National campaign calls for urgent action to modernise early years education

7 months ago

A new report, published today, has revealed that drastic and urgent government action is required to resolve the ongoing shortcomings in early years education. As the biggest funding crisis in its history forces yet more nurseries to close their doors – there has been a 50% increase in closures in the last year alone1 – the Children’s Alliance has partnered with early development ed-tech company, Babbu, to shed light on the urgent and necessary measures required to make early years education fit for the challenges of the 21st century.

‘The Role of the Family in Early Years Education’ report specifically highlights the need for digital support for parents and families and the importance of developing a cohesive and aligned ‘learning community’ that surrounds a child. As well as outlaying a strategy that sees more community-based support for caregivers in the crucial first five years of a child’s life, the document clearly makes a pledge to the government for a formal review of early years provision that tackles inequalities, gaps and anachronisms in the sector.

With an ongoing shortfall of funding that has been amplified by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the report also calls for childcare and early education provision to be under continuous scrutiny in relation to rising costs. But the overarching aim of this report is to challenge the government to invest in an early education system that simply works for all, calling on the government and all political parties to prioritise early years education and childcare at the next general election.

The Children’s Alliance was launched in 2018 and campaigns for the importance of childhood development for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. Tamsin Brewis, Director, is an advocate for the improvement of available resources for all parents and caregivers, “The post-1945 historic concept of nuclear families with men at work and women at home ‘minding’ their children wasn’t fully representative at the time. It’s even less relevant in 2023 when there are many diverse communities throughout the UK, many different types of family, and ‘a job for life’ can’t be guaranteed for anybody. What hasn’t changed though is that all families play a really essential role in their children’s education from the moment of birth and whatever their domestic and economic circumstances might be, all families should be able to access the support that they need to help their children to learn, thrive and live their best lives.”

Sue Atkins, award-winning author and BBC, ITV and Disney's parenting expert provided a forward for the formal report. She’s a proud spokesperson for the campaign, “Families play an essential role in the earliest years of children’s lives. With love, support and guidance, parents and caregivers can help them to develop physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally. If families are enabled to prioritise their children’s wellbeing during this critical period, they will provide a strong foundation for their later happiness, healthiness and achievement. Currently, support for families is very fragmented across the UK and often fails to reach the very families most in need of it. Therefore, it is crucial to offer practical, non-judgemental advice, support and guidance to parents in the early years of their child’s life. I am thrilled to introduce this ground-breaking report; highlighting the essential significance of the family in a child’s early educational development.”

Chief Executive of Babbu, Charlie Rosier, thanked all the contributors and added, “The Role of the Family in Early Years Education’ is an important report because it acknowledges the importance of parents’ desire to broaden their knowledge of parenting, participate in the learning experience and have access to choices that they are enabled to make. Our experience with Babbu has taught us that just as no family is the same, ‘one size fits all’ no longer adds up for early years education. The experience of the pandemic shone a light on the isolation felt by many parents and emphasised how important it was then and is now for them to be supported emotionally and practically so that every parent has agency in how and where their own child learns. Today, it takes a learning community to educate a child whatever that community might be. It is the responsibility of the government to provide the resolution and financial resource to empower a new generation.”

With so many components contributing to the failings of the current early year’s guidelines, the Children’s Alliance will publish the second phase of the detailed report in early October.

For more information about the Children’s Alliance, visit https://childrensalliance.org.uk/

1 National Day Nurseries Association, 2023, Childcare providers and inspections as of 31 August 2022

-Ends-

Notes to Editors

A full copy of the report can be sent via email.
For more information or to speak with Tamsin Brewis, contact Kelly Ayres at Rev PR on 07790 913858 or email kelly@revpr.co.uk
Images available – A hi-res image of the first page of the report.

The key demands of ‘The Role of the Family in Early Years Education’ Report are:

1. Government to provide funding for every region to have access to high-quality digital initiatives to enable parents and families to encourage the learning of their early year’s children at home as well as within, and in addition to, an external setting.

2. The role of carer and secondary carer (such as grandparent, partner or extended family caregiver) to be recognised as part of the parenting process. Education into the role of other caregiver should be included in routine antenatal care and as part of the family unit.

3. A government-accredited and approved register (subject to annual review) of digital early learning platforms to be established that supports parents and children in the first five years in order to signpost to them as part of antenatal and postnatal provision. This will necessitate digital service inclusion in appropriate initial training and continuous professional development for health and education professionals including GPs.

4. A more targeted approach to the parent/carer as the key initial and ongoing enabler of a child’s learning with bespoke training to be offered at all stages from health visitor/midwife through to Early Childhood Education setting professionals with the aim of fostering partnership and boosting confidence and autonomy within the home.

5. Government to establish a formal review of early years provision. tacking inequalities, gaps and anachronisms in the sector that impact upon children and families.

6. Childcare and early education provision to be under continuous scrutiny in relation to inflation and rising costs with an obligation for it to be addressed in all budget statements so that the outcomes for children may be achieved and value placed on the workforce.

Attached Media

About Water Babies

In a nutshell, we teach water confidence and safety skills to babies and toddlers. However, we're about so much more besides. Our classes are great for making new friends, helping to enhance the bonding process, having fun... and seeing the utter thrill of your little one gliding underwater towards you. In the last three years alone we know our lessons were directly responsible for saving the lives of ten little ones who otherwise might have tragically drowned. That makes us very proud. And we like raising money for other babies. To date, we've raised over £750,000 for Tommy's. And we're aiming to raise another £200,000 for them (possibly!) this coming summer.