Early Years and Childcare Core Offer

The Early Years, Childcare and Business Development Service provides a core offer of support for Ofsted registered childcare providers. This offer enables providers to receive specialist dedicated universal and/or targeted support.

Please note that our core offers may be subject to change on review by the Early Years, Childcare & Business Development Service in order to meet the needs of the sector.

Early Years Teaching, Learning & Assessment

Early Years Business & Finance

Early Years Premises, Health & Safety

Early Years SEND

Early Years Safeguarding & Welfare

Case Studies & Feedback

Childminding Core Offer

HEYL & All Talk

Early Help

Department for Education RISE

Strong Early Years London Project

East London EY Stronger Practice Hub

Early Years Business and Finance

The Early Years Business & Finance core offer for childcare providers offers information, advice and training to support childcare providers in running their childcare businesses.  

The universal package includes:

  • Email and telephone support from Early Years Business Lead
  • Email and telephone support from Early Years Business Lead
  • FEEE Business and Finance Compliance Check process – for new or existing Ofsted registered providers who wish to be commissioned to deliver the government’s free early education and childcare to eligible 2, 3 & 4year olds
  • Business and Finance Forum – receive up to date information, ask questions, network with professionals and gain advice and support from the Early Years Team
  • A range of Business and Finance Information, Advice and Training
  • Early Years Hub Newsletter
  • The Hub

The targeted offer includes: 

Further information

If you have any questions regarding the support available, or for any further advice or information, please email earlyyears@walthamforest.gov.uk.

 

Early Years Premises, Health & Safety

The Early Years Premises, Health & Safety core offer for childcare providers offers information, advice and training to support childcare providers in meeting their legal duty to manage the health and safety of the childcare premises they operate from.  

The universal package includes:

  • Email and telephone support from Early Years Premises, Health and Safety Lead
  • Email and telephone support from Early Years Premises, Health and Safety Lead regarding Place Creation
  • FEEE Premises, Health and Safety Check process – for new or existing Ofsted registered providers who wish to be commissioned to deliver the government’s free early education and childcare to eligible 2, 3 & 4year olds
  • Early Years Premises, Health and Safety Forum – receive up to date information, ask questions, network with professionals and gain advice and support from the Premises, Health and Safety Lead
  • Check in visits to include EYFS Health and safety compliance and premises. This is a visit by the Premises, Health and Safety lead to the childcare provider premises, providing information, advice and support regarding:
  • Fabric of building internally & externally
  • Security
  • Food safety/Hygiene
  • Pest control/hygiene
  • H&S compliance
  • EYFS requirements (Page 35 and 36)

The visit format will be visually led and include discussions with managers and or person responsible for H&S which may result in further support or signposting to the H&S audit template or other guidance available on the hub

The targeted offer includes: 

Further information

If you have any questions regarding the support available, or for any further advice or information, please email earlyyears@walthamforest.gov.uk.

Early Years Safeguarding & Welfare

The Early Years Safeguarding & Welfare core offer for childcare providers offers information, advice and training to support childcare providers in meeting the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory guidance on safeguarding and welfare requirements.

The universal package includes:

  • Email and telephone support from Early Years Safeguarding in Education Lead
  • FEEE Safeguarding Compliance Check process – for new or existing Ofsted registered providers who wish to be commissioned to deliver the government’s free early education and childcare to eligible 2, 3 & 4year olds
  • Early Years Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Forum – receive up to date information, ask questions, network with professionals and gain advice and support from the Premises, Health and Safety Lead
  • Cyclical Visits – The visits made to providers is to ensure that children are kept safe and will also support providers to evidence how they meet relevant parts of the EYFS requirements and guidance set out in ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ (2018).
  • A range of Safeguarding in Education Information, Advice and Training
  • Early Years Hub Newsletter
  • The Hub

The targeted offer includes: 

Further information about Cyclical Visit: 

  1. A discussion with the manager regarding the setting’s overall approach and organisation of safeguarding
  2. Observation of the premises and the safety measures in place
  3. A discussion with individual staff regarding their understanding of safeguarding
  4. A discussion with the safeguarding lead (where different to the manager)
  5. Review of setting documentation which relates to safeguarding
  6. A review of the setting processes with regards to record keeping for children who are receiving safeguarding interventions

 

Evidence base

A range of information and documents will be looked at to inform the visit for each category within the audit. The following are examples:

Records

  • Training
  • Individual child files
  • Individual Child Protection files
  • Staff induction
  • Staff files including qualifications and references
  • Parental responsibility and contact information
  • Staff meeting minutes
  • Management committee (or equivalent) meeting minutes
  • Health and Safety fire and risk assessments

Key documents

  • Policies and procedures
  • Setting Improvement Plan
  • Information to parents (for example: prospectus, Setting / parent Agreement)

Other

  • Surveys undertaken with children, parents, staff
  • Peer observation
  • Local authority visits
  • Ofsted inspection report
  • Daily staffing structure
  • Medical consent forms
  • Accident records

Further information

If you have any questions regarding the support available, or for any further advice or information, please email safeguardingineducation@walthamforest.gov.uk. 

Case Studies & Feedback 

 

HEYL & All Talk 

 

Department for Education RISE

Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) is a national Department for Education (DfE) programme offers support to reception teachers and leaders to improve and meet the target of 75 per cent (nationally) 80 per cent in Waltham Forest of children achieving a Good Level of Development by 2028.

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) provides evidence-informed guidance and toolkits. DfE encourage the use of EEF resources.

 

East London EY Stronger Practice Hub

Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs provide advice, share good practice and offer evidence-based professional development for early years practitioners.

 A Brighter start will work together with the early years sector and alongside local authorities, to create a hub for support and collaboration.

Professional development opportunities: 

Early Years Conversation Project - EYCP - Sheringham Nursery School.

Early Years Training

Early Years Financial Guidance

Early Years SEND Funding
Last update: Thursday 5th of February 2026 09:00:15 AM