This page is for anyone working with children and families, including childcare providers, people working in an education setting, or those who would like to become a childminder or set up a daycare setting.

Information for childminders and daycare providers

The Early Years Census

The Early Years Census is due to take place on Thursday 16^th January 2020. Completion of the Census is mandatory for providers who have registered to provide funded places for children aged 2, 3 and 4 years.

Providers included within the Census are: 

• Private, voluntary and independent settings
• Childminders
• Schools that have governor led pre-school provision

You will need to complete the census information on Synergy through the Provider Portal (via the Forms section). Please note this cannot be completed prior to 16^th January 2020.

If you do not have children accessing funded free provision during the week of the census there is no requirement to complete the information, however, please confirm this in an email to childcare@durham.gov.uk

Deadline

Please ensure your return is received by no later than Friday 24^th January 2020 – failure to submit a return may affect your funding.

If you require support or have any queries please email childcare@durham.gov.uk 

• How to become a childminder
• Information and support for childminders - Information and support for you as a childminder to help in your day to day practice and in preparing for your Ofsted inspections.
• Information and support for daycare providers - Information and support for you as a daycare provider to help you with your role.
• Funding information for registered early years providers in County Durham - Find out about funding arrangements for Free Play and Learn for two year olds, and Early Education entitlement for three and four year olds.
• If you are provider of funded places we are asking that you note the number of children not accessing a place within your area and contact your local Children’s Centre to discuss possible partnership working with a view to maximising the take-up of places. View the latest ‘Take-up’ figures for Free Play and Learn for 2 Year Olds by Children's Centre Cluster Area and Children's Centres
• Children’s Reading 2019 

Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) information and training for providers

• SEND Toolkit and documents - Useful documents and referral forms that you can use when supporting children and young people aged 0-25 with SEND.
• Understanding SEND training - As part of the SEND Reforms Programme, education colleagues delivered a rolling programme of free training sessions called Understanding SEND. 
• SEND e-learning courses - A free e-learning course is available to help you understand what the reforms are, how we are implementing them, and about the Local Offer.

Stronger Families

Stronger Families is a way of working with County Durham families who'd like support with any problems or difficulties they may be having.

• Stronger Families in County Durham
• Parenting programme quality standards

Updating your details on this website

• For information on how to update your organisation's details on our website, please refer to our guide: Updating your information on the Families Information Service (FIS)/Local Offer website (PDF). 
• Registering on our website as a personal assistant (PA)