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New DfE survey highlights early years access and cost challenges facing parents

Shannon.Pite_EYA — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:35:18 +0000

New DfE survey highlights early years access and cost challenges facing parents

The number of parents finding it difficult to afford and access early years provision has risen over recent years, with those from the most deprived areas and families of children with SEND facing particularly significant challenges, a new Department for Education (DfE) survey has found.

According to the latest Childcare and early years survey of parents, 39% of families of children aged 0-4 said that the availability of early years places was ‘not enough’ in 2024, compared to 28% in 2019. Similarly, 31% describing meeting early years costs as ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’ in 2024, up from 24% in 2021.

The survey also found that 26% of parents whose children are not using formal early years provision are currently on a waiting list for a provider, while 23% of families reported problems with finding childcare flexible enough to meet their needs.

In addition, the findings revealed that only 56% of children from the most deprived areas were accessing formal early years provision in 2024, compared to 75% of those from the least deprived areas. Parents of children with special education needs or disabilities (SEND) also highlighted the challenges they face finding suitable care and education, with 48% of those using formal provision finding it ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult' to find a local provider who could cater for their child’s needs.

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

“While we welcome and continue to feel optimistic about the transformative potential of the government’s new ‘Best Start in Life’ strategy, as this survey shows, there is still a long way to go towards breaking down the barriers to opportunity for all children regardless of their background.

“With only just over half of children from the most deprived areas accessing formal early years provision in 2024 – compared to nearly three-quarters of those from the least deprived areas – it’s clear that much more must be done to ensure that early education is universally accessible to avoid embedding further inequality into society.

“What’s more, it’s incredibly disheartening to read that the number of parents of children with SEND who found it difficult to find a suitable local early years provider rose from less than a third in 2023 to nearly half in 2024. Clearly, children with SEND and their families must be at the heart of any efforts to improve accessibility.

“The reality is that while the government’s commitment to the early years in the long term is incredibly welcome, the sector is facing a crisis now. The fact that both the number of parents saying that there aren’t enough early years places and the number finding it difficult to meet costs has increased significantly over recent years speaks volumes about the scale of the challenge the sector is currently facing.

“It’s clear that the government’s renewed focus on improving the experiences of parents and carers in the early years could not be more necessary. While we look forward to working with ministers to deliver this vision, we continue to urge the government to look at what can be done in the short term to ensure that more families can access affordable and high-quality early years provision they need now.”

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Education committee chair calls for government action on early years funding

Shannon.Pite_EYA — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 13:18:48 +0000

Education committee chair calls for government action on early years funding

Labour MP and chair of the Education Select Committee Helen Hayes has called on the government to take action to ensure that early years settings aren’t forced to close as a result of the impact of high delivery costs and inadequate funding rates.

Speaking during a Westminster Hall debate on early years support, Ms Hayes said that “many providers have been flagging for a long time the fact that the hourly rate they have been paid does not match the costs of delivering funded hours”, arguing that the previous government’s funding model had created “distortions in the costs of childcare, with parents of the youngest children paying very high rates to cross-subsidise the costs of providing underfunded funded hours for three and four-year-olds”.

Pointing to the financial impact of the rising costs of energy, food and insurance, alongside increased employer national insurance contributions and the increase in the national minimum wage, she said: “Sadly, we have seen far too many early years settings close in recent years because they cannot make their business model work. It is important that the Government pay careful attention to the financial resilience of the sector and take steps to ensure that nurseries do not close due to high costs and inadequate rates of funding.”

Helen Hayes has been a Labour MP since 2015 and held the role of shadow early years minister from December 2021 to May 2024. She has been chair of the Education Select Committee since September 2024.

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Government publishes new early years strategy

Tanya_temp — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 14:03:28 +0000

Government publishes new early years strategy

by Zoë Varenne

The government has published a new strategy for early years care, education and support – entitled ‘Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life’ – which will bring together early years and family services and includes £1.5 billion in investment for its reforms.

The strategy includes plans to consult on changes to how early years funding is calculated and distributed, including the national funding formulae “to ensure funding is matched to need” by summer 2026, as well as increasing the funding available to providers to support children with SEND, and providing additional funding to extend Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) in areas most in need.

The government will also fund Ofsted to move towards inspecting all providers at least once every four years (shifting from the current six-year cycle), and inspect all new early years providers within 18 months of opening, from April 2026.

The strategy also includes a number of measures intended to raise the status and skills of early years educators, including working with the sector to co-design a new professional register for the early years workforce and providing more high-quality training routes.

The government will also fund tax-free payments of £4,500 to attract and keep 3,000 more early years teachers in early years settings serving the 20 most disadvantaged communities in the country.

Additionally, there will be new funding for partnerships between schools and local settings to strengthen transitions into school.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

“My driving mission is to make sure every child has the chance to succeed no matter their background – and this new strategy will help give our youngest children the very best start in life.

“The best way of reducing inequalities is by tackling them early: that’s why we’re joining up family support services through our Best Start Family Hubs, driving up quality in our early years system and strengthening support for children as they enter primary school.

“These aren’t luxuries. They are the essentials, and that is what this government will deliver as we fulfil our Plan for Change.”

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 education 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 consultation in April 2026.

“Ultimately, 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.”

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Government announces plans for up to 1,000 family support centres across the country

Tanya_temp — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 10:47:59 +0000

Government announces plans for up to 1,000 family support centres across the country

by Zoë Varenne

The government has announced plans to roll out up to 1,000 family support centres across the country to provide wide-ranging help for families.

According to the Department for Education, the creation of new ‘Best Start Family Hubs’ will help give half a million more children the “best possible start in life” and are a key component of the government’s new Best Start in Life strategy.

The government’s plan, which will receive over £500 million in funding, is for a Best Start Family Hub to be rolled out in every local authority by April 2026, using the existing infrastructure of Family Hubs and the Start for Life programme. The government aims to create up to 1,000 hubs across the country by the end of 2028.

The Best Start Family Hubs will offer a range of support on topics ranging from difficulty breastfeeding to housing issues and children’s early development and language.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

“It’s the driving mission of this government to break the link between a child’s background and what they go on to achieve – our new Best Start Family Hubs will put the first building blocks of better life chances in place for more children.

“I saw firsthand how initiatives like Sure Start helped level the playing field in my own community, transforming the lives of children by putting in place family support in the earliest years of life, and as part of our Plan for Change, we’re building on its legacy for the next generation of children.

“Making sure hard-working parents are able to benefit from more early help is a promise made, and promise kept – delivering a lifeline of consistent support across the nation, ensuring health, social care and education work in unison to ensure all children get the very best start in life.”

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

“We know that children's centres and family hubs act as vital sources of advice and practical support for families – especially those more disadvantaged and vulnerable families. As such, we warmly welcome government plans to roll out family support services in every local authority.

"Of course, how this policy is implemented is key – and it's particularly crucial that these centres receive the funding they need to deliver comprehensive help and support to children and families, both now and in the future.

"Nevertheless, there is no doubt that this is a very positive step, and we look forward to working with ministers to ensure that this initiative – and the wider Best Start in Life strategy – delivers the quality care, education and support that families need and deserve."

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Government announces intent to work with local authorities towards meeting targets to improve ‘school-readiness'

Tanya_temp — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 09:08:18 +0000

Government announces intent to work with local authorities towards meeting targets to improve ‘school-readiness'

by Jessica Gibson

New measures will be introduced to help the government meet its ‘school-readiness’ targets, education secretary Bridget Phillipson has announced in a speech.

Delivering the speech at the government’s regional improvement conference in Sunderland, the education secretary also outlined her plan to ensure more children get the best start in life and reduce the number starting school still in nappies or unable to hold a pencil, while calling for a “renewed recognition” of the work done by early educators and teachers.

She highlighted that, though two in three children (66%) on average meet a good level of development, for children in social care or facing other challenges, just 38% meet a good level of development, with this gap in development only increasing.

New measures seek to make early development a priority for local leaders, with local authorities working with the government to agree to statutory targets to improve ‘school readiness’ in their areas.

Each local authority will be required to start developing Best Start plans for their area that will help the government achieve its Plan for Change milestones – including 75% of children achieving a good level of development by 2028.

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Around 4,000 school-based nursery places to be created from September, government says

jessica.gibson_EYA — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 13:49:07 +0000

Around 4,000 school-based nursery places to be created from September, government says

by Shannon Pite

Roughly 4,000 new early years places will be delivered across 200 new or expanded school-based nurseries from this September, the government has announced.

The news follows the recent announcement of almost £370m in funding to support the future of the school-based nursery programme.

The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed that further school-based nurseries are set to launch in the autumn as the next phase of the early entitlement expansion is rolled out, taking the total to 300.

The DfE has said that the initiative will help to improve access to early education and childcare for working parents. However, the �黨Ӱ��has warned that a number of private, voluntary or independent (PVI) settings running on school grounds have been forced out so schools can use government funding to open their own school-based early years setting in the space.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Every corner of the early years sector has a vital role to play, and the progress made so far, in the face of an enormous inherited delivery challenge, is testament to their dedication to children and families up and down the country.

“This September is only the beginning. This government has a clear plan for change to get tens of thousands more children school ready each year so that every child, from any background, gets the opportunities they need to get on in life.”

Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said: “While we fully recognise that there is an urgent need to boost the number of early years places, we are both disappointed and frustrated that government policy continues to focus almost exclusively on school-based nurseries, especially given this provision accounts for a relatively small proportion of places.

 “With providers from across the sector collectively delivering nearly 1.3 million places to under-fives, it’s clear that the addition of 4,000 places – while welcome – is unlikely to have a significant impact on accessibility overall. What’s more, the extent to which school-based settings will be willing and able to meet the needs of families requiring care and education outside of normal school hours, or during the holidays, remains unclear.  

“With private and voluntary providers delivering the vast majority of early years places – particularly those taken up by younger children – it’s clear that the government simply cannot continue to overlook and undervalue this vital part of the sector.”

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Government early years policy at risk of “embedding inequality”, �黨Ӱ��CEO warns

jessica.gibson_EYA — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 15:05:13 +0000

Government early years policy at risk of “embedding inequality”, �黨Ӱ��CEO warns

by Shannon Pite and Jess Gibson

Current government policy is a risk of undermining its aim to ‘break down barriers to opportunity’ at the earliest possible opportunity, �黨Ӱ��CEO Neil Leitch warned at the annual virtual conference.

The event, titled No child left behind: putting the needs and voices of children at the heart of decision-making, took place virtually on Thursday 26 June.

The warning comes ahead of the final phase of the expansion of the early years entitlement in September, a policy set to put further strain on early years providers. According to an �黨Ӱ��survey from March 2025, six in 10 providers are considering reducing or cutting three- and four-year-old funded places altogether due to financial pressures and insufficient government funding. Meanwhile, recent research from an Early Education and Childcare Coalition survey found evidence that support for children with special educational needs and disabilities is being cut back, with nearly half of settings either reducing intake for children with additional needs or considering doing so from September.

In his speech, Neil argued that current policy often does more to embed, rather than tackle, early inequality. He critiqued early entitlements, as an example, due to the fact they are currently almost exclusively available to ‘working families’, saying:

“Imagine a world where you had to earn a certain amount of money before your child could attend primary or secondary school five days a week. A world where, if you lost your job and struggled to get a new one, your child would only be allowed in school for two and a half days a week as a result.

“There would be a public outcry.

“And, yet, that is exactly what happens in the early years – where what’s written on a parent’s wage slip is somehow allowed to determine their child’s access to early education.”

Neil also drew attention to the significant challenges currently facing the sector, mentioning the unsustainable financial pressures many settings are experiencing as a result of the combination of national insurance rises, minimum wage increases, and recent updates to charging guidance.

He then went on to note recent statistics showing that record numbers of families are reliant on baby banks, a quarter of children under four don’t have enough to eat, and a third of children live in poverty – a figure set to rise further over the next five years.

The conference also featured keynote addresses from Dr Melernie Meheux, educational psychologist, certified play therapist and BPS Division of Educational Psychology Committee member, and Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Waterstone’s Children’s Laureate.

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New report reveals private equity backed nurseries contributing to ‘care deserts’ in poorer areas

jessica.gibson_EYA — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 14:48:14 +0000

New report reveals private equity backed nurseries contributing to ‘care deserts’ in poorer areas

by Jess Gibson

Low early education and childcare availability in England’s most deprived areas is inhibiting choice and quality, according to a report by University College London (UCL) researchers.

The report, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), found that the total number of registered nurseries in England declined from 24,000 to 22,500 between 2018 and 2024. This fall occurred mainly among not-for-profit settings (19%), which are most likely to be in deprived areas.

It also identified that settings backed by private equity (PE) – which usually consist of large nursery chains – are more likely to open in wealthier areas to maximise profit, while not-for-profit settings that are usually operated by charities, local community organisations or educational establishments are declining at a faster rate in deprived areas than in their wealthier counterparts.

Despite the overall decrease in PE-backed providers, UCL’s research notes that their sector share has increased from 2% to 5% due to the decline of not-for-profit nurseries in the same period. Meanwhile, it also found that for-profit settings – which are usually privately-owned but not PE backed – form the bulk of options in deprived areas, with a 10% increase between 2018 and 2024.

Additionally, fewer Ofsted ‘outstanding’ settings are located in deprived areas, which the researchers say suggests that PE backed and for-profit settings invest more quality of care and education in more affluent areas.

UCL’s report concludes that lower-income families in deprived areas have fewer options, leading to ‘care deserts’, characterised as an area with three or more children for every licensed early years place. Research by New Economics Foundation in 2024 found that, within the cohort of most deprived local authorities, over 80% were also classed as care deserts, compared to less than 5% in the wealthiest.

The research calls on the government to support local authorities in managing the market to incentivise providers to open in more deprived areas and avoid what it calls “monopolisation” of the early years sector.

Lead author Dr Antonia Simon (IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education & Society) said: “High-quality early childhood education and care has been linked to improving the life chances of all children, especially disadvantaged children such as those from poorer homes. However, the distribution of openings and closures is uneven, particularly for more deprived neighbourhoods, meaning that those who need this care the most cannot access it and are now living in ‘care deserts’.

“Our previous study showed that the early years sector is characterised by acquisitions, mergers and takeovers, with many providers operating with huge amounts of debt. Additionally, a growing proportion of these providers are PE backed large companies and chains, driven by profit-making. This research also finds a link with PE, with the fewest openings in the most deprived areas, suggesting these providers may avoid operating in these areas. If this continues, families in deprived areas will not have a choice about where to send their children.”

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IFS warns popularity of early years entitlements could leave spending much higher than initially forecast

jessica.gibson_EYA — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 10:20:05 +0000

IFS warns popularity of early years entitlements could leave spending much higher than initially forecast

by Shannon Pite and Jess Gibson

Government spending could be higher than expected if current levels of take-up for the early years entitlement remain, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).

According to a new IFS briefing, government spending on the early entitlement expansions was almost £440 million (28%) higher than had been budgeted for, largely driven mostly by an almost 50% increase in planned spending on the entitlements for under-twos. It warns that staying on this same trajectory, spending in 2027-28 could end up £1 billion higher than was expected when the new entitlements were announced in March 2023.

The briefing argues that upcoming increases in early years spending announced at the recent Spending Review – which will see spending on new entitlements for working families rise by £1.6 billion by 2028-29 – will ease, but probably not eliminate, future government funding pressures. It adds that “DfE will have to make difficult choices, either within the childcare budget or trading off this spending against other priorities”.

Christine Farquharson, associate director at the IFS, said: “New childcare entitlements are proving very popular indeed. Spending in 2024-25 has already been revised upward by £440 million – 28% more than originally forecast. This left the Department for Education on track for a major hole in its budget in later years; once new entitlements are fully rolled out, spending could easily end up £1 billion higher than had been expected in March 2023.

“The Spending Review announced a significant top-up to funding for these new childcare entitlements, with around £640 million more spending in 2028 than had been implied by the March 2023 plans. But it still leaves the country spending more than it had originally planned on new childcare entitlements. If that’s because there are more parents in paid work, it could be very good news indeed for growth – but it is too early to tell whether (or to what extent) that really is the cause of higher spending.”

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�黨Ӱ��publishes new essay collection on supporting children and families most in need

jessica.gibson_EYA — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 10:01:23 +0000

�黨Ӱ��publishes new essay collection on supporting children and families most in need

by Shannon Pite

The Early Years �黨Ӱ��has today published an essay collection, entitled No child left behind, exploring the ways in which an early years sector where all children are given the best possible start in life can be built and sustained.

Featuring contributions from a wide range of early years experts, including Nobel-Prize winning academic James Heckman and Dame Cathy Nutbrown, the collection reflects on current sector challenges and outlines the long-term vision of a system underpinned by fairness and equality. The essays span a variety of topics, including supporting children with SEND, embedding anti-racist practice in settings, family support, digital literacy and supporting the early years workforce.

The collection is free to download at www.eyalliance.org.uk/no-child-left-behind-essay-collection.

Commenting, Neil Leitch CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said: “At the heart of the Early Years �黨Ӱ��is the belief that all children, regardless of background or circumstance, should be given the best possible start in life. And yet we know that despite positive rhetoric on the power of early intervention over the years, the gap between those children in need of support and their peers continues to widen.

“At a time when there is so much political focus on breaking down barriers to opportunity, this essay collection provides a hopeful and unashamedly ambitious vision of how this could be achieved in practice. We are grateful to each and every one of the contributors for sharing their thoughts, ideas and reflections on this vital topic, and hope that this collection will be the start of many important discussions to come.”

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