2021 press releases

31 March

• Alliance responds to publication of new EYFS Framework for the early years sector

22 March

• Alliance responds to DfE Wave 3 Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers and Coronavirus

19 March

• Alliance responds to announcement of home test kits for childminders

16 March

• Alliance welcomes Children’s Commissioner review into the future of childhood

14 March

• Alliance comments on TUC Mother’s Day call to support working mums

12 March

• Alliance responds to extension of testing to households and bubbles of nursery children

11 March

• Alliance comments on publication of lateral flow testing guidance for PVI nurseries in England

9 March

• Alliance comments on findings of Coram Childcare Survey 2021

3 March

• Alliance expresses frustration at lack of new measures for early years in 2021 spring budget

2 March

• BUDGET 2021: Nurseries and childminders in England face £247m funding cut for spring term, new analysis reveals
• Alliance criticises "absurd" exclusion of childminders from home lateral flow testing

26 February

• Alliance slams decision to ignore early years workers as Phase 2 rollout to continue by age group

22 February

• Alliance responds to home testing rollout for PVI nurseries and pre-schools

18 February

• Early years, schools and college staff must be prioritised for Phase 2 vaccinations, union and education leaders warn following reports of government row-back

16 February

• Alliance comments on early years vaccination confusion

12 February

• Two thirds of London’s nurseries risk closure within the year

11 February

• Alliance responds to Anna Freud Centre survey on Under 5 mental health

8 February

• Alliance responds as Covid-19 reports for early years settings double during one week in January

7 February

• Alliance urges lateral flow tests rollout to nurseries and childminders as government announces expansion of private business access 

1 February

• 1 in 5 early years workers considering leaving the sector as Covid hits mental health and wellbeing

28 January

• Alliance comments on Ombudsman’s call for more transparency over childcare ‘top-up’ fees

26 January

• Early years workers struggling to access school places for their own children, Alliance warns

25 January

• Alliance calls for urgent action to protect early years workforce as Covid case reports double

21 January

• Alliance comments on IFS criticism of DfE's approach to early years funding
• Alliance / Ceeda survey: “Serious concerns” over early years workforce safety

19 January

• Alliance criticises DfE confusion over lateral flow tests for early years settings
• Alliance criticises conflicting self-isolation advice being given to early years settings

14 January

• Alliance comments on new early years guidance for local authorities

13 January

• Alliance slams 'insulting' Covid testing announcement
• Alliance responds as government says "no intention" of closing nurseries beause families rely on them

12 January

• Alliance calls for urgent clarity on planned early years census changes
• Alliance responds to new DfE statistics showing huge decline in childcare demand in England

7 January

• Early years organisations launch joint campaign to protect the safety of the early years workforce
• Alliance responds to PM comments about keeping childcare open for key workers

5 January

• Alliance responds to government's inability to justify decision to keep nurseries open

4 January

• Alliance responds to news that nurseries and childminders will remain open during new lockdown

3 January

• Alliance writes to Gavin Williamson over "appalling" exclusion of EY from schools reopening debate