The Early Years Team is responsible for ensuring that high quality early years and childcare provision, which is available and accessible to all families with young children.
They offer support and advice to all settings that provide early education and childcare, this includes:
- Childminders,
- Private Voluntary and Independent (PVI) Early Years Settings,
- Maintained Nursery Schools
- and Infant and Primary Schools.
They work with partner organisations across Health, Inclusion, Family Help and the Voluntary Sector in order to improve outcomes for children across the county. This includes supporting our Children's Centres and working in partnership to develop a network of Family Hubs in partnership with communities.
Some of the team are also Area Special Educational Needs Coordinators (Sencos), they support schools and settings to develop their inclusive practice to meet the needs of children who are displaying emerging Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The team also includes a sufficiency officer, finance officers and the Families Information Service who deal with any issues around the funding of places and support families to find childcare places.
Contact details
The Early Years Team works with settings and schools to enable them to continuously improve their Early Years Foundation Stage quality as judged by the Ofsted inspection:
Early Years Team Manager
Early Years and Childcare Advisers
Early Years Advisers/Area SENCOs
- Megan.eccles@WestmorlandandFurness.gov.uk
- julie.lewis@WestmorlandandFurness.gov.uk
- Sue.Harrington@WestmorlandandFurness.gov.uk
- Rachel.Ramsbottom@WestmorlandandFurness.gov.uk
- Margaret.Thornley@WestmorlandandFurness.gov.uk