Early years weekly bulletin
A weekly roundup of information that may be of interest to you and help you in your role in your early years setting.
Weekly Bulletins
Early Years Quality Improvement Team's Summer Bulletin
Welcome to this extra summer bulletin
Keep in touch
Email: earlyyearscentre@lancashire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01772 539058
Web site: Early years support and training - Lancashire County Council
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LancsEarlyYears/ and http://www.facebook.com/groups/lancsearlyyears/
Complete this form to advertise your job vacancies for free: Recruiting and managing staff - Lancashire County Council
Your sector representatives
Please contact your PVI representatives on the Early Years Consultative Group, Rafael Schiel rafael@giantleapchildcare.co.uk or Sharon Fenton sharon@risingstarslancaster.co.uk if you have any comments or questions that you would like them to take forward to the County Council on your behalf.
Are you a new manager at your nursery setting?
Congratulations on your new role! Please let us know by completing this quick form: New PVI Nursery Manager
This will ensure that the member of the team supporting your setting knows who you are and can support you.
Join the team!
We are currently seeking an Early Years Project Officer to join our team. This is a permanent, part-time role (14.8 hours per week on Mondays and Tuesdays) from the 1st of October 2026, or as soon afterwards as possible. Please note, this is not a term time only post.
For full details of the job description and person specification please visit Early Years Project Officer| Permanent| Part-Time 14.8hrs - LCC Career Site Careers
For an informal discussion, please email your contact details to james.farrow@lancashire.gov.uk Closing date: 24th August 2026
New website
Lancashire County Council are currently changing our website so you may have noticed that your saved links to our webpage and other teams you work with no longer work.
Please visit us at: www.lancashire.gov.uk/early years/early-years-support-and-training/ and save the new link. You will find everything is still there waiting for you. We apologise for the inconvenience.
Some other teams who may have moved: Early Education Funding - www.lancashire.gov.uk/early-years/early education-funding/
SEND Information for Professionals - www.lancashire.gov.uk/professionals/supporting-children-and-families/send information-for-professionals/
Children Looked After Guidance for Early Years Settings - www.lancashire.gov.uk/early-years/children-looked-after-guidance-for-early years-settings/
New safeguarding resources from the DfE
We have published new safeguarding guidance for early years providers to help practitioners, managers and childminders understand and apply the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the EYFS.
The new content provides practical information and advice on creating a strong safeguarding culture, recognising concerns early, responding appropriately, and ensuring children are safe, healthy and supported to thrive.
The guidance includes information on:
• the safeguarding responsibilities of early years providers and practitioners
• the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
• creating and maintaining a strong safeguarding culture
• recognising signs of possible abuse, neglect and harm
• raising, recording and reporting safeguarding concerns
• whistleblowing procedures and when to use them
• safer recruitment and vetting requirements
• working in partnership with parents and carers to keep children safe
• staff training, supervision and ongoing safeguarding practice
• attendance, absence monitoring and information sharing
• resources, posters and links to further guidance and support
By using this guidance and supporting resources, you can strengthen safeguarding practice in your setting, support staff confidence and help ensure every child grows up in a safe, nurturing and protective environment.
New - DfE and NSPCC early years safeguarding training
The Department for Education has launched an online early years safeguarding training package, developed in collaboration with the NSPCC. This training covers sections 1 and 2 of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework’s safeguarding training annex, which all early years educators must be trained in line with every two years. The training is free to access for all early years educators including childminders and reception staff.
A link to the training can be found on the landing page of the EYFS or accessed here.
Section 3, the training for Designated Safeguarding Leads, from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework’s safeguarding training annex is provided by the local authority and can be booked on here. Please note, there is a cost to attend this training.
Updated EYFS Statutory Framework
The Department for Education has published the updated EYFS Statutory Frameworks for both childminders and group and school-based providers, which come into effect from 1 September 2026. This includes clarification of existing expectations as well as a strengthening of safeguarding requirements. Do take time to consider the changes, and update policies and practice if needed. If you work with others, do ensure they all staff understand the changes.
Changes include
Safer Sleep - the safer sleep requirements are now included in the Statutory Framework reflecting the importance of safer sleep practices in reducing the risk of sudden infant death.
Banned Dog Breeds - new paragraph regarding banned dog breeds being kept on the premises or visiting the setting. Screen Use – specific guidance on children’s screen use in early years settings has been included (Help for early years providers: Screen use.)
Notifications to Ofsted - you must now notify allegations of harm, rather than serious harm, involving anyone living, working or caring for children on the premises. This change reinforces the importance of early reporting and transparency.
Safer Recruitment - has been strengthened again, requiring:
• Enhanced DBS checks for all volunteers, including those who are supervised.
• New employees must not begin work before their enhanced criminal record check has been received.
Staff Suitability - further details of what staff are required to disclose which may affect their suitability to work with children.
Domestic Premises - for group settings operating on domestic premises there is now a requirement to notify Ofsted (or a Childminder Agency) of changes to anyone aged 16 years or over living or working at the premises. This is to brings it into line with existing childminder requirements.
These changes will be included in Live Virtual Members Update Meetings and you will receive a copy of the updated audit. Wednesday 23rd September from 9.30 to 11.30am Thursday 24th September from 7 to 8.30pm.
Department for Education and Ofsted vodcast on safer sleep in early years settings
The Department for Education and Ofsted have recently published a joint vodcast on safer sleep in early years settings. This includes an overview of the updated wording in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and then a Q&A with Ofsted colleagues on what this means for inspections.
Home learning environment for children with SEND
Early years practitioners and Best Start Family Hub staff can discover more about the Best Start in Life strategy, and the role of Best Start Family Hubs and early years practitioners in supporting the home learning environment for families with children with SEND in a series of free webinars this autumn.
Follow the links below to book a place:
22nd September 7 to 9pm: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-special-approach-to making-it-real-to-support-families-and-practitioners-tickets-1991759455147
1st October 12:30 to 2.30pm www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-special-approach to-making-it-real-to-support-families-and-practitioners-tickets 1991760129163
13th November 9:30 to 11:30am www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-special approach-to-making-it-real-to-support-families-and-practitioners-tickets 1991760293655
Early Years Quality Improvement Team's Weekly Bulletin
Keep in touch
Email: earlyyearscentre@lancashire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01772 539058
Web site: Early years support and training - Lancashire County Council
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LancsEarlyYears/ and http://www.facebook.com/groups/lancsearlyyears/
Advertise your job vacancies for free: Recruiting and managing staff - Lancashire County Council
Are you a new manager at your nursery setting?
Congratulations on your new role! Please let us know by completing this quick form: New PVI Nursery Manager
This will ensure that the member of the team supporting your setting knows who you are and can support you.
Your sector representatives
Please contact your PVI representatives on the Early Years Consultative
Group, Rafael Schiel rafael@giantleapchildcare.co.uk or Sharon Fenton sharon@risingstarslancaster.co.uk if you have any comments or questions that you would like them to take forward to the County Council on your behalf.
Something to do this week ...Potty training
Parents can sometimes find supporting their child in this normal development step confusing, stressful and a little challenging. Parents will often come to early years practitioners for advice and support. You might have been asked questions such as;
• how will I know my child is ready?
• what do I need to do?
• how long will it take?
Here are some great resources to tap into yourself or signpost parents:
The Potty Training Guide - Starting Reception
Potty training: how to start & best age to potty train - ERIC
www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/potty-training-tips/zh7kr2p
Children with disabilities may need specific support and charities such as Contact Potty and toilet training | Contact or The National Autism Society Toileting and autistic children (autism.org.uk) can provide specific information for families and practitioners.
Best start in life - collect and share cards
Best Start in Life Collect and share the latest card for practitioners working with 2 year olds. The topics this week are 'Repetition, rhythm and rhyme' (card 24) and 'Quality storytime' (card 25) and the cards are attached to the bulletin email for you to use in your setting and share with parents.
Watch this short video to find out more about our Best Start in Life Campaign and how your setting can get involved.
Updated Birth to Five
Since its launch in 2021, Birth to 5 Matters has become a go-to resource for much of the early years sector in England. Five years on, this new edition aims to keep everything that is valued about the first edition while expanding and updating it to reflect our constantly changing world, with new sections on digital pedagogy, sustainability and on adapting pedagogy to children of different ages. You will find the new birth to five document here: Birth-to-5-Matters-Doc-LINKS.pdf
The Birth to Five website has also been redesigned to improve clarity and navigation, and provided greater integration with the printed version through the introduction of QR codes, allowing readers to more easily seek out further resources in relation to each topic. Take a look now and discover the new features. Birth To 5 Matters – Guidance by the sector, for the sector
Help for early years providers - now includes screentime guidance
'Help for early years providers' website is aimed at nurseries, childminders and pre-school settings. It has recently been updated and now gives useful guidance covering managing screens, appropriate content for young children's brains and advice for working collaboratively with parents and carers.
Find more information here: Help for early years providers : Screen use
Summer learning
As we head into the summer holiday period, it is the perfect time to look ahead to the opportunities and new beginnings that the new term brings. We may welcome new children, introduce new ideas to our setting or change our routines.
This can be a great time to think about gaps in our own knowledge or to think about the needs of the children that continue in our care as well as new children who may be starting with us.
Professional development is important because it not only gives us new skills but it gives us greater confidence in our practice.
Take a look at our 'instant access' training which covers a broad variety of subjects – you might just find the perfect one. Instant access is designed to fit into your own schedule and is flexible so you can dip in and out of the training to suit your personal needs.
Take a look now and plan for your summer of learning: Training and information for all early years settings - Lancashire County Council
Changes to volunteering with children
Due to the Crime and Policing Act 2026, there is a change to regulated activity which will come into force in September 2026.
The change affects settings which rely on volunteers. This is because of the removal of the supervision exemption. From 1 September 2026, all volunteers engaging in regulated activity will need an enhanced DBS check with children’s barred list information. This also applies to holiday clubs and wraparound care.
Providers should read the full guidance here - Regulated activity: removal of the supervision exemption (comes into force 1 September 2026) - GOV.UK
Health and Safety: 'Notification of Change'
Please click on the link to view it on Sway. Notification of Change
The document can be printed if preferred and an accessible version is available. Live spreadsheet A spreadsheet with all the content is also available and will be updated on an ongoing basis. This is in addition to the notification of change document which will continue to be published on Sway on a monthly basis.
The live spreadsheet allows all staff to keep up to date with current changes to guidance and provides easier search and filter options to help locate previous guidance and updates more quickly. If you experience any difficulties accessing Sway or the live spreadsheet please contact the health and safety team by emailing health.safety@lancashire.gov.uk or tel: 01772 538877
Product safety - urgent recall
OPSS has issued a product recall for John Lewis & Partners Doorstops & Draught Excluders. These products are presenting a risk to health due to the marble chips sealed within the doorstops and excluders may be contaminated with a small quantity of asbestos. It is important to note that these products may be available in schools, and we would like for local authorities to share with schools for information and awareness. Details of the recall can be found on GOV.UK
Liverpool City Region and Beyond - July 2026 newsletter
Over the coming months, the Stronger Practice Hub programme will continue to grow as we support the onboarding of 2 new Hubs in the North West and 18 new Hubs nationally. This process will begin during July, August and September. We are also looking forward to welcoming new Learning Leads and Early Years Advisers to the network across England over the new few months. Their expertise and commitment will further strengthen our collective mission to share evidence-informed practice and support continuous improvement across the sector.
Read more here: LCR Hub Newsletter July 2026
Inclusion newsletter 14 July 2026
Inclusion Newsletter (Schools and settings 14 Jul 2026
In this packed final edition of the Inclusion Newsletter of the academic year:
• A message from Paula Green, Head of Service, SEND & Inclusion
• Experts at Hand, SEND Clusters and Inclusion Strategies
• EHCP Consultations, summer 2026
• SEND Service Staffing Allocation
• SEND Capital Programme: Case Study
• Specialist Teaching Service Enhanced Offer
• SEND Roadshows for 2026-27
• Portage Home Visiting
• Banding Document Reminder
• Professional Development opportunities
• Several other updates and reminders For accessibility options
• Click on the link to open the sway
• Click on the three dots (top-right) and select 'Accessibility view'
Froebel Trust - Supporting educators working with children
The Froebel Trust is proud to fund a project that supports educators working with babies and children up to three years. Early childhood education and care professionals working with very young children will soon have access to a host of resources dedicated specifically to supporting their work with children from birth to three years of age.
Froebel Trust | Froebel Trust invests £100,000 to support birth to…
How can you get involved? A Birth to Three Research Insight summarising Froebel Trust funded research will be launched this summer. Sign up to the Froebel Trust mailing list to receive a link direct to your inbox.
Ahead of the launch later this year, the Trust is inviting all those working with children aged 0 – 36 months to express their interest in joining a Baby Room Community of Practice Network. If you are an educator currently working with children aged from 0 – 36 months, please complete our expression of interest form.
Research Insights - Summaries of evidence from research
Froebel Trust Research Insights each include interactive cards providing summaries of the key findings from research and development projects on children aged from birth to 36 months which can be used in settings. A detailed report that shares more information on each of the Froebel Trust funded projects featured is also available. Froebel Trust | Research Insights
Updated EYFS framework - Comes into force 1 September 2026
On 13 July 2026 DfE published updated EYFS frameworks for childminders and group and school-based providers, which apply from 1 September 2026. The main changes from that date are outlined below and represent strengthened safeguarding requirements.
Both EYFS frameworks include safeguarding updates which:
• Bring explicit wording on the safer sleep requirements into the main body of the EYFS, so that providers do not need to refer out to separate guidance.
• Prohibit the provision of registered childcare from any premises where a banned dog breed is kept or is otherwise present.
• Require providers to inform Ofsted or their childminder agency (CMA) of allegations of ‘harm’ (instead of ‘serious harm’) by anyone living, working, or looking after children at the premises.
• Require enhanced criminal records checks for volunteers (including those who are supervised) and prevent new employees from commencing employment before receiving their check.
• Amend the requirements for what providers must tell staff they have to disclose, as part of information that may affect their suitability to work with children.
The group and school-based version also requires providers of childcare on domestic premises to notify Ofsted or their CMA of changes to persons aged 16 or over living or working at the premises. This aligns with existing requirements for childminders.
Children’s screen use in early years settings
Both frameworks also require providers to have regard to screen use guidance for early years settings as published on 13 July 2026. The screen use guidance builds on the guidance for parents published in March 2026 and has been produced with contributions from sector experts including the Digital Standards Early Years Action Group and Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group.
Other changes to the EYFS
Other minor clarificatory changes have been made to both frameworks. These are mainly to make the existing requirements clearer for providers.
Changes to registration requirements - in relation to banned dog breeds
In addition to the changes to the EYFS frameworks outlined above, the department has also updated registration requirements for early years settings as follows:
• Nannies will be prohibited from taking a banned dog breed onto a premises where they are providing childcare, and will be required to take reasonable steps to avoid banned dog breeds being present.
• All other voluntarily registered, Early Years and Later Years providers will be prohibited from providing registered childcare from any premises where a banned dog breed is kept or present.
Early Years Qualifications Requirements and Standards
The Early Years Qualifications Requirements and Standards document will also be updated from 1 September 2026, to clarify the Level 2 English requirements.
Heads up from Health Protection bulletin
Please click on the link for the latest Heads up Health Protection bulletin.
SEND Roadshow for practitioners and parents
Please find attached flyer (on your bulletin email) for our SEND Roadshows across Lancashire. Make sure you pop the date of your nearest roadshow in your work diaries for you to attend and to promote it to parents.
Early Years Quality Improvement Team's Weekly Bulletin
Keep in touch
Email: earlyyearscentre@lancashire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01772 539058
Web site: Early years support and training - Lancashire County Council
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LancsEarlyYears/ and http://www.facebook.com/groups/lancsearlyyears/
Advertise your job vacancies for free: Recruiting and managing staff - Lancashire County Council
Are you a new manager at your nursery setting?
Congratulations on your new role! Please let us know by completing this quick form: New PVI Nursery Manager
This will ensure that the member of the team supporting your setting knows who you are and can support you.
Your sector representatives
Please contact your PVI representatives on the Early Years Consultative
Group, Rafael Schiel rafael@giantleapchildcare.co.uk or Sharon Fenton sharon@risingstarslancaster.co.uk if you have any comments or questions that you would like them to take forward to the County Council on your behalf.
Something to do this week - review your planning for outings
Outings are a fantastic way to enrich children’s experiences, but safety and preparation are essential. Here’s what early years settings need to keep in mind:
Risk Assessment - identify potential hazards and plan how to manage them. Venue safety checks prior to the outing are important.
Parental Consent - always obtain written permission before taking childrenon outings.
Staffing and Ratios – consider appropriate ratios for the activity,environment and individual children attending.
Safety and Supervision - Assign each child to a specific adult forsupervision. Keep a charged mobile phone for emergencies and ensure all children are accounted for at all times.
Transport - vehicles must be safe and insured appropriately. Use correct car seats and seat belts and ensure children are not eating during travel.
First Aid and Emergencies - a qualified paediatric first aider must be present. Bring appropriate first aid provision, emergency contact details, and any required medication or health care plans. Ensure staff make themselves aware of any first aid provision and emergency evacuation procedures at any venue.
Practical Considerations - pack spare clothing, wipes, snacks, and water. Dress children appropriately for the weather and activity.
Identification – consider taking a photo of each child and note what they are wearing that day for quick identification.
Best start in life
Best Start in Life Collect and share the latest card for practitioners working with 2 year olds.
The topic this week is supporting communication and language with back and forth interactions in 'Play talking tennis' (card22) and 'Minimise background noise' (card 23). The cards are attached to the bulletin email for you to use in your setting and share with parents.
Watch this short video to find out more about our Best Start in Life Campaign and how your setting can get involved.
Inclusion newsletter
In this edition of the Inclusion Newsletter:
• A message from Paula Green, Head of Service, SEND & Inclusion
• Specialist Teaching Service enhanced offer
• Portage Home Visiting
• Inclusion Unlocked training from the Specialist Teaching Service
• Banding Document reminder
• LSCFT Autism and ADHD pathways update
• Supreme Court Judgment – Deprivation of Liberty Partner Briefing
• Professional Development opportunities
• Several other updates and reminders
Included in the Newsletter is some free e-learning created for the Early Years. Course: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEN/D) - GMCA | Rise
Free trees from the Woodland Trust
Schools and settings in England, Scotland and Wales can apply for free trees from the Woodland Trust
Community Playthings dream oracles update
If you have Dream Oracles in your setting please read this update regarding their use from community playthings: www.communityplaythings.co.uk/learning library/product-support/dream-coracle-safety-statement
Lancashire Pride awards
These awards recognise the people, groups and organisations whose kindness, dedication and community spirit make a real difference every day. It's simple to get involved and completely free to enter. For further details go to https://orlo.uk/VpvZV Nominate yourself or someone you know before Friday 11 September 2026.
Supporting the families of unsettled babies: evidence into practice study day
Dear colleague,
We are very excited to host an Unsettled Babies study day, examining the latest evidence and research around the causes of unsettledness. The event will explore a range of topics including crying, sleep, parental perceptions, infant regulation, reflux and allergy, evidence for interventions (dietary, positional, pharmacological) and avoiding over medicalisation. It will also look at developing an assessment and support framework and professional responsibility.
Who for: Staff working with families and babies, particularly those based in 0-19 Services, Family Hubs, GP’s, Early Years, Midwifery, Infant Feeding etc.
Colleagues outside Blackburn with Darwen are welcome to book a place.
When: Thursday 10th September 2026, 9am - 4:30pm
Where: Empire Theatre, Aqueduct Road, Blackburn BB2 4HT
Cost: Free (training funded through Blackburn with Darwen Family Hubs)
Booking is essential: Please use link Unsettled Babies Training Booking Form – Fill in form
Doors open 9am; attendees are asked to be seated for 9:15am for a prompt 9:30am start. Drinks are provided throughout the day. Please bring own lunch. Free car parking is available at the theatre.
Please contact Donna Butler with any questions regarding the event:
Donna.Butler@elht.nhs.uk
Public Health Department
Blackburn with Darwen Council
Opportunity to purchase pre-loved furniture and resources
Saturday 25 July 2025
9am - 1pm
Moss Lane Pre-school are having a closing down sale and selling all their furniture and resources. Here is the Facebook link to their event with pictures of some of the resources in the discussion. www.facebook.com/share/19BV6fwdVL/
Moss Lane Pre-school, Scout Head Quarters, Moss Lane, Lostock Hall PR5 5BT
What is Lancashire service finder?
Lancashire Service Finder helps people of all ages find local support. It’s there for residents, as well as for professionals who are helping others. You can use it in your day-to-day work and in your own life, to quickly find services and signpost people to the right support. Link to the service: Lancashire Service Finder
DfE and Ofsted Updates
Early years funding: proposed changes to the entitlements funding system
This consultation document sets out our vision for a reformed early years funding system for the early years entitlements, alongside the proposals for transition in 2027-28. Closing date: 14th September.
Early Years Quality Improvement Team's Weekly Bulletin
Keep in touch
Email: earlyyearscentre@lancashire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01772 539058
Web site: Early years support and training - Lancashire County Council
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LancsEarlyYears/ and http://www.facebook.com/groups/lancsearlyyears/
Advertise your job vacancies for free: Recruiting and managing staff - Lancashire County Council
Are you a new manager at your nursery setting?
Congratulations on your new role! Please let us know by completing this quick form: New PVI Nursery Manager
This will ensure that the member of the team supporting your setting knows who you are and can support you.
Your sector representatives
Please contact your PVI representatives on the Early Years Consultative
Group, Rafael Schiel rafael@giantleapchildcare.co.uk or Sharon Fenton sharon@risingstarslancaster.co.uk if you have any comments or questions that you would like them to take forward to the County Council on your behalf.
Something to do this week ... Review your knowledge of the role of Children's Safeguarding Assurance Partnership (CSAP)
Lancashire Safeguarding Partnership -
CSAP works in partnership to ensure that the multi agency safeguarding arrangements in Lancashire:
• Champion the rights of children and young people to be safe, healthy and achieve their full potential, focusing on multi-agency prevention, early help and intervention to keep families together.
• Make a positive difference to the lives and wellbeing of children and their families to be proactively safeguarded from harm, abuse and
neglect.
• Actively listens and responds to the voices of children, young people and their families and the workforce who support them.
• Hold ourselves and each other to account for our combined responsibility, providing high challenge and high support.
• Embed a learning culture to implement system improvements, enhances practices.
By working together in our communities, CSAP ensures that there is a range of flexible, localised services which are responsive to children, young people and families’ needs and provide the right level of intervention, at the right time, by the right person. This approach will help to build purposeful relationships which help develop effective interventions and support for children, young people and their families at an earlier stage.
The CSAP dedicated Reporting a concern page is available from the Main Menu above and provides a range of options for reporting any concerns about a child according to locality. In order to use this, you will need to make an account on the system. It is good practice to set this up now so that if you need to make a referral through the system, you already have the log in details available to you.
The CSAP website provides resources and tools such as Lancashire Safeguarding Partnership - 7 Minute Briefings which are a useful tool for staff meetings or refreshers for childminders. They cover a broad range of subjects, which are on an easy to view single page for easy printing.
The Lancashire Safeguarding Partnership - Toolkits available on the website give more in-depth information around subjects such as domestic abuse, early help or bruising in babies and children. These can be used for a deeper focus on safeguarding.
On the CSAP website you will find the document working-well-with-children and-families-pt-1-2-v6.pdf which is a guide for everyone who works with children and their families in Lancashire. It gives an overview of the levels of need that children and families might experience through their lives and broadly who should respond to these needs and how.
Best start in life
Best Start in Life Collect and share the latest card for practitioners working with 2 year olds.
The topic this week is 'environmental sounds' (card 20) and 'EAL' (card 21). The cards are attached for you to use in your setting and share with parents.
Watch this short video to find out more about our Best Start in Life Campaign and how your setting can get involved.
Help improve the provider entitlements process
DfE are conducting research to gather feedback on early years professionals experiences of delivering the following entitlements:
• the working parent (9 month - 4 years)
• universal 15 hours (3 - 4-year-olds)
• the early learning for 2-year-olds entitlement
They would like to hear about your experiences and needs for delivering entitlements to understand how to improve the experience in the future. They are looking to speak to early years professionals, particularly childminders, involved in the process of childcare entitlements, those who process finances relating to these entitlements and support parents with understanding entitlements.
We would love to show you our potential ideas for how to improve the entitlements process to get your thoughts and feedback in a 60-minute session:
• When: June and July 2026
• Format: Online session, or potential options for in-person or a phone call
• Incentive: £40 Sessions will include a one-off discussion with a researcher, where you will be shown prototypes and ideas for potential future entitlements processes. We will also ask you to share what your current experience is like. Your insights will play a key role in improving the experience of delivering entitlements across the country.
• Sign up here: Help improve the experience of delivering entitlements - Invitation for research, June 2026 – Fill in form
• Questions? Contact us at gabrielle.mitchem-evans@education.gov.uk Feel free to share with colleagues or staff who may be interested.
Funded places for the National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership
From November 2026, DfE is funding places for the National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL) for eligible participants who secure a funded place with an NPQ provider. The NPQEYL is a programme for new and aspiring early years leaders who want to develop their leadership expertise and potential. It is available to managers of PVIs, childminders with leadership responsibilities, headteachers/leaders of school-based and maintained nurseries, alongside other early years foundation stage leaders. Registrations open on, and you can apply on 23 June gov.uk.
Funded places are limited, so early application is strongly encouraged.
Lancashire Safeguarding Partnership Newsletter June 2026
June 2026- Lancashire Safeguarding Partnership Newsletter
Lancashire Safeguarding is a multi-agency partnership established to ensure safeguarding measures are met, vulnerable children and adults across Lancashire are protected from harm & abuse and lessons are learned from case reviews and improvements identified and implemented. In this months newsletter, you'll find:
• Various training opportunities including FREE Mental Health & Prevent training
• Water Safety messages
• Safer Sleep in hot weather
• Stats & data on child deaths due to abuse and neglect
Starting reception resources
A new resource has been shared to support families with the transition to school from Starting Reception. It has seven activity ideas and might be useful to share with pre-school families in the weeks leading up to the children starting in the Reception year. There is also a reward chart to support any settings using the Potty Training Guide. (Sent with the original bulletin email)
Ofsted - your questions answered
Video: Ofsted's early years team answers your questions via Facebook Live |
June 2026 Ofsted hosted a Facebook ‘Live’ event where the early years team answered questions submitted by the audience. Topics covered included: sleep-related queries, inspection timelines and Ofsted grades. A recording of this session is available on YouTube on the link above.
Asbestos contaminated product - HSE joint statement
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have shared a Joint Statement regarding potential asbestos contamination in sand containing consumer products and product recalls. This statement outlines the risks relating to asbestos exposure, and the zero tolerance approach to asbestos in consumer products taken in the UK. Any products that have been found to contain asbestos are subject to a recall. To date, no asbestos has been identified in supplies of playpit sand, but several products with play sand, such as arts and crafts products, are affected. Although the risks to health are expected to be low, we recommend that settings review this and the OPSS guidance regarding asbestos in consumer products, including how to dispose of recalled products.
Early years teacher degree apprenticeships
For the first time ever, those without a degree can gain Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) through the new Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship (EYTDA), launching in September. The EYTDA is a 3-year course for those with a level 3 qualification, allowing you to earn as you learn, and upon successful completion you’ll be awarded a Level 6 degree and EYTS. For those who hold a level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner qualification, you can step onto the programme in the second year.
For academic year 26-27 we’re also giving employers a grant worth over £8000 for each EYTDA apprentice in their setting to help support with employing an apprentice. If you’re interested in enrolling onto the EYTDA, please contact an approved training provider.
You can find more information in our Employer guidance, and our Employer Support Grant guidance.
Have your say on early years teaching reform
The Department for Education is launching a consultation on Shaping the Future of Early Years Teaching to reform how early years teachers are trained and supported, with the aim of strengthening training quality, improving career pathways, and raising the status of early years teaching across all settings.
The consultation covers:
• a shared core body of early years knowledge
• future training routes and career pathways
• potential routes to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
• support through induction and mentoring
Opens: 18 June 2026
Closes: 24 September 2026
Please review the consultation document and submit your response via Citizen Space. Your insight will help shape the future of early years teaching.
The new Lancashire PEP
In September 2026, the Lancashire Virtual School are moving to a new PEP and PEP system to better meet the needs of our children looked-after, making support clearer, stronger and more joined-up. There are two training courses to attend in the Autumn which all staff involved in completing PEPs/some elements of PEPs should attend:
Click here to be taken to the dates and booking links.
Writing effective PEPs: Turning Insight into Impact - Click here to be taken to the date and booking information.