June 2024: The latest early years sector news
National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA)
Brighter thinking for early years / Meddwl disglair ar gyfer y blynyddoedd cynnar
Your free early years activity: How to encourage maths through water play
In this month’s free early years activity, children will explore water and maths on a larger scale.
This month’s free early years activity supports practitioners to allow children to explore water as maths on a larger scale, experience mathematical development through investigation and explore mathematical vocabulary.
Your free early years top tips: Preparing children for holidays?
Many families take time for a holiday, particularly at this time of year.
For some children this may be a familiar experience and for others this may be their first experience of a holiday. Our free top tips take you through six ways practitioners can support children to prepare.
England early years policy updates
Our manifesto for early education and care
We have launched Make the First Five Years Count: A manifesto for early education and care. The document includes priority policy asks and calls on the next Government and cohort of MPs to put children at the heart of their political agenda.
We have also created an election toolkit for members, which includes template letters to send to your local candidates, a General Election 2024 party policies and manifesto pledges reference guide, a factsheet giving the latest statistics about the early years sector and an interactive map with funding rates, closures and council underspends. NDNA is writing to all parliamentary candidates but please contact your local MPs to highlight issues specific to your area. Please share these documents to raise awareness of the sector's value and challenges. Thank you.
Bridget Phillipson responds to concerns about Labour’s plan for nurseries in schools?
In an interview with Sky News, Labour Leader Keir Starmer said that ‘primary schools are the best place for nurseries’ raising concerns from NDNA and members.????
Responding to NDNA, Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, said:???
“Thank you for raising this and passing on the concerns of your members. I would like to reassure you and them, that I, Keir, and the Labour Party recognise the hugely valuable contribution the PVI sector makes to the delivery of early education and care for children and families."
Council underspends in early years at highest level at ￡70m?
Our latest investigation has discovered that ￡70m of early years entitlement funding was underspent in council budgets during the financial year 2022-23. Only 12% of councils passed any of this left-over funding to providers. We found 25 out of 137 councils reported underspends of more than ￡1m. What’s the situation in your local authority?
Scotland Early Learning and Childcare policy updates
Round up of relevant pledges for 4 July general election?
Scotland’s parties focus on reducing child poverty. NDNA Scotland has looked at the main parties’ manifesto pledges and put together this list for funded early learning and childcare; other support for families; workforce/training and business.?
Purnima Tanuku OBE, Chief Executive of NDNA Scotland said: “Bringing children out of poverty has been a particular focus of party pledges across Scotland. Early learning and childcare plays a significant role in reducing child poverty by contributing towards supporting families, enabling parents to work and improving children’s long-term outcomes.?
“Although education is a devolved matter, many parties are pledging action on employment rights including parental leave and benefits that can impact on early learning and childcare sector in Scotland. We want parties and candidates to be champions for children and support crucial ELC providers who in turn care for and educate our children day after day.?
“Investing in children’s early years is vital for improving their life chances, supporting families and is crucial to our economy. We want to see the parties give all our children the best start in life by making the first five years count.”?
NDNA Scotland attended these important debates for the future of childcare
A child poverty debate set out Scotland’s priority to eradicating child poverty.
A positive, cross-party discussion was had about the potential for Scotland to implement a Kindergarten stage. There is lots to be done following on from this debate.?
NDNA represented the sector at the Shared Inspection Framework (SIF) stakeholder group in the development of the SIF with Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland. This work is ongoing and NDNA will keep you updated when we have information to share.?
Wales childcare policy updates
Election pledges round up?
With the General Election less than a week away, NDNA Cymru has looked through all the party manifestos for Wales that have been launched.
Purnima Tanuku OBE, Chief Executive of NDNA Cymru, said:?“In Wales it is crucial to recognise how important the early years sector is to the foundational economy and acknowledge the role that private and voluntary providers play in delivering high quality and flexible places for children and families.?
“Government funding rates for the Childcare Offer for Wales have not increased for the last three years and rising costs are continuing to put significant pressure on the sustainability of the early years sector. We want to see MPs in Wales support their local providers to future proof childcare in Wales.??
“Funding rates must reflect the true cost of delivering places, especially if parties want to consider lowering the age at which children become eligible for funded hours. This will be welcome for parents but if providers can’t be sustainable, it will undermine any plans to offer more childcare places.?
“This election represents a chance to continue the journey on children’s rights, invest in childcare, and support families. These are the vital steps towards giving all our children the best start in life by making the first five years count.”?
领英推荐
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Childcare Offer rate review?
Thank you to all those who attended the rate review webinar and took the opportunity to feed your queries and concerns regarding the survey and the review process directly back to Welsh Government.
The survey has now closed but you also have the opportunity to e-mail feedback to Welsh Government. Please ensure you take this opportunity to have your say!?
Welsh Government responds to workforce registration consultation?
The Welsh Government has published a summary of consultation responses following the work with the sector earlier this year on professional registration of the childcare and playwork workforce.?
NDNA worked with members through a series of events to gather views and respond to the consultation on the sector’s behalf. This feedback was noted in the consultation where the Welsh Government reflected on the fact that “the sector is under enough pressure and stress as it is.”?
FREE early years event: promoting the positive path
NDNA members are invited to join us for a free (virtual) cuppa and an afternoon with Ashley John-Baptiste, broadcaster, host, TV presenter, and inspirational speaker, sponsored by Hope.
Ashley John-Baptiste is an award-winning broadcaster and TV presenter on The One Show, Sunday Morning Live and also Morning Live & News.
A sought-after speaker, Ashley will share his own hard-hitting and inspirational story of navigating through the care system. He will talk about how you can identify and build trust with children who are vulnerable, how to support them within your setting and how to ensure that interactions with these children in nursery put them on a positive path to self-esteem and aspiration.
?? Book here
Your free early years factsheet of the month
Gun and superhero play
This factsheet supports practitioners in reflecting on their practice around gun play, weapons and superhero play. It considers myths and challenges practitioners to promote and encourage this type of play to further support children’s learning and understanding of moral issues.?
NDNA are powering something new!?
Dr Sara Bonetti introduced the new?Institute of Early Years Education at our conference earlier this month.??
NDNA is passionate about raising the status of all those who educate and support our youngest children, creating a sense of community, signposting to sector resources, supporting career development and delivering a comprehensive offer for your health and wellbeing.?
Developed by NDNA, following extensive sector research, the Institute of Early Years Education will support the early years workforce and everyone working or aspiring to work in the sector.
New blog: Nursery leadership and management skills
This blog covers leadership and management of a nursery team. It explains the different types of team roles and how you can utilise these to make the team effective. It will also cover how to develop your team so that they have the right skills to support children in the nursery.?
Only 27% of children regularly play outside their homes
We know from research that the early years are a critical time for a child’s physical, social and emotional development.
Your nursery can demonstrate to parents that it is gold standard in promoting children’s physical activity and nutrition through:
[Source: British Nutrition Foundation, June 2023]