meet the legal requirements of registration
- Ofsted will publish historic information about complaints received since a provider’s last inspection where Ofsted, or the provider, took action to meet legal requirements
- Ofsted will remove complaints information from the website five years after the closure of the complaint investigation. However, information about a complaint received prior to a provider’s last inspection will remain accessible in the Inspection Report. This is to ensure that parents and carers can access a full history of complaint information.
Providers should ensure that they keep a complaints log, even if there are no complaints and the log is empty. Ffi visit www.ofsted.gov.uk or contact the DS team for advice.
SEF Token
The Self Evaluation Form (SEF) token is a password that enables a provider to access its own SEF on the Ofsted website. Some providers haven’t received a SEF token yet, and should make contact with Ofsted as soon as possible. Details of the SEF token can be obtained by writing to or emailing Ofsted (quoting the setting’s Ofsted registration number). There is also a separate telephone helpline for SEF enquiries but password information cannot be given over the telephone. Email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk or tel 0845 6404045