Early Years and Childcare Support

29/10/2026

Thought for Thursday

Sing, Count, Learn! Using Songs to Support Early Maths
Songs, rhymes and music can be a fun and powerful way to support children’s early mathematical development. The EEF highlights songs and rhymes as one of the everyday contexts through which young children can explore mathematics.
Number songs give children opportunities to hear and practise the counting sequence through repetition, while actions and props can help bring mathematical ideas to life.
Try using familiar number rhymes throughout the day and add objects, fingers, puppets or actions for children to count. Pause before the next number to give children time to join in, predict what comes next and show their understanding.
Think beyond simply singing the numbers. Talk together about what is happening:
• How many are there now?
• What happens if we take one away?
• How do you know?
This helps children connect the words in the song with meaningful mathematical ideas.
Use this helpful guide for practical ideas on how familiar nursery rhymes can support early mathematical development:
https://education.northtyneside.gov.uk/maths-with-nursery-rhymes-a-guide-for-early-year/

We’d love to hear from you!
What are your favourite songs and rhymes for developing early maths?
Share your ideas in the comments below.

28/10/2026

Still looking for prevent duty training, this one is free to complete

Access training courses on the Prevent duty, the threat from terrorism and extremism in the UK and how to support people susceptible to radicalisation.

28/10/2026

Welfare Wednesday

New Information Sharing Guidance for Early Years Settings
Key Messages for Early Years Practitioners
1. Safeguarding comes first
If information may help protect a child or support their welfare, practitioners should share it with appropriate agencies. A child's safety takes priority over concerns about confidentiality where there is a safeguarding need.
2. Don't let uncertainty stop you sharing
The guidance recognises that professionals can sometimes hesitate because of concerns around consent, confidentiality or GDPR. It makes clear that data protection legislation is not a barrier to appropriate safeguarding information sharing.
3. Professional curiosity is essential
Early years practitioners often see children and families regularly and may notice emerging concerns before other professionals. Small pieces of information observed by different agencies can build a picture of need, risk or harm.
4. Share relevant information promptly
Where information is relevant to safeguarding or promoting welfare, practitioners should ensure it is shared with those who need it. Delays in sharing can mean children and families do not receive support quickly enough.
5. Record your decisions
Settings should maintain clear records of:
• Concerns identified
• Information shared
• Who it was shared with
• Why it was shared
• Decisions not to share and the reasons why
This helps demonstrate professional decision-making and accountability

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6aa2a5b1c5796a7a179c665a/Information_sharing_duty_statutory_guidance.pdf

27/10/2026

TRAINING TUESDAY

Limited places left
𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗥𝗘𝗡, 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗜𝗢𝗨𝗥 - 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧
By Inspired Training on 2nd November 2026 (afternoon)

Links:- https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/positive-children-positive-behaviour-online-event-tickets-1990477935086
Password:- Please see Training Brochure for password or e-mail [email protected] for details

“𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘧𝘧 𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦”

Eventbrite - Early Years & Childcare Support presents Positive Children, Positive Behaviour - online event - Wednesday, 9 September 2026 - Find event and ticket information.

27/10/2026

TRAINING TUESDAY

Only 5 places left
𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗙𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗗𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗢𝗕𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗢𝗙𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦
By Early Years Fundamental on 2nd November 2026 (evening)

Links:- https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/narrating-practice-with-confidence-during-shared-observations-with-ofsted-tickets-1984052837446
Password:- Please see Training Brochure for password or e-mail [email protected] for details

“𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘧𝘧 𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦”

Eventbrite - Early Years & Childcare Support presents Narrating practice with confidence during shared observations with Ofsted - Tuesday, 9 June 2026 - Find event and ticket information.

27/10/2026

TRAINING TUESDAY

New Date
“𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬, 𝗦𝗘𝗧, 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗘: 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗗”
On 13th November 2026 (online)

Links:- https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ready-set-thrive-creating-inclusive-transitions-for-every-child-tickets-2003135929488

Password:- Please see Training Brochure for password or e-mail [email protected] for details

“𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘧𝘧 𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦”

Eventbrite - Early Years & Childcare Support presents “Ready, Set, Thrive: Creating Inclusive Transitions for Every Child” - Friday, November 13, 2026 - Find event and ticket information.

27/10/2026

TRAINING TUESDAY

Don’t forget to book your place -
𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗢 𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 𝗠𝗘𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 – 𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗨𝗠𝗡 𝟮𝟲
From 2nd to 5th November (face to face and online available)

Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Physical Development
a. Therapy services input
b. Local support available and Inclusive Physical development provision
3. Workforce development
4. Local and national SEND updates

See Training Brochure or Bulletin for all booking details

“𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘧𝘧 𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦”

26/10/2026

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆

22/10/2026

Thought for Thursday
This week is the Book Trust’s Story Sharer week, promoting getting children reading from their earliest days.

Reading and sharing stories brings profound and wide-ranging benefits that can have a lifelong positive impact on the lives of children of all ages and backgrounds.

The Book Trust provides a wealth of tips and support for getting children reading:

https://www.booktrust.org.uk/

https://www.booktrust.org.uk/resources/find-resources/top-tips-helping-families-develop-a-reading-habit-during-a-childs-early-years/

https://www.booktrust.org.uk/resources/find-resources/story-sharer-week/

Their research identifies five enabling conditions that offer the best support for families to get their children reading. Please above for more information.

How do you support your families to make reading a part of their children’s earliest experiences? Please share your top tips and successes in the chat. We’d love to hear how you share stories.

22/10/2026

Thought for Thursday

This month the National Year of reading has a focus on mental health and wellbeing.

Bereavement can be incredibly difficult for young children to understand, and every child will experience and respond to grief differently.
Early years settings can play an important role in providing stability, familiar routines and caring relationships at a time when other parts of a child’s life may feel very different.
This useful guidance from Child Bereavement UK offers practical advice for early years practitioners, including:
💛 maintaining good communication with the child’s family
💬 using simple, honest and age-appropriate language
🧸 providing opportunities to explore feelings through play and creative activities
🌱 offering reassurance and maintaining familiar routines
👂 giving children a safe and supportive environment to ask questions and express their feelings.

Take a look at the guidance here:
https://www.childbereavementuk.org/early-years-supporting-bereaved-children

For books and resources please see the link below:
https://www.childbereavementuk.org/Pages/FAQs/Category/for-children-up-to-11

The guidance also explores how children’s understanding of bereavement can differ depending on their age and stage of development, and some of the behaviours and responses practitioners may see.

Did you know?

Our local Lincolnshire Children’s Centres have Bereavement Borrow Bags available, containing resources that practitioners can borrow and use to gently support children following a bereavement.