Our children are likely to have experienced trauma, separation and significant disruption in their lives which can impact on their progress in the early years. It is vital that professionals work together to understand our children’s needs and the impact of trauma and loss on their emotional well-being and development.
Early years self-assessment framework
Early years self-assessment framework (2.32MB)
This framework is intended to support early years settings in evaluating their own provision and practice. Its focus is how early years settings can support the particular needs of our children.
Early years PEPs
All our children attending an early years educational setting require a PEP (Personal Education Plan). These meetings should take place once a term.
On notification of our children’s attendance in an early years setting, a Staffordshire e-PEP account is set up, which is used to complete the termly PEP documents. Both the child's social worker and designated teacher are linked to the ePEP. It is their joint responsibility to complete the PEP document along with support from parents, carers and the Virtual School where necessary. If you would like ePEP training or a parent/carer account creating, please contact your Virtual School Advisor.
Early years PEPs should focus on identifying learning and development gaps and setting SMART targets to support our children in reaching age-related expectations. When eligible, early years pupil premium should be used to support with this process.
Early years pupil premium
All our children are eligible for early years pupil premium the term after their third birthday. This money is sent directly to settings and may be up to £388 per year. Get extra funding for your early years provider - GOV.UK
The spending of this money, and how it will best support key areas of development, is discussed in PEP meetings. How your EYPP is spent will determine the difference it makes - Staffordshire County Council
How to support learning and development for our children in the early years
9 months – 2 year olds- Extended funding from 9 months old for some working foster carers.
The government has now extended funded childcare hours to foster carers who are in paid employment, outside of their fostering responsibilities, to provide 15 hours of funded childcare per week for our children from the age of 9 months – 2 years old. This can be term time only or stretched across 38 weeks of the year and is available the term after our child turns 9 months old. The extended hours of childcare must be consistent with our child’s care plan with regular review through PEP meetings, to ensure that it will be beneficial to our child, and we would advocate for a key decision discussion with the team around the child for holistic planning.
Social workers can support foster carers to apply to eeac@staffordshire.gov.uk Follow this link for more information:
9 months to 2 year olds - Funded Working Parent Entitlement - Staffordshire County Council
Children aged under 2 years
Activities which provide opportunities for the child and carer to engage together promote and support development. Such activities include:
Our children who are placed in Staffordshire are entitled to a free pass to access Family Hubs. Follow the link links on the Family Hub page for your Family Hub page for your locality to find out more about activities in your area.
Please check your local authority website for information regarding our children who are placed outside of Staffordshire.
Children aged 2 years
Please note: all our children are entitled to 15 hours free funded early education the term after their 2nd birthday.
For all our children, early years provision is key to supporting good development. Please note that the full 15 hours entitlement does not need to be taken. For example, the child could attend a setting for two mornings a week.
Where can our children attend?
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private nurseries
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pre-schools
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schools
- child minders
See our types of childcare page for more information.
Our Staffordshire Connects directory can help you choose a setting to suit the child. Priority should be given to Ofsted rated Good and Outstanding settings.
How to apply for free childcare places for 2 year olds (Think 2)
Children aged 3 and 4 years
Please note: all our children are entitled to 15 hours free funded early education the term after their 3rd birthday.
From September 2024, 15 hours childcare support will be extended to parents/carers of children from the age of 9 months to 3 years. From September 2025, working parents/carers of children from 9 months will be entitled to 30 hours of funded childcare.
For our children providing criteria is met by parents or carers, and it is deemed in our children’s best interests by professionals. Further information can be found here; Funded education for 3 and 4 year olds - Staffordshire County Council.
If you would like to apply, and meet the eligibility criteria, please contact the Virtual School.
Transition to reception
Transition to reception should be planned through a PEP, including our children’s receiving school. Good information sharing is vital.
As with early years settings, Ofsted rated Good and Outstanding schools should be prioritised. It is advisable to submit applications as early as possible to secure a place.
It is possible to consider delaying entry for our children born between 1st April and 31st August. If you think this may be appropriate for one of our children then please contact the Virtual School. A part-time timetable or phased transition could be considered.
Concerns and further support
If you have any concerns about a child’s development, upcoming placement moves or concerns about a setting, then please seek advice from the Virtual School team.
All settings have access to a SENCO, whether they are an area SENCO or are school based. It may be appropriate for a referral to the Early Years Forum, who can potentially offer further support and funding for our children through their setting.
If you have concerns about a child’s development, the EY SENIS team can provide support through their advice helpline which runs every Tuesday. No details of children are taken and so you can contact the helpline for support without parental consent if necessary, although we encourage transparency and honesty with parents and carers at all stages. Please follow the link below for more information around how to access the helpline.
Staffordshire Connects | EY SENIS Team
For more information about Staffordshire’s Early Years Forum and our local offer please see the links below:
Early Years Forum
Staffordshire Local Offer
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
As you may be aware, we at the Virtual School are currently offering all our children under 5 a subscription to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
The children can receive beautiful books in the post monthly up until their 5th Birthday!
If you could please complete the attached form for each child and return to us, as we need to add the names to our own list before sending off the application.
If going towards adoption or SGO, the packages can be addressed to carers/parents if required.
This offer will continue whatever the future plans are for our children, we just ask to be informed of any change of address or name changes if you or carers/parents wish the child to continue receiving the books.
If the books are not required at any time the subscription can be cancelled. Please let us know if a cancellation is required.
You can learn more about the scheme here.
You can also find work sheets here.
Useful links
What to expect, when? is a guide to child development over six different age bands and how to support their learning and development during these stages.