EYCC Noticeboard

Early Years and Childcare Update - 04 September 2025

Welcome to this week's Early Years and Childcare update!

This week's update includes information on:

Please feel free to share this update with anyone you think would benefit from accessing this content. 

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact familyinformation@birmingham.gov.uk

Nominate a Provider Portal User

As you may already be aware, the Early Years and Childcare Team has launched a new Information Portal for providers called the Nexus Provider Portal. 

Many providers have already nominated a Nexus Provider Portal user. If you haven’t already done so, please do this today using our online form. You can have accounts for up to four people within your organisation. 

The introduction of this portal will enable us to:

  • strengthen the information that we collect from you to support our sufficiency data
  • improve the information that we can provide to parents and third parties when they are looking for childcare options
  • contact you more efficiently.  

Please note: Completing this form does not immediately create your account. After we verify the nominated user form, we will send you a link to create your Provider Portal account.

If you have any queries about the Nexus Provider Portal, please contact FamilyInformation@birmingham.gov.uk.

World Suicide Prevention Day - 10th of September 2025

World Suicide Prevention Day is Wednesday the 10th of September 2025.  

It’s a global movement focusing on raising awareness of suicide, reducing stigma, and encouraging strategies and actions to prevent suicide. This year’s theme of ‘Changing the narrative on suicide’, highlights the importance of starting a conversation about suicide. Changing the narrative on suicide aims to inspire individuals, communities, organizations, and governments to engage in open and honest discussions about suicide and suicidal behaviour. By initiating these vital conversations, we can break down barriers, raise awareness, and create better cultures of understanding and support. 

Please see here for more information: WSPD - IASP 

From the 8th to the 14th of September 2025 Birmingham City Council are hosting the city's first annual Suicide Prevention Week as part of its Suicide Prevention campaign, in partnership with local suicide prevention partners: Suicide prevention campaign | Birmingham City Council 

Local death by suicide data  

Between August 2024 and April 2025 Bsol CDOP were notified of 4 deaths by hanging. 3 of which were female and 1 male, with an age range between 14-17 years. 

Wraparound Funding Opportunities

Millions in school funding still Available.

Wraparound Childcare Grant Funding Opportunity  

As part of the government’s ambition, by September 2026 all parents and carers of primary school-aged children who need it should be able to access Wraparound childcare between 8:00am and 6:00pm during term time.  

Whether your school is planning to launch a new club or expand an existing one, we encourage providers to take advantage of the available funding. This is a valuable opportunity to establish new provision or increase the capacity of current clubs to better meet the needs of local families.  

What can you apply for?  

  • Creation of places: Create both new before school provision and after-school provision - where there is currently no provision.  
  • Extend hours: Extend the hours to meet full wraparound definition (8am to 6pm) - where you already provide wraparound, but it does not meet the 8am to 6pm expectation.  
  • Expand provision: Introduce before school provision or after school provision - where you have no existing provision in place to meet the full wraparound definition or increase the number of places currently on offer.  

Benefits of wraparound care provision  

  • Boost Attendance and Engagement  - Children thrive with consistent routines and enriching activities that make school a place they love to be.  
  • Support Working Families - Flexible care options help parents balance work and family life, reducing stress and increasing satisfaction.  
  • Enhance Learning and Wellbeing - From homework clubs to creative arts, sports, and mindfulness — WAC offers holistic development in a safe, inclusive environment.  
  • Strengthen Community Ties - Your school becomes more than a place of learning — it becomes a trusted space for growth, connection, and opportunity.  
  • Makes your school more appealing to families - As more parents return to work, schools that offer flexible childcare options become increasingly attractive.     

Why apply?  

By applying for the Wraparound childcare grant you could receive:  

  • Thousands of pounds in funding to cover initial start-up costs for staffing, purchase of equipment, marketing and day to day premise costs.  
  • Tailored support from your own Development worker to support you through the application process.  
  • Parent survey templates to help ascertain parental demand  
  • Step by step guidance to support with hosting a PVI to run your Wraparound childcare provision  

How do you get involved?  

We’re inviting you to be part of this exciting journey. If you recognise that this is an opportunity not to be missed, complete the quick expression of interest form to determine whether your application is likely to be successful and walk you through the process.  

Still have questions? Contact us at WAC@birmingham.gov.uk   

Let’s work together to make school a place where every child has the chance to shine — before, during, and after the school day.  

Down Syndrome UK: Free Webinar for Early Years Staff 

Down Syndrome UK is running a free webinar for early years staff on the following dates.  

The following information is provided when following the link to the webinar registration. 

The Early Years Development Programme: Supporting early years settings to successfully aid the development and learning of children with Down syndrome.  

  • Wednesday 20th August 2025, 3pm 
  • Wednesday 24th September 2025, 7pm  

The webinar introduces the learning profile of children with Down syndrome and covers examples of activities to promote early play skills, early reading and number skills. It also covers the training, resources and ongoing support for schools offered by DSUK through our Early Years Development Programme.  

Webinar registration: https://downsyndromeuk.my.site.com/community/s/eydp-information-webinar-registration 

Early Years Development Programme info:  https://downsyndromeuk.co.uk/education-professionals/early-years-development-programme/ 

Your Voice Matters: HEART Stronger Practice Hub CPD Opportunities 2025 - 2026 

Do you have 5 minutes to provide feedback on the 2025-2026 HEART Stronger Practice Hub CPD opportunities? 

Heart Stronger Practice Hub would really appreciate your thoughts on the scheduled and proposed training and development offer from HEART over the next academic year. The questionnaire below is simple and should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete: 

HEART Stronger Practice Hub 2025-26 Programme: Early Years Educators 

Please submit your responses by Friday 12th September - Thank you. 

About HEART Stronger Practice Hub 

HEART Stronger Practice Hub Helps Early Years Practitioners Apply Research to Teaching and Learning by: 

  • Building on and strengthening local networks of early years educators to share knowledge and effective practice 
  • Proactively sharing information and advice on evidence-based approaches - for example, through newsletters, blogs and social media 
  • Acting as a point of contact for bespoke advice and signposting to other funded support 
  • Working with the EFF to select evidence-based programmes to fund and make available to nurseries and childminders. 

Access HEART SPH website here: HEART – Midlands Early Years Stronger Practice Hub | Stronger Practice Hubs 

Direct link to HEART SPH event schedule: https://www.strongerpracticehubs.org.uk/hubs/wm/heart-midlands-eysph/events  

Grow Family Services SEND Community Day

Grow Family Services would like to invite you to come and meet SEND services. Chat with service providers and get more information on what is available in Birmingham.

The event is free of charge to attend.

Event Details:

Date: Thursday 9th October 2025

Location: Sutton Coldfield Town Hall, Upper Clifton Road, B73 6DA. 

The day will be split into two sessions:

  • 09:30 – 11:30
  • 12:30 – 2:30

On the day there will be services from:

  • The Local Authority
  • NHS and Social Care
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Speech and Language
  • Senar
  • Local Charities
  • Early Help
  • Private Professionals
  • An Autism Awareness Bus

To find out more and book, please visit:

Early Education Entitlement

Parental Declaration Form Update Autumn Term

As you are aware from previous communications, we have updated the parent declaration form (version 18) to be used from Autumn 2025 for all new and existing children. 

You will note that the revised form asks for the child’s NHS number. It is imperative that you get this and that you check it for accuracy as it will form a key element of matching the child’s information to our child records. You will be required to submit the child’s NHS number onto the EEE portal when you enter your headcount claim.  

Please ensure that parents are supported to understand what they are signing the parent declaration form for, and that all forms are fully completed at the beginning of every term. Dates of birth, names, addresses and NHS numbers must be verified against official documents such as a birth certificate or passport.  

All eligibility codes must be checked and validated to ensure that they are eligible for the term they are going to be used for. 

The parent declaration form is attached for ease but it can also be found on the BCC document library.  

Please note this is directed to PVIs only.  

WellComm / Autumn 2025 / PVIs

WellComm Data Collection on EEE Portal for PVIs. 

From the Autumn term all PVI settings will be required to add WellComm screening results for each child on the EEE portal as part of your headcount submission. 

For each child you will be asked two mandatory WellComm screening questions: 

  1. Child Wellcomm Screen Outcome 
  2. Progress since previous WellComm screen 

There are drop down options for each question that are explained in the attached guidance.  

To assist you in your in planning your WellComm screenings for the Autumn Term the EEE portal will open for headcount on Thursday the 2nd of October and close on Thursday the 9th of October.  

If you have any questions or require any support with WellComm please contact eyduty@birmingham.gov.uk  

If you need any support with the portal please email earlyeducation@birmingham.gov.uk  

WellComm is the approved approach for Birmingham City Council and a requirement of the terms and conditions of Early Education Entitlement funding. If you are not yet using WellComm to screen your children’s speech and language please attend one of our online training sessions to receive your free WellComm toolkit.  

Collecting WellComm screening results through the EEE portal will provide child-level data for the first time, allowing more efficient tracking of progress for Birmingham children and targeting specific cohort groups for support. 

Sector Consultation: Review of Early Years Special Educational Needs Inclusion Funding (EY SENIF)

Every Local Authority is required to provide Early Years Special Educational Needs Inclusion Funding (EY SENIF) to support children with emerging and identified SEND for children in receipt of early education entitlement. In Birmingham this fund is known as ISEY (Inclusion Support in Early Years).  

We are committed to fully reviewing the ISEY criteria, application and allocation process including the funding rates, ahead of the sector consultation in respect of the Early Years Entitlement rates. 

All mainstream providers of early education entitlement are invited and encouraged to attend these sessions. Attendance by childminders, group PVI settings, maintained nursery schools and mainstream schools with a nursery class will ensure genuine cross sector co-production in respect of next steps.  

Session 1 – Presentation: Context for review, current process and next steps

This session will be presented twice  

Session 2: Facilitated discussion

EEE Take Up Data

The latest documents detailing Early Education Entitlement take up data are now available for your reference. Please take a moment to review these files to ensure you have the most up-to-date information on recent trends and participation rates.

These can be accessed directly here: Early Years Data - Google Drive

This content along with other documents previously hosted on EYMIS can be accessed via this webpage: EYMIS documents | NEXUS Provider Portal | Birmingham City Council

WellComm Data Collection and Training 

Deadline Extension for Summer Term WellComm Data Collection 

Thank you to the settings that have returned the Summer Term WellComm Data Collection Form. If you have not yet had chance to submit your screening results, we have extended the deadline for submission to Friday the 12th of September 2025. 

Complete the survey here: forms.office.com/e/zmqGdc52Jy

Autumn Term WellComm Data Collection on EEE Portal 

From this term all PVI settings will add the WellComm screening results for each child on the EEE portal alongside headcount submission.  

To assist you in planning your WellComm screenings for the Autumn Term the EEE portal will open for headcount on Thursday 2nd October and close on Thursday 9th October. If you require any support with this, please contact eyduty@birmingham.gov.uk  

WellComm is the approved screening tool in Birmingham, and it supports a consistent universal approach to assessing and supporting children’s speech, language and communication needs. If you are not yet using WellComm to screen your children’s speech and language, please attend one of our online training sessions to receive your free WellComm toolkit. Settings that have received a WellComm screening tool can continue to send staff that are new or require a refresher of how to use WellComm onto the training. We have training sessions available until the end of the year. Please click your preferred date to book your place.

WellComm data collection sessions for PVI settings 

We will be holding 3 online sessions to demonstrate how to use the WellComm data spreadsheet to collate your screening data and prepare for sharing your WellComm screens on the EEE portal. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and be signposted to practical support if required. Please use the booking links below for your preferred date. 

This entry was posted by Jessica Wykes on 03/09/2025.

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