Government updates
Paediatric First Aid requalification training
The Department for Education (DfE) have taken the decision that if Paediatric First Aid certificate requalification training is prevented for reasons associated directly with the COVID-19 pandemic, or by complying with related government advice, the validity of current certificates can be extended to 31 March 2021 at the latest. This applies to certificates expiring on or after 1 October 2020.
This is in recognition of the fact that some practitioners are facing difficulties in accessing requalification training due to courses being cancelled. If asked to do so, providers should be able to explain why the first aider has not been able to requalify and demonstrate what steps have taken to access the training. Employers or certificate holders must do their best to arrange requalification training at the earliest opportunity.
Early years foundation stage: coronavirus disapplications.
The Department for Education (DfE) have updated this guidance to:
- provide guidance on the arrangements for the early years foundation stage profile (EYFSP) assessment in 2021, which will not be mandatory but which providers will be required to use ‘best endeavours’ to complete (sections 2.1, 2.3, 4.2, 6.2)
- provide guidance on what to do if paediatric first aid (PFA) certificate requalification training is prevented for reasons associated directly with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, or by complying with related government advice (section 7.2)
Making a childcare bubble with another household.
How you can get informal childcare for anyone under 14 from friends and family you do not live with. Updated to reflect national lockdown stay at home guidance.
What parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges.
Information for parents and carers about going back to schools, nurseries and colleges in January 2021. Added information about updates coming shortly.
Ofsted: coronavirus (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 the ‘first aid certificate’ section for childcare providers: if you cannot renew your paediatric first aid qualification because of coronavirus restrictions, certificates will be valid until 31 March 2021.
Attendance in education and early years settings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Attendance in education settings since Monday 23 March and early years settings since Thursday 16 April.:
Added ‘Attendance in education and early years settings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak – 23 March 2020 to 14 January 2021’.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) asymptomatic testing for staff in primary schools and nurseries.
Information on rapid asymptomatic coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for staff in primary schools, school-based nurseries and maintained nursery schools.
Supporting document on Early Years 2021 Census.
DfE have published a document designed to supplement the Early Years Census 2021 Guide in order to support early years PVI providers and local authorities to make their Early Years Census 2021 returns accurately and consistently.
The Early Years Census 2021 is intended to reflect the provision made available to parents/guardians, and a provider’s usual expected attendance in the week commencing 18 January 2021. This remains the guiding principle behind all the scenarios outlined in the document. The intention is to ensure parity of approach to counting of funded entitlements across both the School Census and the Early Years Census.
Where a provider is counting a child on the census, the place must be genuinely ‘available’: this means a provider must not count a child where they have furloughed the staff who would be required to deliver the child’s place.