Support from the Local Authority

Through our Early Years Inclusion and Childcare Service and wider professional services, we provide:

• Advice, guidance and support to maintain high-quality provision
• Training and development opportunities for practitioners and leaders
• Multiagency working to support children and families, especially those with additional needs

All providers can access advice, support, guidance and training through:

• Weekly ‘provider updates’ through email.
• The self-service website resources.leicestershire.gov.uk/early-years
• The duty desk helpline on 0116 305 7136
• The FEEE inbox FEEE@leics.gov.uk
• 2-Year-old / EYPP helpline 0116 305 6208
• Email support at childcare@leics.gov.uk
• Attendance at training courses, workshops, conferences and events.

Early Years improvement support

Early Years Improvement Advisors work directly with settings to:

• improve Ofsted outcomes
• strengthen teaching, learning and assessment
• support leadership and curriculum development

Each setting has an allocated Improvement Advisor / Area SENCo.

Providers who have been judged Urgent Improvement, Needs Attention or Not Met at their most recent inspection can expect to receive additional support.

Our approach to support uses the Positive Practice Tool.

The Improvement Team have also created extensive guidance to help providers deliver the EYFS:

• Guidance on statutory requirements
• Curriculum and assessment resources
• School readiness toolkits
• Inclusion and equality resources
• Support to strengthen teaching and pedagogy
• Safeguarding guidance and updates

SEND and Inclusion support

There is a strong inclusion offer for children aged 0 to 5:

The Early Years SEND Inclusion Team provide:

• Support for children with low, emerging, and complex needs
• Empower parents and families to help their child and settings and schools to be inclusive

The team Includes:

• SEND advisors (3 to 5 years)
• Inclusion practitioners (3 to 5 years supporting children with SEMH needs at risk of exclusion
• Portage practitioners (birth–3 years)
• SEND entitlement Officer (supporting families to access Disability Living Allowance and settings to access Disability Access Fund)

• Experts at hand (3 to 7 years) supporting settings and Key stage 1 in schools to develop inclusive provision to be able to support and fully include children with developmental delay.

Additional support:

• Sensory play sessions offered across the county in term time and Inclusive Play sessions offered in the school holidays in all areas
• Offering a raft of SEND training for Senco’s, managers and practitioners to support inclusion
• SEND drop ins every three weeks for providers to get immediate un-named advice

School aged childcare support

Childcare Improvement Sufficiency Officers work directly with

• Schools
• Childcare providers
• Out of school

We have officers who support the quality of provision including advice and guidance on any Ofsted requirements. The Out of School providers pages give information and tool kits to support providers alongside visits and information briefings.

We offer SEND support including funding to support providers with their inclusive practice.

New providers

Childcare Improvement Sufficiency Officers support new providers coming into the sector by:

• Offering induction sessions for nurseries, pre-schools and out of school providers
• Childminder briefing sessions
• Support visits before Ofsted registration

Setting up and running a childcare business pages provide further information and guidance.

Workforce development and training

Recruitment support

Promotes careers in childcare through its Career in Childcare campaign and information resources. We provides information on different routes into the sector, including:

• Apprenticeships
• Volunteering opportunities
• Practitioner and management roles
• Childminding careers
• Recruitment fairs

Training and workforce development

Offers a programme of training courses and professional development for Leicestershire's early years workforce. Also provides guidance on professional qualifications, career progression pathways, and access to accredited training

Commissions specialist training providers to deliver:

• Early Years practice training
• Inclusion and SEND training
• Safeguarding training
• Paediatric First Aid training
• Leadership and management development.
• Delivers training, advice, and guidance to help settings maintain and improve the quality of provision for children.

Training and professional development pages provide information and guidance to support providers with their training recruitment and retention.

Business and sufficiency support

Support is provided for both new and existing providers.

Includes

• Help with Ofsted registration (via Childcare Improvement Sufficiency Officers)
• Business development advice on financial sustainability, growth
• Marketing your provision
• Market research
• Cost analysis

The Business support pages provide further information.

For new providers

• Guidance on starting a childcare business
• Support navigating legal, financial, and operational requirements
• Committee workshops
• Legal entity

Funding and free entitlement support

We support providers to deliver funded childcare places:

Funding areas

• Free Early Education Entitlement (FEEE) for children aged 9 months to 5
• 30‑hour extended entitlement
• Advice on funding administration and compliance

Provider support

• Access to the Provider Portal
• Guidance on eligibility, headcounts, and funding claims
• Workshops to support the administration of FEEE
• FEEE help line
• FEEE inbox

The FEEE information for providers page offers further support and guidance.

Family and community links

You can also get further advice and support from the following services:

• Family Hubs
• Family Help
• Health professionals and speech and language services
• Safeguarding partnerships (LRSB)

This ensures a joined ‑ up approach to supporting children and families.