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Congratulations to:

Tracey Rudy, Childminder – Outstanding Ofsted Grade.

Michelle Hodson-Reed, Childminder - Outstanding Ofsted Grade

Well Done!

Congratulations to the early year’s settings who have achieved the Healthy Smiles Award:

Arlesey Preschool

Cleverkidz

Dunstable Icknield Lower School

Fordfield Nursery Ltd

Hedgelands Nursery

Linden House Day Nursery

Little Learners

Little Steps Nursery School

Manor Farm Day Nursery

Priory Parkside Preschool

St Marys Catholic Primary School

Stanbridge Lower School

St Vincents Catholic Primary School

The Mary Bassett Lower School

The Chiltern School

Ivel Valley School

Thornhill Primary School

Tilsworth Montessori School

Tithe Farm Primary School

Twinkle Preschool

Newsletter for Early Years and Childcare providers

July 2017

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Qualification checker link….. Please find the link to the qualification checker on the DFE website https://www.education.gov.uk/eypqd/

It has a wealth of information about what makes a qualification full and relevant. At the bottom of this page there is a search tool. If you click on this and in the section qualification before September 2014 you will find the search box.

You can simply click on the level and it will bring up all the various qualifications and will highlight whether or not it is full and relevant.

You are responsible for checking potential employees qualifications are a full and relevant qualification.

If you need any support regarding workforce please contact: 0300 300 8131

academy@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Ofsted up-date

Any telephone conversation you might have with Ofsted, note down the name of who you are talking to and note down the date and time. This conversation should be followed up with an email to the enquiries email address, with the conversation key points, as evidence. If you are challenged on anything at inspection, you then have that evidence.

Ofsted Inspection current priority trends -

Disadvantaged children – do you know who your disadvantaged children are and how are you assessing them to show good outcomes?

Toileting support and meeting the welfare needs of all children.

Having difficult conversations with parents – Can you evidence having a difficult conversation with a parent, which shows how you faced this and what the outcome was? Good child development – Ofsted will ask any member of staff what a typical child should be doing at the age of say ‘3’ or age of say ‘2’. More settings are using on line systems to show where a child is in the EYFS and what they have achieved, which are great and save time but ask yourself, do staff actually have the practicable knowledge of where children of certain ages should be in the EYFS and what their next steps should be?

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30 Hours

HMRC Telephone Help Line –0300 123 4097. .

If parents or settings/schools have any queries regarding the 30 hours and need to speak to someone at HMRC, please use the number above.

HMRC are rolling out the codes as fast as they can, in batches, with the youngest age first. They are due to issue codes for any four year olds who have requested a check.

HMRC suggest anyone struggling to be issued a code, who consider themselves to be eligible, must keep trying or give them a call.

30 Hours

All schools and PVI settings will now have received information on how to verify the extended 30 hour eligibility codes on the Early Years portal.

While HMRC embed their process, we are finding some ‘odd’ end dates. Please remind parents to renew their code before the end date they received on their current voucher. They should receive an email or text prompt from HMRC also.

When you complete your verification of codes on the portal, if the system tells you this code is not valid, it is likely to be because the parent has lost their job. The child can stay to the end of the grace period date in the hope the parents find other employment. If they do, the parent up-dates their HMRC account and will just get the same code with new dates on and hand it to you. But if they are unable to present you with a newly dated code, the child will then only be eligible for the universal 15 hours. You then amend the portal accordingly with actual data.

The parent declaration forms have been amended to accommodate the extended hour’s information we need, from an administrative side. The funding hours on the form have now been split between universal and extended. It is important that the parent understands what hours form part of their universal entitlement and the hours that form part of their extended hours.

As a setting, I suggest you device your own form to use throughout the term, to collect information on the 30 hours code as parents bring them in to you.

Collect the parents’ name, parent’s Date of Birth, child’s name, Date of Birth of child and very important, the NI or the NASS number for the parent. Also, keep a note of each child’s voucher start date, end date and grace period. The grace period is for use when one parent loses their employment.

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IMPORTANT - NURSERY EDUCATION FUNDING

The business support team have over 4000 parent declarations to check every term. By following the guidance it will really help to make the process quicker for them and for you as providers. Not completing the process correctly may result in delayed payment to you.

Please ensure Parent Declarations are fully completed – this includes the CPEI reference number on the top of the page for two years olds and the child’s date of birth.

Please ensure the child’s correct and full address is entered onto the portal and that you complete ethnicity and SEN information correctly.

Please ensure that the child’s legal first name and surname are entered onto the portal and that they are spelt correctly.

Please send in the 2 year old and the 3 / 4 year old declarations in separate piles.

Please put the parents declarations in alphabetical order of the child’s surname

Ensure the information is entered onto the portal as per the timetable we send out. This is for both estimates and actuals.

Ensure that the parent declaration forms are received by the Business Support Team within one week of the deadline date unless the child is a late starter.

Please put the start date for the term you are in – not when the child first started with you.

DO NOT send parent declarations by email. This breaches Data Protection guidance.

Childminders must use their Ofsted registered name on the parent declarations.

Leavers forms should be sent in a timely manner and with the date of when the child was last with you, so that we can make the necessary adjustments on the system.

Please do not enter children who have zero funded hours with you, we only want you to submit children who are NEF funded.

Examples of failures from this term:

Not in alphabetical order.

Hours not filled in.

Unsigned parent declarations.

Forms not stapled

Old form used

2s and 3/4s mixed

Post codes missing

No CPEI numbers

Some individual settings had over 50 discrepancies!!!

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Information Commissioners Registration – ICO

Are you aware that under the Data Protection Act 1998 individuals and organisations processing and

storing personal information need to register with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). This also

includes taking pictures using a digital camera or phone.

This usually costs £35 per year. For a full breakdown and to find our how to register, please visit:

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/register/

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If you are unsure whether you need to register simply visit: https://ico.org.uk/for-

organisations/register/self-assessment/

Please bear in mind non-registering is a breach of the Data Protection Act 1998. For further information

about the Data Protection Act 1998 please visit: https://www.gov.uk/data-protection/the-data-

protection-act

Early Years SEND Advisory Teacher’s

1. Funding Applications:

The administration time taken up with errors on funding forms and evidence not being

provided are being addressed and in future Sue Briggs will email the settings who

have submitted incomplete applications to resubmit the whole request again within 14

days for the next EYAM. Funding forms will be amended in the autumn term, but

please ensure that you use the current, attached forms for now.

The last Early Years Allocation Meeting (EYAM) where funding and referrals are being

discussed is on 13th July and applications must be submitted by 10th July. The first

EYAM in the autumn term is on 14th September. See the attachments for EYAM

2017/18 dates.

Attachments:

Guidelines for EY SEND Inclusion Funding for Education and Care – March 2017

Criteria for Additional SEND Funding - Nov 2014

Request for EY SEND Inclusion Funding for Education and Care – Form 1 - June

2017

Request for EY SEND Inclusion Funding for Education and Care – Form 2 - June

2017

Request for Continued EY SEND Inclusion Funding for Education and Care – June

2017

Additional SEND Funding for Schools – June 2017

EYAM dates 2017/18

2. SEND Support Plans:

By September 2017 all SEND Support Plans should be done and reviewed on the new

SEND Support Plan format. Please ensure that Practitioners have attended the

Recording SEND Support training and know how to review outcomes half termly with

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parents. See the Early Years SEND Training dates for 2017/18 to book relevant

training.

Attachments:

SEND Support Plan template

SEND Support Plan review pages

3. Early Years SEND Training dates 2017/18

2017/18 EY SEND Training dates attached

4. Please do not hesitate to contact your Early Years SEND Advisory Teacher if

you have any questions or need help with regards to SEND in your setting.

Anne Eadie: anne.eadie@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Tel: 0300 300 6207

Barbara Bourn: barbara.bourn@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Tel: 0300 300 6905

Erna Snyman: erna.snyman@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Tel: 0300300 6837 / Mobile: 07342 091 584

Sally Pratt: sally.pratt@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Tel: 0300 300 5582 / Mobile: 07342 073 847

Wishing you all a happy and well-deserved summer break!

Academy up-date

Attachment

CBC Countryside Sites – Walks, Woods…..

http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/leisure/countryside/countryside-sites/overview.aspx

Mark Making

The bones in young girls’ hands develop at approximately four years two months and boys hands develop at five years six months.

For boys, this can make holding a pencil uncomfortable.

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It is recognised that nationally, girls are outperforming boys across all areas of learning and this can be seen as a pattern into Key Stage 4.

Positive supportive work by pre-school providers and early year’s practitioners can be vital in breaking down this pattern. This may involve practitioners re-assessing their own personal perceptions.

To strengthen fine motor skills consider:

Washing – Use buckets of soapy water and sponges to wash your car, yes your own car!

Spraying – Attach laminated pictures of everyday objects to an outside wall and use water sprays to spray around the outline.

Modelling – Use clay and small items to model the clay around.

Playdough and threading strengthen children’s hand muscles.

Mark making – In sand, large chalk outside, water sprays, white boards.

New Zealand: Study finds smoking while pregnant can cause dental problems for children

Women who continue to smoke while pregnant may be increasing the likelihood of their children experiencing dental problems.

This is according to a new study from the University of Otago, which indicated that women who smoke more than ten cigarettes a day during pregnancy are much more likely to give birth to babies who will fail to grow all their teeth.

The condition is known as hypodontia, and sees children failing to develop up to six permanent teeth - usually the lateral incisors and premolars. See also: Journal of Dental Research: Maternal Smoking during Pregnancy Is Associated with Offspring Hypodontia.

Source: Zenopa, 5 June 2017

80% of 1 to 2-year-olds didn’t visit an NHS dentist last year

New analysis by the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at The Royal College of Surgeons has found that approximately 80 per cent of children between the age of one and two didn’t visit an NHS dentist in the 12 months leading up to March 31st, 2017, despite guidance saying children should start dental check-ups when they develop their first tooth. The analysis also found that almost 60 per cent of children aged one to four didn’t have a dental check-up in the same period.

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The FDS is warning that there is a widespread misunderstanding among parents, and even health professionals, about when a baby should visit the dentist. NHS dental check-ups for children are free. Official Public Health England guidance states that parents and

carers should ensure their child has a dental check-up as soon as their teeth start to

appear. Babies tend to get their first teeth at around six months.

During 2015/16, there were 9,220 cases of tooth extractions performed in hospitals on children aged one to four. This procedure often requires children to receive a general anaesthetic. Many of these cases can be attributed to tooth decay, which the FDS points out is 90 per cent preventable.

Professor Nigel Hunt, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at The Royal College of Surgeons, said: “In a nation which offers free dental care for under 18s, there should be no excuse for these statistics. Yet we know from parents we speak to that there is widespread confusion, even on advice given to them by NHS staff, about when a child should first visit the dentist. Every child should have free and easy access to dental care from the point when their first teeth appear in the mouth. With 9,220 cases of tooth extraction performed in hospitals last year for children aged between one and four, we cannot continue in this state of confusion.

“Many oral health problems are easily preventable through twice-daily brushing sessions with fluoride toothpaste, avoiding sugary drinks and snacks, and regular dental check-ups. The earlier a child visits the dentist, the earlier any potential problems can be picked up, so it is easier to prevent children having to go through the trauma of having their teeth removed under a general anaesthetic.

“Dental check-ups in early years are as much about getting children comfortable in a dental environment as it is about checking teeth. Simply getting a child to open their mouth for a dentist to look at their teeth is useful practice for the future. First impressions are vital if we want children to have a long-term positive impression of dentistry. If a first dental visit results in a stressful, traumatic experience, this could have a serious life-long effect on a child’s willingness to engage in the dental process. Mothers are also entitled to free dental check-ups during pregnancy and the 12 months after they give birth.

“Prevention is always better than cure.”

The British Dental Association (BDA) has conducted polling with YouGov indicating that millions of UK parents are unaware that NHS dentistry is free for children under 18.

The BDA has long criticised the government’s increasing over-reliance on patient charges, which exist to discourage patients from seeking care.

At the recent BDA conference, Claire Stevens, Vice-President of the BSPD, told delegates, “If all the 22,000 dentists with a contract saw four more under twos, then together they could bring down the number of general anaesthetics for dental extractions.

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“This is my rallying cry, asking you to join me in making the Dental Check

by One a reality. Please think how you can make a difference. We need to be

innovative and we all need to be working together.”

Tooth decay remains the number one reason for tooth decay among children in Britain. The BDA has been calling on all parties to deliver an oral health strategy based on prevention.

BDA Chair Mick Armstrong said: “Tooth decay is the number one reason for child hospital admissions, yet the overriding priority of successive governments has been keeping patient numbers down.

“There are no public education campaigns, the budget is set aside to treat just over half the population, while charge hikes are designed to make patients think twice about treatment. The net result is even those who don’t need to pay are put off by costs.

“The fact millions of parents are unaware these check-ups are free of charge shows just how little energy the authorities have put into prevention. The next government must focus on reaching out to patients of all ages, not erecting new barriers to care.”

Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

In addition to measles outbreaks in some parts of the world, we are seeing mumps outbreaks in this country. The reported cases are mainly affecting adolescents and young people who may not have been immunised as children.

(Attachment 1.)

Injuries from home

Early years provisions have a responsibility to provide a safe environment for the children in the setting. This is actively promoted in Central Bedfordshire as all Good and Outstanding childcare providers have safeguarding polices and procedures in place to ensure every child, regardless of their age, gender, religion or ethnicity, can be protected from harm. Procedures include Safeguarding training, Safer Recruitment, Updates on policies and Recording of Accidents that occur in the setting.

For best practice, we advice settings to keep a record of accidents/Injuries form home to further strengthen the safeguarding practices. The benefits include

Creating an environment of robust safeguarding practice.

Providing quick and adequate support to children and their

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families as and when needed.

Showing parents that the care of their children is paramount.

Protecting setting and staff from any allegations.

Helping staff to keep an eye on the child especially in situations where a child may have hit their head.

Preventing lapses that occurred in some Serious Case Reviews

Recording should be similar to any other accident records. If injuries and scars are visible when children arrive with their parents, this should be recorded and signed by parents and staff. If this is observed after the parents leave, staff to immediately discuss with Safeguarding Lead and record before discussing with parents on collection of their children.

Staff should ensure that parents feel welcomed and not interrogated about injuries, hence building a positive rapport with parents from the onset is paramount. Also open lines of communication between staff and parents should be well embedded which will make it easier to discuss any accidents from home.

Records of accidents/injuries from home need to be stored in the child’s personal file, to ensure confidentiality of this sensitive information under the Data Protection Act requirements, and to ensure all information on a child is kept together in one place.

Please speak to your Childcare Development Officer for further support and guidance in implementing this best practice.

FareShare FoodCloud Getting surplus food direct from local stores to charities for free

If you are a charity or community group that uses food to support people, you can sign up to FareShare FoodCloud and collect good quality, surplus food from Tesco stores for free!

In early 2017 Waitrose will also be launching a trial with FareShare FoodCloud. If successful, the scheme will be expanded over 12 months to all Waitrose stores throughout the UK.

http://www.fareshare.org.uk/fareshare-foodcloud/

Child Accident Prevention Trust and BIPBA joint campaign on Button Battery Safety Button batteries and lithium coin batteries are found in many toys and novelty goods, but present a serious danger to children if they are swallowed or put into the nose or ear. If a

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button battery becomes stuck in the throat or gullet, chemicals generated due to the energy from the battery may cause internal bleeding and death. The Child Accident Prevention Trust and the British and Irish Portable Battery Association have formed a joint campaign to alert parents and practitioners to the risk. Prevention includes:

Keeping products with batteries well out of reach if the battery compartment isn’t secured with a screw;

Keep all spare batteries out of children’s reach and sight;

Avoiding toys from markets or temporary shops as they may not conform to safety regulations;

Teaching older children that button batteries are dangerous and not to play with them or give them to younger brothers and sisters;

Recycling used batteries safely.

If it is suspected that a child has swallowed a button battery dial 999 or take them straight to A & E. As part of the campaign, a safety pack and support is available for practitioners working with children to run community-based activities for parents.

https://www.capt.org.uk/button-batteries

Science in the early years

Exploration and investigation are essential in early years and teach our children many skills as well as developing their senses and physical attributes, but what does this have to do with science I hear you say.

What is science in the early years?

As teachers of young children we need to introduce materials, experiences, activities, environments and ways of thinking to support the discovery of science through play.

Science in the early years is not about test tubes, Bunsen burners and the Periodic Table, it is much more fundamental than that and paves the way for our future explorers, investigators, inventors and scientists! We need to support and challenge our children with new ideas, resources and access to the natural world in order to develop these investigative skills.

The journey: Babies

Science in the early years starts right from our youngest children with lots of opportunities for sensory exploration.

Treasure baskets with lots of different materials and textures in

Sensory play such as water, sand, paints, cornflour gloop, play doughs

Even outdoor play in puddles and mud.

The list is endless! Any opportunity for the children to explore different materials with their hands, feet and mouths is essential at this age.

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Ensure your youngest children are able to go outside and explore the

wider world, experience the different weathers, smell the flowers,

feel the grass between their fingers and toes and visit new places.

Science in the early years helps children to develop their understanding of

the world around them and their senses. It allows them to start to understand the differences and similarities between objects and our role as facilitators is vital. We need to introduce and reinforce language associated with the textures, colours, smells etc. This is how our children will learn.

Moving onto the toddlers, we should continue with these types of activities to further develop these skills and knowledge. As the children grow they are becoming more active and more inquisitive so we need to support this with the resources and environment we provide.

Offer opportunities for the children to go into the wider world and start to explore on a larger scale like mud areas and introduce different materials for the children to add into the mud like water. Support language development by talking to the children about the difference the water makes to the mud, what about adding sand into the mud?

The journey: Preschool

Preschool children are naturally explorative and want to learn much more about the world by delving in, getting involved and pulling apart and putting things back together, as a practitioner we are instrumental in supporting this by providing the right resources and environments.

Boys in particular love to deconstruct and reconstruct and this is all great problem solving as well as exploring how things work.

Tips and ideas

Take the children into the outdoors and explore the natural world, notice the differences, similarities and properties of different materials. Use the natural (and FREE!) resources around you such as:

The weather

Insects

Plants, flowers, trees

Textures

Man-made and natural resources.

Other ways of engaging children in science is to do fun experiments with everyday materials such as:

Baking soda

Vinegar

Balloons

Potatoes

Straws, plastic bottles and other junk modelling equipment.

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The more children can explore the aspects of science the better placed

they are as they progress through lifelong learning.

Relay and Early Help ‘free’ training.

Following the recent Relay training which helps support a greater understanding of domestic abuse and its effect on children, we are pleased to offer one further date. The feedback has been has been very positive so far. In addition we are extending the training to include to Early Help training.

The training date is on 18th July 2017 at Priory House, Shefford, CBC Council Offices from 3:15 – 6:15pm

Please email relay@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk for this last chance for some free training this term

Terrorist attacks

As well as natural and man-made disasters, are, sadly, regular occurrences these days – in the last few months we have seen multiple attacks in the UK alone. When these events hit the news it is important to think about how and what we communicate with children and young people.

Remember that all adults, especially teachers, carers and parents, are important role models – we need to take the lead.

Though we may not always see it first hand, especially as a parent, children and young people are learning from us all the time. This includes how we respond to distressing events in the news. Remember that when a major incident occurs it is broadcast repeatedly on news outlets and widely communicated in person and through the internet. Most children and young people will have heard it talked about, and in some instances, it will be a significant topic of conversation in the playground. Sometimes children through their own fear, or to cause a reaction in others, may exaggerate either the details of what has happened or the danger present now.

It is appropriate and important to let children know that we are all likely to have an emotional reaction to a tragic event. We can show them that feeling sad, angry, confused or upset is normal after these events. However, we also want to reassure them and show them that we are able to cope with even the most difficult tragedies. It is also important not to assume that children will see things in the same way as us, if we do, we could inadvertently project our fears onto them. For example, we may be imagining another similar event happening to us, friends or family or in our locality when they see are seeing this as an isolated event.

How can we be ‘honest and open’ and reassuring?

We can naturally worry that by talking about tragic events we can trigger fears or make people think they are more likely to happen. However, we have learnt that ‘not talking about’ something as important as people dying or being killed is more likely to have the effect of increasing anxiety and confusion. There are two main reasons for this:

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Children may make up, or have heard, more frightening inaccurate stories about what has happened and/or will happen in the future

Not talking about an important event gives the implicit message that this is something we cannot manage.

We reassure by:

The way in which we talk about something- children will notice our tone of voice, body language and our words. Whilst acknowledging sadness or upset we also want to be calm and reassuring in our manner.

Helping children appreciate how rare these events are. It may be helpful to point out that the stories are in the news not only because they are shocking and sad, but also because they are rare.

Where appropriate, pointing out the police or other emergency services are acting to make things safer (for example by arresting perpetrators or finding out why an accident happened).

If this is an act of terror or other killing it is helpful to talk about people doing ‘bad things’ as opposed to ‘bad people’. (click here for a link to our briefings on the Manchester attack or death by homicide)

Help to avoid excessive repeated exposure to events

We know that we cannot shield children from these painful events and that attempting to do so can have negative consequences. No child has ever told us they were glad someone lied to them about a death. However, there are studies that show repeatedly watching tragic events, such as the planes flying into the building on 9/11 may have negative psychological consequences (for adults and children).

Younger children (3-6 years)

They primarily need to hear that they are safe. Ideally parents and carers will keep calm, reassure about physical safety and help children to understand about their emotional reactions. Young children may be sensitive to absence from care givers, in this case it is important to provide information that will help them understand about the separation and be reassured about the re-union.

Exciting courses from the Academy…..

City and Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Business Administration

(Attachment 2.)

And If you’re working in a service that provides early intervention or help to children, young people and families then ‘Early Help Standards’ is for you.

This CACHE endorsed learning pathway written specifically to support our children and families workforce will provide a starting point for professional development.

(Attachment 3.)

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Oral health in early years

Training opportunity for childminders

Autumn 2017

Free training is planned to take place this autumn for childminders in the Central Bedfordshire area. Addressing the following questions, and more:

Should I brush babies/children’s’ teeth after meals?

Which snacks and drinks should I avoid/provide?

Are there any activities around oral health that I can do with the children?

What about dummies and bottles?

More information of dates and times will follow. If you would like to contact us now to

register your interest, please contact the Oral Health Promotion team on 01234 310355 or

ohp.bedfordshire@cds-cic.nhs.uk

Healthy Smiles - free training opportunity

Would you like to support the oral health of the children in

your care? Public Health England has stated:

“It is our ambition that every child grows up free from tooth

decay as part of having the best start in life.” Children’s

Oral Health Improvement Programme Board Action Plan

2016-2020,

Public Health England PHE Publications Gateway Number

2016312

OFSTED cites the Childcare Act 2006:

When learning, physiological development and children’s health are so inextricably linked

for the under-fives, tackling all forms of inequality, across education, health and social

care should go hand in hand. Unknown Children – Destined for Disadvantage? OFSTED

July 2016, Ref: 160044

Healthy Smiles training provides the essentials for ensuring your setting is ‘tooth friendly’,

covering:

Sugar frequency and tooth friendly snacks/drinks

Dental visits

Tips on toothbrushing

Activity ideas

Training is taking place on Tuesday 19th September, 1pm – 3pm, at Downside

Neighbourhood Centre, Oakwood Avenue, Dunstable, LU5 4AS

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Training is free and is open to early years settings and there is the

potential to gain the Healthy Smiles accreditation following the training.

Please contact the Oral Health Promotion Team for more information

and to book your place: ohp.bedfordshire@cds-cic.nhs.uk or 01234 310355

The British Stammering Association has recently updated its Pre-school Education Resource. It is a really comprehensive resource for Early Years staff. Head to www.stammering.org/earlyyears to take a look.

We signpost professionals and parents to the general website as a good starting point if a child develops a stammer. Remember, early intervention is key if a child in your care is stammering.

www.stammering.org/earlyyears

Do something incredible…foster! There are many reasons to foster, but the main one is that you are making a real difference to a child’s life. Your skills and knowledge could help support a child or young person to develop into confident young adults. We asked Tina how she found being a childminder and a foster carer:

“When I first approached Central Beds about becoming a foster carer my first question was ‘Can I foster even though I’m a childminder?’ and the answer was ‘ YES’. I haven’t looked back.

I’m not saying it’s been easy doing both but with the right attitude and focus you can do it. Central Beds welcomed the fact that I had done a wide variety of training and that we work with different age groups of children and the big plus was that we already work side by side with parents which is a very big factor in fostering as well as childminding. Unlike childminding, with fostering you don't know who is going to come through your front door so for this reason you have to be prepared for anything and also prepare the children and parents who use your setting. You will have a lot of meetings and appointments to fit into your busy day and this is where your organising skills come into place.

How have I managed to do both? Well I childmind Wednesday to Friday before and after school and all day Saturday and this works for us. I have Monday and Tuesday free to attend meetings and appointments which works very well.”

Foster carers are provided with extensive support including a comprehensive training package, a fee for the foster carer and an allowance for the child. To find out more about fostering visit www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/fostering, email fostering@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or call us on 0300 300 8181.

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And finally….

The Childcare Team, made up of Paula Day, Lesley Talbot, Laura Ross, Trudy Mather, Michelle Johnson and Olabisi Romeo, ran the Bedford 5k ‘Race for Life’ on 2nd July, in memory of their team member, Linda McKay. Linda sadly passed away in March this year, following a short battle with cancer. They were joined by Laura’s mum and Paula’s daughter! Not forgetting Carol Fairburn, who could not make the event, but kindly sponsored.

Together they raised over £725, with donations still coming in.

Before…..

After….