11 October 2016 weekly update

Dear Colleague

Early Years Service Wins an Award

Kent County Council’s Early Years and Childcare Service has won a nationally recognised Nursery World Award for one of its innovative products, Enhancing Family Involvement in Children’s Learning (EFICL) Toolkit.

The EFICL Toolkit includes many resources to support Early Years providers, schools and Children’s Centres to work more closely with families to improve and enhance their involvement in children’s learning, including a guide and DVD to help providers and families gain a better understanding of the patterns in their child’s play and behavior, as well as guidance for providers to audit and reflect on their own practice.

It also contains an exciting free app called ‘SmarterPlay’. The app contains information for Kent families on places to go in Kent, how to seek and choose childcare in their area, accessible learning tips linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage, a ‘precious memories’ capture section and much more. SmarterPlay is available free to download from the App Store.

This has been developed for use by Early Years providers, schools and Children’s Centres to build positive and supportive relationships with parents and families, which can have a major impact on children’s emotional, social and intellectual development.

It is very positive that the Early Years and Childcare Service has won this UK wide, award, and that we have this recognition nationally for the cutting edge, innovative services we are creating and delivering for the families of Kent and beyond. We are already working closely with a number of local authorities nationally, to deliver some of our training and products.

For more information contact Alex.Gamby@kent.gov.uk, Head of Early years and Childcare.

Online Protection and Internet Safety

The UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) Education Group has produced advice for education settings on responding to incidents of sexual imagery, otherwise referred to as ‘sexting’ by children and young people. The document will support Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) in tackling the range of difficult issues which these concerns present. This document can be downloaded on the DfE website

The UKCCIS document includes advice on responding to disclosures, handling devices and imagery, risk assessing situations and involving other agencies. It also contains information about reporting issues to providers, preventative education approaches in the curriculum and advice for schools and colleges when working with parents and carers.

The Kent Safeguarding Children Board (KSCB) has also published information to help inform decision-making when responding to sexual imagery. The KSCB flowchart and supporting guidance can be accessed on the KSCB website

I would strongly recommend that all Designated Safeguarding Leads, Headteachers, Governing Bodies and Proprietors access the local and national guidance documents and take appropriate steps to implement them within their safeguarding policies and procedures in accordance with the revised Keeping Children Safe in Education 2016

Further advice and support about all aspects of online safety is available to education settings from the Education Safeguarding Adviser (Online Protection) or Area Safeguarding Adviser within the Education Safeguarding team.

For more information please contact Rebecca.Avery@kent.gov.uk, Education Safeguarding Adviser (Online Protection) or refer to the e-safety page on Kelsi.

Patrick Leeson, Corporate Director Education and Young People’s Services