Season’s greetings and changes to Early Years and Childcare Service from January 2026

Posted on 18 December 2025 in News and updates

Dear Early Years and Childcare Providers / School Based Nurseries,

Firstly, as we approach the end of the year we would just like to take this opportunity to say a BIG thank you for your continued support and patience throughout this time of change for Devon County Council.

We recognise that this has been a difficult year for the sector, with many national changes and reforms impacting the work that you do. Your dedication and commitment to continue giving our children and families of Devon the best possible start in life really does make a difference, so thank you to each and every one of you.

We would like to make you aware of some changes to the service that will be effective from January 2026.

Support from your locality links

Due to the re-design and some of the changes to your locality links we will be resetting our Core Offer of support from the new year. Each setting will have a link Early Years Quality and Inclusion Partner (EYQIP) and a link Early Years Sufficiency and Welfare Advisor (EYSWA). Each group-based setting will receive two visits per year, one from each of your links above. Your locality links will be in touch to arrange these visits from the new year. Childminders will continue to have a link EYSWA and will receive an annual visit from them.

This is a brilliant opportunity to continue to build positive partnerships with all settings. Your links will be seeking to understand; more about each setting’s context and be supporting settings to self-evaluate using the renewed Ofsted framework to identify your strengths, the particular challenges that you face and areas of improvement that we may be able to support with. These visits will be completed using our relational approach, and we hope that you will all find them helpful and supportive in nature.

Where any concerns are identified through these, individual settings may be offered further follow-up visits focusing on key themes. We will also continue to support any settings who receive an Ofsted grading of less than ‘expected standard’, in line with the renewed Ofsted framework and DfE guidance.

Early years inclusion virtual drop-in consultations

Our new model of support will include weekly locality-based virtual drop-in consultations. Initially these sessions will be run for a trial period in the spring term. The consultation will be a solution-focussed discussion around any questions or concerns you may have related to an individual child’s development or SEND practice and provision within your setting. The meetings will be co-run by Team Leads and Senior Inclusion Practitioners and will also be attended by Early Years Quality and Inclusion Partners (EYQIPs) and Early Years Sufficiency and Welfare Advisors (EYSWAs) who will provide advice, support and signposting. Specifically, settings are encouraged to book a consultation to discuss:

Attendance/Emotional Dysregulation/Anxiety concerns
Advice/support for SEND provision to support a graduated approach and/or implement OAIP or targeted support
Concerns around children who may be at risk of or are already having their funded hours reduced
Transition support

Additional information about how to book a consultation will be sent out soon and sessions will begin in mid-January. Each slot will be a maximum of thirty minutes, and settings are asked to only book one slot per week and must be booked within the appropriate locality. If there is a need for more capacity, we will release more slots. Please note, these sessions are for pre-reception children only, and schools who need support with reception-aged children should continue to book a primary school SEND consultation slot.

Networks and workshops

From the Spring Term, we will be establishing new Locality Networks that will be held face-to-face. There will be one for group-based leaders and managers, and another for childminders. These will be an opportunity for key information to be shared, as well as opportunities for networking and relationship building within new locality areas.

We will also be delivering a workshop in each locality focusing on the renewed Ofsted framework. This will be an opportunity to explore the Ofsted toolkit in detail, to build your confidence with the renewed framework and to support you in preparing for your next inspection. We will also be sharing feedback from settings who have already experienced an inspection under the renewed framework.

Provider forum

We know that so many of you have such passion for our sector and the drive to really improve opportunities for our Devon families. We really want to ensure that we work in partnership with you as providers to ensure that you have a voice and can champion the sector as you advocate for our youngest children.

We will be establishing a provider forum and are looking for representatives from all provider types across all 3 localities. We encourage you to think about whether you would like to be part of this to represent the sector. There will be an opportunity to meet with the service regularly, to share feedback and to represent yourself and your wider colleagues and community.

If you are interested in being a part of this, please contact Amy Fedrick on amy.fedrick@devon.gov.uk by 16th January 2026.

Funding

There are no changes to the Early Years Funding Team who provide a countywide service. They can be contacted on the Funding Helpdesk on 01392 385530 or by email at eyef@devon.gov.uk. The Helpdesk will close at midday on Wednesday 24th December and re-open on Friday 2nd January.