Response 279639971

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Consultation Questions

1. How do we ensure children are fully supported at the transition stages throughout their early-learner journey? What support should be provided to ensure that the ELC workforce and teachers have the skills, knowledge and capacity to support transitions?

Comments
Our centre has a carefully planned transition process for every child. We work 1:1 with children with ASN and each keyworker liaises with the new centre/school and arranges visits over the whole term before the move. This is short bursts initially to familiarise the child until they are confident and comfortable with the new setting, and time is gradually built up to minimise distress. The keyworker shares information with the new centre and new staff can visit the child in our centre.

2. What support is required to ensure that the ELC workforce have the skills, knowledge and capacity to deliver high quality provision for two year olds? How can the ELC sector best meet the specific learning, developmental and environmental needs of two year olds? What approach should be taken on the transition for these children when they turn three?

Comments
Our centre is a charity set up to care specifically for children with ASN from birth to 5 years, and all staff are experienced and trained in meeting all their developmental needs

5. How can payment of the Living Wage and wider Fair Work practices be encouraged across the ELC sector?

Comments
Our centre employs high calibre staff and pays a wage which reflects this, currently more than the living wage.

8. What factors must be considered in delivering flexible ELC provision, while continuing to ensure a high quality service? To what extent could funded ELC support parents and carers with non-standard working hours, such as working shifts and weekends?

Comments
We have found this impossible, as we need to keep fixed session times. Many of the children receive Local Authority transport from out-lying areas and come in together in a minibus. We also have afternoon sessions for the 0-3 year olds, so we have a quick turnaround at lunchtime before they begin to arrive.

9. How can we ensure fair and sustainable funding for all providers offering the ELC entitlement?

Comments
As a partner centre employing 1:1 staff for every child, we are already facing a huge shortfall in income from entitlement funding. We receive the funded place payment for every child, and also claim Early Intervention Funding. The EIF amounts to only 6 staff hours a week per child, and we have to raise the shortfall of £44 every week for every child from fund raising efforts and donations. This is unfair and unsustainable

11. How do we ensure that the voice of children and their families is heard as we plan this expansion?

Comments
consultations

12. How can we ensure equality of access for all children? What barriers do children with disabilities and additional support needs currently face in accessing early learning and childcare? What further action is required to address these barriers?

Comments
An increase in hours is likely to be not taken up by most parents attending our centre. The children are very young and all have disabilities, and can be extremely tired by the end of the session.

14. How can more social enterprises, and third sector providers, be encouraged to enter the early learning and childcare sector?

Comments
By providing additional funding to support it

15. How can the governance arrangements support more community-led ELC provision particularly in remote and rural areas?

Comments
By providing additional funding to support it

16. How can the broader system for promoting, accessing, and registering for a place in an ELC setting be improved? Please give examples of any innovative and accessible systems currently in place?

Comments
NAMS system is not very user-friendly and causes difficulties

17. Do parents and carers face any barriers in accessing support with the costs of ELC provision (beyond the funded entitlement)? What more can we do to ensure additional hours are affordable?

Comments
Increase the level of Early Intervention Funding available to centres, to cover the cost of 1:1 support

18. How can ELC providers, particularly private and third sector providers, be encouraged to extend capacity?

Comments
It all comes down to level of funding. More funding enables centres to cover staff costs, which in turn can extend capacity

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