Childcare sufficiency report 2024

The most recent Ofsted data, shows that Lincolnshire has 98% of settings graded good or Outstanding. This means the majority of children in Lincolnshire have access to high quality settings. The table below shows the comparison between Lincolnshire’s Ofsted ratings and the regional and national figures.

Lincolnshire’s Early Childhood Strategy outlines:

• our approach to improving educational outcomes for our youngest children
• our commitment to ensuring the availability of high-quality childcare provision

This enables all children to access their entitlement. Supporting the development of quality provision remains one of our primary focuses. This strategy will be reviewed in 2024. It will be included within Lincolnshire’s Start for Life Strategy.

Staff recruitment and retention

There continues to be some concerns nationally around recruitment into the childcare sector and retention of staff in favour of better paid roles with less responsibility. Supporting recruitment and retention of the childcare workforce is at the heart of the work within the early years team.  We are working in partnership with external agencies such as schools, the DWP and careers advisors to promote a career in the childcare.

The government has launched its do something big campaign. This supports the recruitment of new people into the childcare sector. We have widely publicised the campaign through our communication channels.

Relationships with colleges have been strengthened recently with plans to have a collaborative approach with the DWP. This will encourage people into the sector. Our relationship with the DWP has continued, and it is essential that these relationships are strong. This will ensure that frontline staff working with job seekers continue to consider a career in childcare. A plan is in place to further enhance our campaign to encourage people into the sector. This includes increasing the amount of childminders we have across the county.

SEND provision and accessibility

Schools, early years, childcare settings and other organisations that provide services for children must make reasonable adjustments and deliver high quality and inclusive provision to ensure that all children have the same play and learning opportunities. The following are in place to ensure that all children get the support they need, when they need it, and that all children have every opportunity to reach their potential:

• The Equality Act 2010
• the Children and Families Act 2014
• SEND Code of Practice 2015
• the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (covering children’s early education from 0 to 5)

Over the past year we have worked with the sector and all early years family facing professionals. This includes local authority staff. They had the opportunity to upskill their knowledge and skills through a free online inclusion training project. This was led by Dingley’s Promise. This has enabled children in the early years with special educational needs and disabilities to achieve their full potential by:

• breaking down barriers to accessing settings and services
• having access to highly skilled educators

SEN Inclusion Funding (SENIF) is available for children with emerging, or mild Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Disability Access Funding (DAF) is payable to settings for children in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

Number of children in receipt of DAF:

• Autumn 2023 - 58
• Spring 2024 - 54
• Summer 2024 - 83
• total - 195

Initial indications from HMRC showed that Lincolnshire had approximately 200 children eligible for DAF. The funding awarded is allocated based on a child for the full year.

We have seen an increase in provider applications to support children with SEN. We have responded by increasing the amount of funding available to providers through the Dedicated Schools Grant specifically for SENIF. Of those SENIF children accessing provision, attendance shows the majority are accessing their universal and extended hours.

The early years team is currently working with performance colleagues to identify children in Lincolnshire not currently accessing provision. This includes reviewing GP data against EYE take-up data.  A detailed outreach activity is underway to determine:

• any barriers to accessing provision, and
• how many of those children not accessing provision have SEND

16% of parents who responded to the parent survey had children with SEN. Parents identified a barrier to accessing childcare in Lincolnshire. They found that suitable provision with adequately trained staff to support their child's needs is limited.

There will need to be a refocus into preventative work at an earlier stage through quality, safeguarding and inclusion teams. EYCC have implemented an Early Years setting SENCO training pathway from inclusion support through to ongoing CPD for experienced SENCOs.

Inclusive practice training

• 2024 - 43 booked so far
• 2023 - 40

SENCo two-day training – Lincolnshire in-house

• 2024 - 46 booked so far
• 2023 - 40

SEN level 3

• 2023 to 24 - 48 delegates
• 2022 to 23 - 29 delegates

SEN level 2

• 2023 to 24 - 61 delegates
• 2022 to 23 - 73 delegates

Data on numbers of EHC Plans shows an increase. Further consideration is needed into an approach to address this.

Additional deprivation funding and early years pupil premium payments are made to supplement the hourly funding rate for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The number of 2, 3 and 4-year-old children in receipt of the early years pupil premium in June 2024 is 2,850.

Providers request parent details so these can be checked for eligibility. The current number of children funded exceeds the expected levels. This funding is supporting providers with additional costs associated with children’s needs.

When supporting the development of a new setting, we ensure that advice and guidance is given around inclusive environments and practice. Childcare staff are able to access training to support their practice, and locality early years teams aide them in developing more inclusive practice to meet the needs of children.