2021 press releases

21 December

• Early Years Alliance raises concerns about gaps in latest Covid-19 support schemes

16 December

• Alliance responds to revised guidance on close contact rules for under-fives
• Alliance responds to Ofsted Education recovery in early years providers autumn report

14 December

• Alliance urges clarity on close contact rules for under-fives following self-isolation changes

13 December

• Early Years Alliance voices concern about rising case rates in early years settings

9 December

• Early Years Alliance comments on 2021 Childcare and Early Years Provider survey

7 December

• Early Years Alliance comments on Ofsted's Annual Report

2 December

• Parents face childcare disruption as early years staffing shortages reach crisis point, new survey reveals
• Early Years Alliance comments on MoneySupermarket parent survey showing parents want more support with childcare

30 November

• New Ofsted data reveals huge regional disparities in childcare place losses
• Alliance welcomes appointment of Bridget Phillipson as Shadow Secretary for Education

26 November

• Alliance comments on EIF report into impact of pandemic on physical development in the early years
• Alliance comments on new data showing huge tax-free childcare underspend

25 November

• Alliance comments on confirmation of new early years funding rates for councils

22 November

• Alliance comments on new data showing huge tax-free childcare underspend

17 November

• Alliance launches ‘Winter Toolkit’ to help early years settings face seasonal challenges

27 October

• Budget 2021 response - recovery funding
• Budget 2021 response - early entitlement funding settlement
• Budget 2021 response - business rates

25 October

• Alliance expresses fear National Living Wage hike could pose existential threat to providers

23 October

• Alliance comments on £500m investment for children and families ahead of spending review

18 October

• Early Years Alliance and Hope Education announce new partnership with autumn competition launch

14 October

• Alliance comments on CPP report 'Women in the Labour Market' looking at childcare in the UK

7 October

• Alliance responds to Petitions Committee report into impact of Covid-19 on new parents

2 October

• Alliance slams reported government plans to relax childcare ratios

29 September

• Alliance responds to omission of early years from the Labour leader's conference address

22 September

• Alliance responds to latest early years attendance data from DfE

21 September

• Alliance calls for greater focus on early years as Children's Commissioner publishes 'Big Answer'
• Alliance comments on Action for Children report on lack of access to early support

20 September

• Alliance comments on Social Market Foundation call for affordable childcare amid decline birth rates

17 September

• Alliance welcomes appointment of Will Quince as new children and families minister

15 September

• RESHUFFLE: Alliance comments on appointment of former early years minister Nadhim Zahawi as education secretary
• Strong Early Years London launches online business advice hub

12 September

• Alliance comments on new parent survey on childcare affordability

9 September

• Alliance expresses concern after reports the Education Recovery Commissioner will not be replaced

7 September

• Alliance comments on announced National Insurance increase
• Alliance responds to Nesta report on missed early education as term begins

6 September

• Alliance slams children and families minister's dismissal of huge decline in childminders
• Alliance calls for urgent action on business rates for English nurseries as Welsh government announces relief extension

2 September

• New Alliance publication helps settings embed social responsibility into early years provision 

26 August

• Alliance criticises DfE exclusion of childminding professionals from CO2 rollout to educational settings

25 August

• Struggle to access childcare hits poorer families harder as government policies leave parents stressed and anxious

3 August

• Alliance files new ICO complaint following DfE refusal to release new funding information

2 August

• ‘Pingdemic’ risks leaving critical workers without childcare

29 July

• Alliance responds to Coram report on role of local authorities in supporting early years through coronavirus

23 July

• Early Years Alliance responds as sector not included in isolation exemptions

20 July

• Alliance criticises contradictory early years guidance as Covid restrictions ease

13 July

• Alliance comments on Anna Freud Centre's Early Years Staff Wellbeing Report

12 July

• City Hall’s early years initiative launches new series of surveys to track sector trends

8 July

• Alliance comments on Early Years Commission report

6 July

• Alliance criticises lack of clarity for early years as education bubbles are scrapped

1 July

• Alliance comments on DfE statistics showing fall in demand for 'free childcare' places

30 June

• Alliance comments on latest Ofsted sector statistics for March 2021

24 June

• Alliance responds to government dismissal of petition on early years funding

23 June

• Alliance welcomes Covid-19 Committee call on government for better support for babies and children

21 June

• Alliance kicks off National Week of Play

18 June

• Alliance welcomes the launch of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood

15 June

• FOI win: Private government documents show ministers knew that underfunding early years would mean higher childcare costs for parents
• Alliance comments on Ofsted data showing 4% of early years settings closed in just 11 months

1 June

• Alliance criticises lack of early years focus in Labour's education recovery proposals
• Alliance responds as DfE announces latest tranche of education recovery funding

20 May

• Alliance responds to IFS analysis of COVID-related education spending
• Alliance welcomes Sutton Trust call to put early years at the heart of education recovery

14 May

• Concern for disadvantaged children as Covid-19 disruption risks widening attainment gap, survey finds

12 May

• Alliance responds as Labour highlights early years provider closures

11 May

• Queen's Speech 2021: Alliance highlights need for early years measures to extend to all under fives

5 May

• We are Educators: Early Years Alliance announces stellar line-up for first ever online Annual Conference

29 April

• Alliance launches National Week of Play to re-centre play in children’s post-pandemic lives

28 April

• More Than a Score: Alliance supports call to scrap Reception Baseline Assessment and other primary testing

27 April

• Alliance urges funding review as APPG on Childcare & Early Education survey published
• Alliance comments on Labour Party 'Big Conversation on early years' launch

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