Essex County Council Early Years

21/10/2026

Looking for support with safe recruiting in your early years setting? Join this session on 9 December 2026 📢

Delivered by the Essex Safeguarding Team, this session will show how a strong culture of safeguarding can improve your recruitment processes.

This training will cover multiple areas including:
- the recruitment and selection process
- pre-appointment and vetting checks
- how to record and respond to low-level concerns about members of the workforce

This training is taking place at Jobserve Community Stadium, Colchester on Wednesday 9 December - 9.30am to 3.30pm.

Book your place now at Education Essex Online:
https://educationessex.essex.gov.uk/Event/306358 📌

21/10/2026

Upcoming Essex SEND Local Offer Roadshows available for parents and carers - Please share with those in your settings 📢

These are for parent/carers to visit and ask questions about SEND, with no need to book. Please share with those in your setting. The following dates are available:

Wednesday 21 October - Benfleet
Wednesday 4 November - Epping
Sunday 15 November - Braintree

For more details please visit the Essex SEND website: https://send.essex.gov.uk/i-think-my-child-needs-help/essex-send-local-offer-roadshows 📌

20/10/2026

Early Years Movement Mark from Active Essex 🏃

The Early Years Movement Mark, recognises early years providers that deliver high-quality physical development opportunities for young children as part of the campaign.

The award supports stronger physical activity practice across settings, helping children build foundations for lifelong health and wellbeing.

Do you want to get involved? Applications are now open until 6 November 2026: https://forms.monday.com/forms/2ed691fced40f46e74e1f8fb0a457ec6?r=euc1 📋

Find out more via our website:
https://www.activeessex.org/children-young-people/early-years 📌

20/10/2026

Early Years practitioners - Let's chat! 📢

Let's Chat Early Intervention is a free monthly online session led by the Early Years Early Intervention team, bringing practitioners together to reflect, learn and strengthen practice. Explore practical solutions, peer support and discover local services and referral pathways.

No booking required and no limit to how many sessions you can attend. Simply access the joining link through Education Essex Online: https://educationessex.essex.gov.uk/letschat 📌

Come along, connect with colleagues, and be part of a growing community helping every child in Essex to have the Best Start in Life.

19/10/2026

Wellcomm: Fully funded speech and language toolkit for your setting 🧰

Essex County Council is offering a fully funded WellComm toolkit, training, and support to all funded early years settings in Essex. The will help your team to identify children’s communication needs early and provide practical support.

WellComm is designed for children aged 6 months to 6 years. It combines a short observational assessment alongside activities that practitioners can include in everyday routines.

Taking part will help your setting to:
- identify speech, language and communication needs early
- select activities matched to each child’s assessment results
- provide practical support through play and everyday interactions

Complete this survey to register your interest: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/2ADHpcsWKG 📌

If you have any questions please contact the Wellcomm mailbox: [email protected] 📩

19/10/2026

Always find the latest safeguarding training with Education Essex Online! 🔎

Do you want to save time searching for upcoming safeguarding courses? Check out our dedicated training pages:

Safeguarding briefings:
https://educationessex.essex.gov.uk/safeguardingbriefings 📌

Level 2 safeguarding:
https://educationessex.essex.gov.uk/level2safeguarding 📌

Level 3 safeguarding:
https://educationessex.essex.gov.uk/level3safeguarding 📌

For any specific sessions please visit our training search page:
https://educationessex.essex.gov.uk/Training?id=7164 📌

16/10/2026

Are a childminder in Essex? Level 3 Safeguarding session available Saturday 14 November ⭐

Taking place at Essex Outdoors, Danbury, and delivered by the Essex Education Safeguarding Team, this single-session training course will give you an opportunity to explore:

- the importance of being a Designated Safeguarding Lead as a childminder
- understanding children's mental health
- the national statutory framework for keeping children safe

All attendees will receive a certificate after completing the session.

Find out more and book your place at Education Essex Online: https://educationessex.essex.gov.uk/Event/309298 📌

16/10/2026

Do you have questions about how you should use screens around young children? Check out Best Start in Lifes post below for useful information 📱

Children’s brains are like sponges.

From your words, to your actions – they'll copy everything you do, including your screen use habits.

Try to be mindful of how often you use screens around your little ones.

Visit Best Start in Life for more guidance on healthy routines, screen-use limits, and better content choices.

16/10/2026

Feedback for the Making it REAL early years literacy programme 📢

"Since introducing Making it REAL, we’ve definitely noticed a difference in our practice and more impact on the children's literacy skill. We’re much more aware of creating meaningful opportunities for children to use their early literacy skills in everyday situations.”

Hearing how Making it Real is strengthening everyday practice is fantastic!

By embedding early literacy into everyday experiences, practitioners are helping children develop the skills they need in a natural, engaging, and purposeful way.

It’s inspiring to see settings across Essex making such a positive and lasting impact on children’s learning.

Find out more about Making it REAL on Education Essex Online: https://educationessex.essex.gov.uk/makingitreal

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15/10/2026

Free safeguarding professional development session available for childminders - 7 December 2026 ⭐️

This is a free, one-hour webinar covering various areas of safeguarding for childminders in Essex. These can include:

- welfare and safeguarding arrangements
- Prevent,
- child protection records,
- working with other agencies

You will also have an opportunity to request other safeguarding topics you wish to discuss.

Book your place now: https://educationessex.essex.gov.uk/Event/311985 📌