EYCC Noticeboard

Early Years and Childcare Update - 25 June 2026

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
  • 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.

Looking After Early Years Children During Hot Weather Guidance

This guidance is for those who manage or work in schools or early years settings and offers advice for looking after children in these settings during hot weather.

Children can be at risk from hot weather because of their physiology, behaviours and activity levels. Children potentially at greater risk include those aged under 4 years, with health conditions or taking certain medications.

Where a child has complex health conditions or clinical vulnerability, advice should be sought from their clinical team and shared with relevant staff. Further information about supporting children with medical conditions is available from the Department for Education (DfE).

Health Risks from Heat

Heat-related illness can range from mild heat stress to potentially life-threatening heatstroke. The most common risk from heat is dehydration (not having enough water in the body) and sunburn. If sensible precautions are taken, children are unlikely to be adversely affected by hot conditions. However, all staff should look out for signs of heat stress, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

Heat Stress

Children suffering from heat stress may seem out of character or show signs of discomfort and irritability (including those listed below for heat exhaustion). These signs will worsen with physical activity and if left untreated can lead to heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

For children and young people who use nappies, dark urine or dry nappies may indicate dehydration and the need for more fluids.

Heat Exhaustion

Symptoms of heat exhaustion vary but include one or more of the following:

  • tiredness
  • dizziness
  • headache
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • excessive sweating and pale, clammy skin

To cool a child suffering from heat exhaustion:

  • move the child to a cool area and encourage them to drink cool water
  • cool the child as rapidly as possible, for example, by sponging or spraying the child with cool water and placing cold packs around the neck and armpits, or wrapping the child in a cool, wet sheet and assist cooling with a fan                                                                                                                                   

If you are concerned about symptoms, or they are worsening, seek medical advice by contacting NHS 111.

Heatstroke

Heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke when the body is unable to cool itself down. Heatstroke is a medical emergency and can be fatal.

Symptoms of heatstroke may include:

  • confusion or lack of co-ordination
  • seizures (fits)
  • loss of consciousness
  • high body temperature – a temperature of or above 40°C (104°F)
  • red, hot skin that can be sweaty or dry
  • fast heartbeat
  • fast shallow breathing
  • diarrhoea

If heatstroke is suspected, call 999 and then cool the child down whilst awaiting medical assistance.

If a child loses consciousness, or has a fit:

  1. Place the child in the recovery position.
  2. Call 999 immediately and follow their instructions.

Protecting Children Outdoors

Teachers and other educational professionals who manage or work in schools or early years settings should sign up to receive Weather-Health Alerts from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office. These alerts underpin the Adverse Weather and Health Plan.

Children should not take part in vigorous physical activity on very hot days.

Uniform rules should be relaxed, especially during amber or red Heat-Health Alerts (HHAs), and children should wear loose, light-coloured clothing to help keep cool and sunhats with wide brims to avoid sunburn.

Encourage children outdoors to stay in the shade as much as possible.

Apply sunblock or broad-band sunscreens with high sun protection factors (of at least SPF 30 and ultraviolet A (UVA) rating of 4 or more stars) to protect skin.

Sunscreen should be applied generously and reapplied every 2 hours, and after activities that remove them, such as swimming or towelling. Find more information on sunscreen and sun safety from NHS.UK.

Provide and encourage children to drink plenty of water and encourage them to drink more than usual in hot weather.

Protecting Children Indoors

During periods of high temperature:

  • if it is safe and appropriate, open windows early in the morning to allow stored heat to escape from the building
  • if possible, close windows during the day when it is hotter outside than inside whilst considering the need to maintain adequate ventilation and air quality
  • shade sun-facing windows if possible, and close indoor blinds or curtains to keep the heat out
  • switch off all electrical equipment, including computers, monitors and printers when not in use – do not leave equipment in ‘standby mode’ as this generates heat
  • if possible, use classrooms or other spaces which are less likely to overheat, and adjust the layout of teaching spaces to avoid direct sunlight on children
  • use oscillating mechanical fans to increase air movement if temperatures are below 35°C (above this temperature they may be counterproductive)
  • consider rearranging school start, finish, and play times to avoid teaching during very hot conditions
  • encourage children to eat normally and drink plenty of water

Further advice on keeping buildings cool can be adapted from UKHSA’s Beat the heat: keep cool at home checklist from the Beat the heat: hot weather advice.

There is also guidance on:

Refreshed Right Help Right Time

A refreshed version of Right Help Right Time (RHRT) is launched 23 June 2026.  

All previous versions of RHRT can now be replaced with Version 7 June 2026. Those who have seen previous versions will note that the format of the latest guidance is very familiar.  

According to your level of responsibility within your organisation, can you please: 

  • Ensure that you share the briefing note with all staff in your organisation who work with children and families.  
  • Promote the new guidance through your social media and website 
  • Incorporate the guidance within your safeguarding training. 

The RHRT eLearning package is being updated and is planned for release very soon.  

Visit our Right Help, Right Time webpage to download the guidance and find out more. 

What’s New:  

  • References to our Families First approach  
  • Updated terminology throughout  
  • Updated links to supporting documents 

Safer Nurseries With 3,000 More Surprise Ofsted Visits

The Department for Education has shared the actions the Government and Ofsted are taking to ensure the highest possible standards of safeguarding in early years settings.

Safer nurseries with 3,000 more surprise Ofsted visits

  • 3,000 more unannounced Ofsted visits each year to spot risks early
  • Stronger checks before nurseries open with more face-to-face interviews
  • Part of £8 million government investment to strengthen safeguarding across early years

Parents will have greater peace of mind as more surprise Ofsted visits, stronger checks and faster action will help keep children safe in nurseries.

Over £8 million a year of new investment will give Ofsted the tools to better identify and investigate early years settings such as day nurseries and childminders - including 3,000 additional unannounced visits to identify risks early and act quickly. This will give parents assurance that safeguarding across the system is upheld to the highest possible standards.

Tripling the number of unannounced Ofsted visits compared with the year to April 2025 will mean that issues needing urgent attention can be acted on rapidly, using better data to quickly identify risks, assess concerns and prioritise targeted, early visits where they are most needed, ensuring children are kept safe.

These changes follow calls from families for stronger safeguards in early years settings, including from the parents of Genevieve “Gigi” Meehan, who was killed in a nursery at nine-months-old, who have campaigned for more unannounced inspections and improvements to safeguarding.

Funding will pay for more face-to-face interviews where appropriate before providers registered on the General Childcare Register open, strengthening checks so every setting meets safeguarding expectations from day one.

The new funding will also include paying for rapid upgrades to Ofsted computer systems already underway, ensuring risk assessments are supported by state-of-the-art technology. Inspectors will have access to real-time updates to help them intervene more quickly.

Together, these measures give Ofsted with the tools to strengthen safeguarding from the moment a provider applies to operate, through every stage of inspection and oversight, so that every child can get the very best start in life.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

“Nothing matters more than keeping children safe. Parents should be able to trust that when they leave their child at a nursery, they are in safe hands.

“This investment means more surprise Ofsted visits, stronger checks, and faster action where there are concerns – so risks are spotted early and dealt with quickly.

“Early education gives children the best start in life, and we are making sure it is backed by the high standards of care and protection families expect.”

They build on wider action to improve safeguarding across early years settings, including stronger whistleblowing protections so staff and parents can raise concerns safely and confidently - and that every concern is treated seriously and acted upon without delay.

An independent expert panel is also examining the use of digital devices and CCTV in childcare settings, with ministers committed to publishing its findings and considering all recommendations.

The government is also working with Ofsted to review how nursery chains are regulated, to better identify and address risks across groups of providers.

These reforms sit alongside wider investment in early years, including expanding childcare support for working families and strengthening the workforce – helping ensure every child gets a safe, high-quality start.

Last Chance: Sign Up Before 30 June for £500 of FREE Early Years SEND Training 

Birmingham Early Years Professionals and Families - don’t miss out! 

You have until Tuesday 30 June 2026 to secure access to £500 worth of FREE online training from Dingley’s Promise. 

Why this matters? 

Dingley’s Promise, England’s leading specialist nursery provider for children under 5 with SEND, has developed 10 high-quality modules to strengthen inclusive practice across Birmingham, helping every child thrive. 

What’s on offer? 

Sign up by the end of June and complete any or all modules by December 2026: 

  • Introduction to Inclusive Practice 
  • SEND Transitions 
  • Behaviours That Challenge 
  • Intersections in Early Years Practice 
  • Difficult Conversations with Families 
  • Voice of the Child 
  • Leadership & Management for Inclusion 
  • Inclusive Curriculum & Assessment 
  • Supporting Communication Development 
  • Creating Inclusive Environments 

The training modules offer: 

  • Flexible learning – complete at your own pace 
  • Interactive resources – videos, activities, workbooks 
  • Certificate for every module completed 

Who should take part? 

This opportunity is open to anyone supporting children under 5 in Birmingham, including: 

  • Early Years practitioners and SENCos 
  • Childminders 
  • Family Hub staff 
  • Local Authority colleagues 
  • Parents and carers 

How to sign up 

Access the training via the Dingley’s Promise – Training Finder, located here: Comic Relief Early Years Inclusion Programme - Dingley's Promise (Select Birmingham and create an account) 

Deadline: Tuesday 30 June 2026 

Bonus Mark of Achievement for Settings 

Settings, including childminders, can earn the Dingley’s Promise Mark of Achievement, which is formal recognition for your commitment to inclusion.  To gain this, if your setting has: 

  • 4+ staff: 75% of staff must complete the Introduction to Inclusive Practice module + 2 other modules 
  • Under 4 staff (including childminders): The lead practitioner must complete the above 

When your setting has achieved the above, please notify Dingley’s Promise training team via email on training@dingley.org.uk   

Briefing: Driving Progress in Early Years Through Powerful Targets 

We’re calling all Early Years practitioners, leaders and managers! 

This is your final opportunity in the 2025/26 academic year to attend our ‘Driving Progress in Early Years Through Powerful Targets’ briefing (formerly Target Setting for Early Years Personal Education Plans (PEPs)). 

Birmingham City Council’s Early Years and Childcare Service, in partnership with Birmingham Virtual School, will deliver this session to support practitioners to set ambitious, clear and purposeful targets for all children - with a particular focus on improving outcomes for Birmingham’s children in care. 

The briefing session will:  

  1. Develop your understanding of the experiences of children who become looked after, and the important role early years practitioners play in promoting their progress, achievement and overall development  
  2. Explore practical approaches to setting ambitious and meaningful targets that support children to make the best possible progress from their starting points  
  3. Provide an opportunity to meet with a Birmingham Virtual School Early Years Advisor and gain insight into their role in supporting children in care  
  4. Support practitioners in meeting aspects of the requirements for completing children’s electronic Personal Education Plans (ePEPs)  

Note: This session is not a replacement for Birmingham Virtual School ePEP training but is designed to complement understanding. 

Why This Briefing Matters 

Too many care-experienced adults continue to face economic instability and limited life opportunities - a reflection of the early disadvantage they often experience due to disrupted attachments, trauma and/or instability. 

To change this narrative, we must act early and with purpose.  It is our shared responsibility to ensure that all children, including children in care develop in line with their peers and achieve well.  By doing so, we contribute meaningfully to the collective goal of giving every child the best start in life, as emphasised in national guidance and the Ofsted Early Years Inspection Toolkit, which calls for a robust and inclusive response from all providers. 

How to book your place 

Our final round of briefing sessions for this academic year will be held in July. We have morning, afternoon and evening sessions which can be booked via the following link: 

Book your place via Birmingham Early Years Network  

Need support? Talk to us: 

If you need advice, guidance or support on any Early Years or Childcare topics, the Birmingham Early Years and Childcare Service is here to help. 

You can speak directly with an experienced Early Years Consultant who can offer support and expert insight.  Contact us via our Early Years Duty Line on 0121 675 4996 or email us eyduty@birmingham.gov.uk Monday – Friday between 9am & 5pm except Bank Holidays. 

Inclusion: Raising Awareness Across All Childcare Settings in Birmingham (Free In Person Workshop) 

Diverse Beginnings: Enhancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Childcare Settings is our free in-person workshop for all Birmingham providers of Early Years and Childcare. 

This workshop is suitable for all practitioners, managers, provision owners and directors, but spaces are limited.   

We are inviting early years and childcare providers across Birmingham to join us for a powerful in-person workshop designed to support and strengthen inclusive practice in your setting. We’ve listened to the sector and moved this workshop offer away from online formats to create a more impactful, collaborative learning space. 

Why Attend? 

This session is more than just a workshop – it’s a space for real connection, reflection and action.  Developed in response to sector feedback, Diverse Beginnings offers a rare opportunity to come together in person to explore how Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) can be meaningfully embedded across all aspects of early years and childcare provision. 

Together we’ll: 

  • Raise awareness of EDI within the context of early years practice 
  • Explore how EDI principles can be integrated into recruitment, routines, leadership and beyond 
  • Share experiences and reflect with peers in a supportive, face-to-face environment 
  • Feel empowered to champion inclusive and equitable approaches in your own setting 

Why Now? 

The new Ofsted Early Years Toolkit places a strong emphasis on inclusion. From November 2025, Ofsted will be considering: 

“The commitment of leaders and those responsible for governance to provide high standards of education and care to improve the lives of all children, especially those receiving statutory support, including disadvantaged children, those with SEND, those who are known (or previously known) to children’s social care, and those who may face barriers to their learning and/or well-being” 

This workshop will help you strengthen your inclusive practice, with confidence and enhanced clarity. 

Please note spaces are limited. 

This is a free workshop, but places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.   

Don’t miss out – book your place today and be part of the change. For more information about the venues and to access our booking links, please follow the links below:  

Other inclusion subject-based training and resources available to you for free include: 

Need support? Talk to us: 

If you need advice, guidance or support on any Early Years or Childcare topics, the Birmingham Early Years and Childcare Service is here to help. 

You can speak directly with an experienced Early Years Consultant who can offer support and expert insight. Contact us via our Early Years Duty Line on 0121 675 4996 or email us eyduty@birmingham.gov.uk Monday – Friday between 9am and 5pm except Bank Holidays. 

School Based Nursery Phase 3 Capital Funding Programme  

A fantastic opportunity for schools to increase the capacity of their existing nursery provision or create a new nursery provision subject to meeting eligibility criteria. 

The Department for Education has recently rolled out Phase 3 of the School Based Nursery Capital Programme. 

The purpose of the programme is for schools to either increase the number of early education places for (0- to 4-year-olds) in their existing early years provision or create places at a new provision based on the school site to meet an unmet gap in the local area where the school is located. 

The funding will only support capital costs associated with the refurbishment or repurposing of existing space on the school site. 

The funding opportunity is aimed at all state funded schools e.g. Maintained Nursery Schools, Primary Schools and all through schools with Primary provision. 

If you are a school interested in this funding opportunity, please email Kevin.Caulfield@birmingham.gov.uk and Rebekah.Horton@birmingham.gov.uk directly so we can set up a meeting to discuss your proposal and share information regarding the application process and eligibility.

Speech, Language and Communication (SLC) and the Home Learning Environment (HLE)

WellComm Data Collection for Schools and Nursery Schools 

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. We ask each school to share their termly screening data with us so that we can track the impact of the WellComm screening tool. For schools and nursery schools we collect your WellComm data via an online form each term. The Summer term data collection form is now available for schools and Nursery Schools. If you are a day nursery or childminder, you do not complete this form. 

The deadline for the form to be submitted is 31st August 2026. 

To complete the survey, please click Primary Schools and Maintained Nursery Schools WellComm Data Collection Summer 2026 – Fill in form 

Introduction to WellComm training 

For the attention of EEE providers.

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. Birmingham City Council will fully fund one WellComm Toolkit for all schools, nurseries, pre-schools, and childminders registered to offer Early Education Entitlement (EEE) places. Early Years settings need to attend an ‘Introduction to WellComm’ workshop. During the workshop, you will be provided with instructions on how to receive your 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. 

Please click the link next to your preferred date to book your place:

WellComm Data Sessions

For the attention of all EEE providers.

Come and join us for one of our online sessions to demonstrate how to use the WellComm data spreadsheet to collate your screening data and prepare for sharing your WellComm data with the Local Authority. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and be signposted to practical support if required.  

WellComm Data Sessions for Schools and Maintained Nursery Schools 

WellComm Data Sessions for Day Nurseries, Preschool Playgroups and Childminders 

Early Talk Boost

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. 

  • Monday 6th July, 10am – 3pm at Erdington Family Hub, (Lakeside Children’s Centre), 22 Lakes Rd, Birmingham, B23 7UH 
  • Friday 14th August, 10am – 3pm at Edgbaston Family Hub, (Doddington Children’s Centre), 28 Doddington Grove, Birmingham, B32 4EL 

Settings to fill out a Microsoft form and choose their preferred date Expression of Interest for Early Talk Boost Training 2026 – Fill in form 

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

Supporting Children’s Play: Applying the Playwork Principles in School-Aged Provision 

Please join us to look at: 

  • How we can develop a shared understanding of the Playwork Principles and their role in promoting high-quality school-aged childcare 
  • How your environment, activities and staff approaches enable and enhance children’s play 
  • How play, care and safeguarding responsibilities align when working with children aged 5 and over 

Dates and links to register:  

This entry was posted by Jessica Wykes on 25/06/2026.

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