EYCC Noticeboard

Early Years and Childcare Update - 18 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.

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.  

Early Education Entitlement

WellComm Data Collection and Training 

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.   

Schools-based Nursery Programme – Phase 2 

For the attention of Schools, Maintained Nursery Schools (MNS), and Early Years Providers.

You may have already seen the 5th September 2025 announcement from DfE regards the roll out of Phase 2 of the Schools Based Nursery Capital Programme. 

Key Headlines are: 

  • Up to £150,000 Capital Funding is available to support the expansion or creation of onsite nursery provision. 
  • This phase supports projects ready to offer new childcare places in 2026/27. 
  • Funding is available to support childcare managed by School governing bodies on primary school sites, Maintained Nursery Schools, PVI providers and Childminders delivering nursery provision on a school site.
  • The online application process opens on the 22nd September 2025 and closes on the 11th December 2025. 
  • Schools have to apply to DfE direct. 
  • Local authorities will have a key role to play in assessing the suitability of proposed projects in line with their sufficiency duty. 
  • Schools will need to submit an LA Approval Form signed by the LA to support their application.  

 Please follow the following links for more information: 

If you want to discuss your proposal, share information and seek LA approval please contact: Kevin Caulfield, Childcare Sufficiency and Early Education Entitlement Strategy Manager. 

Email: Kevin.caulfield@birmingham.gov.uk

Protect Yourself And Others From Measles This New Term

With recent cases of measles across the West Midlands, it has never been more important to ensure that yourself and others are protected – especially at the start of a new term.

Measles is highly infectious and spreads easily, including in busy environments such as early years settings. It can lead to serious health complications, especially in children under 1, pregnant women, and people with a weakened immune system. Outbreaks can happen when not enough people have been immunised.

To protect your early years setting and community from measles, please share the below information with staff members and the attached leaflet with parents so that they know how to stay safe from measles.

Protecting Yourself and Others

The MMR immunisation is the best way to protect yourself and others against measles because it is effective, safe and free of charge. Two doses are needed for the best protection.

The first dose of the MMR immunisation is normally given soon after the first birthday, and a second dose given at 3 years and 4 months, just before starting school. Those born on or after 1 July 2024 will move to a new MMR schedule, with the first dose remaining at 12 months, and the second dose moving from 3 years 4 months to 18 months. However, you can catch up with missed MMR doses at any age. If you or your children are not yet vaccinated, then the start of a new term is the ideal opportunity.

Research shows there is no link between the MMR immunisation and autism.

The MMR immunisation is safe for all faiths and cultures. A pork-free version is available for those who avoid pork products, which is called Priorix. It is available at every GP practice, and it is free. 

Further information on the immunisation can be found here.

Recognising The Symptoms

Measles usually starts with cold-like symptoms. The first symptoms of measles include a high temperature, a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, a cough, and red, sore, watery eyes. 

A rash usually appears a few days after the cold-like symptoms, starting on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body. Some people may also get small spots in their mouth, particularly inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips.

Find out more about the symptoms here.

What should you do if you or someone in your early years setting has suspected measles? 

If a child develops symptoms in your early years setting, urgently ask their parents to contact their GP. Parents must contact the surgery by telephone before visiting and tell the reception staff that they think that their child may have measles. They cannot attend the surgery unless they are asked to. The doctor will make special arrangements to see the child so that if they have measles, they won’t pass it on to others.

If you suspect that someone in your early years setting has measles, please contact your UKHSA Health Protection team (HPT). The HPT will do a risk assessment and determine what actions are needed. You can find your UKHSA HPT by visiting https://www.gov.uk/health-protection-team or call 0344 225 3560.  

Thank you for your continued support in helping us keep Birmingham safe and healthy. 

Designated Safeguarding Lead Sessions – Autumn 2025

Sessions will cover:

  • Safeguarding Updates, including exploring changes to Ofsted inspections for Safeguarding in November
  • Virtual Schools Update
  • Operation Encompass
  • Safeguarding Assessment Audit 2025 – 2026

You are only required to attend one session.  Please register via clicking on the preferred date and time below:

DSL & Safeguarding Support Network

This session is aimed at setting managers and DSLs (Designated Safeguarding Leads) who work with children aged over 5. The focus for the session is – The Role of Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

Early Talk Boost Training Sessions - 8 New Dates Added for Autumn Term 2025

Intended audience EEE only/Schools only/Maintained Nursery Schools (MNS)/Early Years Providers only

Early Talk Boost is a targeted intervention aimed at 3–4-year-old children who need help with talking and understanding words, helping to boost their language skills to narrow the gap between them and their peers. The programme aims to accelerate children’s progress in language and communication by an average of 6 months, after a nine-week intervention. 

Children selected to take part in the intervention will attend three sessions per week during circle/story time, each lasting 15-20 minutes delivered by an early year’s practitioner. The sessions include activities that cover the foundation skills in speech, language, and communication that children need for learning and understanding new words, as well as having conversations. The training is delivered face to face and each setting will receive 2 boxes of Early talk Boost resources.

8 New Dates Added for Autumn Term 2025:

  • Tuesday 7th October 2025, Perry Barr Family Hub (Rookery Children's Centre), 60 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Birmingham, B21 9QA
  • Friday 17th October 2025, Selly Oak Family Hub (Chinnbrook Children’s Centre), 213 Trittiford Rd, Birmingham, B13 0ET
  • Monday 20th October 2025, Edgbaston Family Hub (Doddington Children’s Centre), 28 Doddington Grove, Birmingham, B32 4EL
  • Tuesday 4th November 2025, Perry Barr Family Hub (Rookery Children's Centre), 60 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Birmingham, B21 9QA
  • Monday 10th November 2025, Erdington Family Hub (Lakeside Children’s Centre), 22 Lakes Rd, Birmingham, B23 7UH
  • Monday 17th November 2025, Erdington Family Hub (Lakeside Children’s Centre), 22 Lakes Rd, Birmingham, B23 7UH
  • Tuesday 2nd December 2025, Perry Barr Family Hub (Rookery Children's Centre), 60 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Birmingham, B21 9QA
  • Monday 8th December 2025, Edgbaston Family Hub (Doddington Children’s Centre), 28 Doddington Grove, Birmingham, B32 4EL
  • 09.30 – 15.00 – Face to Face training at venues listed above

20 places per venue

Settings to fill out a Microsoft form and choose their preferred date via this link:  Expression of Interest for Early Talk Boost Training  

This training is suitable for Birmingham EEE Funding Registered Day Nurseries, Nursery Schools and School Nursery Classes.

This entry was posted by Jessica Wykes on 15/09/2025.

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