Southend-on-Sea: 30 Hours Team of The Year

Southend-on-Sea won the 30 Hours Team of the Year Award at the Childcare Works Awards in March 2018. They have a small dedicated early years team that is committed to maximising funding for children and their families.
When the 30 hours extended funding was announced, Southend Early Years took the initiative to actively involve multiple teams across the council to enable effective implementation. Early Years facilitated the development of the 30 Hours Implementation Team (30HIT). The team includes staff and managers from Early Years, Data & Performance, IT, Finance and Audit. This whole team approach resulted in the 30HIT holding regular process meetings since October 2016, working closely together on a daily basis to ensure that all the requirements of implementation are met. The commitment of the wider team has been inspirational and continues to strengthen.
The 30HIT managers prioritised workplans for the increased workload implementation has brought across multiple teams. Staff hours were re-prioritised to focus on developing new processes, exploring IT requirements and upgrades, ensuring effective payment systems and providing support to all providers. The 30HIT gave up their evenings to hold joint information sessions for providers.
The 30HIT worked together to submit a bid in January 2017 for 30 Hours Digital Accelerate Funding to link the Early Years funding portal to the ECS checker. Southend was awarded £8,625 in March 2017.
In partnership
The 30HIT worked in partnership with the Southend Borough Council Communications team to develop and distribute 30 hours and Tax-Free Childcare publicity materials including posters, leaflets and flyers and a social media campaign, using Childcare Choice resources.
Our childcare providers are a vital part of our wider team and the role providers played was integral to our successful implementation of 30 hours in Southend. The providers were kept informed during the months before implementation and the majority showed a commitment to embrace the extended hours and other changes 30 hours would bring, seeing this as an opportunity to help families out of poverty. The 30HIT ensured that the providers had opportunities for consultation and feedback at every stage when developing guidance and new documentation for the funding offers. Feedback confirms that providers have felt informed and included along the journey to 30 hours.
A bid for more funding
The 30HIT then developed and submitted a bid to the DfE Delivery Support Fund. Southend was successful in being awarded 100% of funding applied for, and we are actively using the funding to support infrastructure across the 30HIT including enhancements to digital systems to support providers, and promotion of early years entitlements to parents including dedicated work to promote opportunities for parents of children with SEND.
The 30HIT has worked with JobCentre Plus, health visitors, social care and children’s centres to ensure they understand the 30 hours offer and promote it to parents looking for work.
Sufficiency estimates show that there are sufficient childcare places in Southend for Spring and Summer terms and this is borne out by all parent enquirers having their needs met. Due to the DfE Capital Grant funds, three providers have been able to expand or extend their provision to offer an additional 82 places from January 2018.
Dispelling myths
The expert business strategy support sessions held during February 2017 dispelled the myths and perceived shortfall between funded rates and paid-for childcare rates. Many providers who had originally stated that they were not going to offer extended funding revised their business and delivery models and are successfully delivering 30 hours. 100% of PVI providers, 76% of childminders and 7 out of 15 (47%) of school nursery classes are offering 30 hours places. Provider feedback has been that the portal system for validating 30 hour codes and recording children and hours used is clear and straightforward to use.
Nursery classes
Meetings took place with the 15 schools with nursery classes to explore the implications of 30 hours and whether to change their funded places delivery models to incorporate extended provision. Schools were able to access business planning advice and the 30HIT delivered a bespoke programme of training on the Early Years Portal for school administration staff.
Embedded in strategic plans
The Head of Early Years ensures 30 hours is on the agenda at Department Management Team meetings and at Education Board (Schools Forum) meetings. 30 hours implementation is embedded in the Early Years Services Plan, the Learning Service plan and the ‘Our ambitions for your child’s education in Southend’. The ambitions document for parents and agencies across Southend includes contributions from the Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Councillor all of which demonstrate high level commitment to early years and 30 hours.
Southend hosted a visit in September 2017 from the DfE Finance team of 10. They were impressed to see the level of commitment and knowledge from teams across the council joining together as the 30HIT. This was an excellent two-way sharing of knowledge.
Addressing barriers
Southend participated fully in the Childcare Works programme of practical and effective support which provided guidance to address any barriers to implementation.
Autumn 2017 period saw 623 eligibility codes issued and 91% successfully validated. The actual take-up was 491 unique children which represented 87% of validated codes. The remaining 13% are believed to be taking up their place in Essex — across the border; or keeping children with their preferred day nursery for only the 15 universal hours as all the 30 hours places are full; or are using one of the three Independent providers who do not offer 30 hours provision. The success rate shows the value of the 30HIT work with Communications to inform parents about 30 hours and Tax-Free Childcare and signpost them to Childcare Choices.
Spring funding period saw 933 validations of 30 hour codes and 924 children accessed extended hours — success rate of 99%. This was well above the DfE indicative number of 739 children expected to access a place in Autumn 2017 and Spring 2018.
“Southend-on-Sea won their Childcare Works 30 hours team award for very many reasons,” says James Hempsall. “They were fast off the blocks right from the start, and were inclusive and strategic across the local authority, and worked amazingly well as a team. They were excellent in the ways that involved providers at all stages, with information, support, and business concerns and considerations. Take-up was excellent as well. And one more reason; they have been enthusiastic, committed and practical — and this infectious energy has supported other local authorities and providers to rise to the challenge of 30 hours as well.”
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Childcare Works Awards 2018 Winners
The Provider Sharing Practice Award — Hindley Nursery School
The Partnership Award — Mel Negus, Childminder
The Local Authority Sharing Practice Award — Cambridge County Council
The Innovation Award — Northumberland County Council
The Sufficiency and Market Management Award — Buckinghamshire County Council
The 30 Hours Team Award — Southend-On-Sea Borough Council
The Two-Year-Olds Award — Cheshire West and Chester Council

