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Focus on 30 hours limits places for disadvantaged two-year-olds

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

| CYP Now

Research shows take-up of funded childcare for disadvantaged two-year-olds lags far behind that of three- and four-year-olds. Providers say insufficient funding makes it uneconomical to create two-year-old places.

Delivering the workforce strategy

Analysis

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

| CYP Now

Government's early years workforce strategy proposes raft of measures to tackle recruitment crisis.

Social mobility's early opportunities

Analysis

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

| CYP Now

First six areas delivering social mobility initiative will focus on language and literacy development

Spotlight on childcare funding policies

Analysis

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

| CYP Now

Councils urged to check on nursery providers’ "free" childcare charging practices after ombudsman ruling in Leicestershire case.

Family hubs expansion: sector split on their role and potential

Analysis

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

| CYP Now

Advocates of family hubs say new government funding will help establish a network of family support facilities that complements the early years focus of children’s centres, but some fear it signals the "death knell" for them.

Assessments of primary children

Analysis

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

| CYP Now

Professionals outline what they want from the government's consultation on assessing pupils in reception.

Factors for childcare cost rise

Analysis

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

| CYP Now

A perfect storm of stagnant funding rates and rising overheads are threatening providers' future, warn experts.

Can EYTs fix the attainment gap?

Analysis

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

| CYP Now

A Fair Education Alliance report calls for nurseries in deprived areas to employ an early years teacher (EYT), but opinion is split on whether this is the best way to tackle the attainment gap for poorer children.

Will reception test be beneficial?

Analysis

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

| CYP Now

The government is to develop a rating of pupils' ability when they enter reception, but experts disagree on whether it will be a good measure of schools' work and improve the education that children receive.

Childcare feels the Brexit effect

Analysis

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

| CYP Now

Childcare's reliance on staff from the EU means Brexit could exacerbate early years workforce crisis.

Outcomes-based commissioner: Jo Cleary, chair of 4Children

Analysis

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

| CYP Now

Derren Hayes talks to Jo Cleary, chair of 4Children.

Back child health reforms with the necessary funds, says sector

Analysis

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

| CYP Now

Andrea Leadsom's review of early child health sets out plans for councils to publish ‘Start for Life’ offers and create hubs offering a range of family services. Sector leaders back the vision but say it will need proper funding.

Provider survey reveals scale of childcare workforce crisis

Analysis

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

| CYP Now

Few parts of the children and families sector have been hit as hard by the pandemic as early years services. Shortages of staff and government funding have only been exacerbated by Covid-19 as demand for places has failed to return to pre-pandemic levels resulting in settings closing.

‘Without more help, childcare’s infrastructure may be destroyed’

Analysis

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

| CYP Now

In the first of a series on the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on services for children and families, childcare leaders and practitioners warn of an ‘existential threat’ to early education for disadvantaged communities.