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Please find below a comment from the Early Years Â黨ӰÊÓon the contents of the government's new Best Start in Life strategy, published today.

Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said:

"There is no doubt that this is an ambitious and wide-ranging strategy which, if implemented in genuine partnership with the sector, has the potential to transform the experiences of children and families in this country.

"We welcome the focus on the quality of early years provision, and on the need to recognise those working in the sector as educational professionals, and look forward to understanding more about the detail of these plans. We're also pleased to see plans to make the early years system simpler and easier to navigate for parents and families – especially those whose children have special educational needs and/or disabilities – as part of wider efforts to remove barriers to early years access.

"That said, we're very clear that given the financial challenges currently facing the early years sector, the ambitions detailed in this strategy can only – and will only – be possible with sufficient funding from government.

"While we welcome plans to consult on early years funding, it is critical that this review looks specifically at the sufficiency of the overall level of early years funding, as well as how it is distributed – and of course, this is a fundamental part of ensuring that settings are able to recruit and retain high-quality early educators, which is – rightly – a key focus of this strategy.

"What's more, we know that many settings are facing a daily battle to remain financially viable and simply cannot afford to wait over a year for changes to be implemented. As such, it remains vital that government provides additional financial support to the sector during the interim period ahead of the funding consultation in summer 2026.

"Ultimately, however, the Best Start in Life strategy is a welcome and positive vision of what early years education, care and support could look like in this country. We stand ready to work in partnership with government to make it a reality."