Leading early years organisation the Early Years Alliance is calling for more information and guidance for parents on how to support their children’s early learning after a recent poll conducted by the organisation found that less than half (46%) of those with children under five felt confident they knew what the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) was.
The survey results come as the Alliance relaunches its family website, Family Corner, which offers free expert insights, activity ideas and online learning sessions on key areas of child development for parents and carers of under-fives.
According to the poll of almost 400 parents and carers of under-fives, which was conducted online in September 2025, almost 1 in 5 (18%) respondents had never heard of the EYFS, while a quarter (25%) had heard of it but were not sure what it was, and a further 11% weren’t sure if they’d heard of it.
The EYFS is the statutory framework that all registered early years providers in England must adhere to, and outlines the standards that settings must meet when delivering care and education for children from birth to five.
The survey also found that parents felt least confident knowing how to deal with selective (‘fussy’) eating, toilet training and how to support a child with SEND, with respondents expressing a desire for more information on early educational milestones and ideas for activities to support learning at home.
The newly-revamped Family Corner website includes useful information on the EYFS, as well as key areas of learning and development, including communication and language, health wellbeing, emotional development and learning through play.
Family Corner also offers a range of free online sessions to parents and carers:
- Family Connects: one-off online events that provide an opportunity to connect with other parents and carers, learn about topics relevant to families and children aged 0-5, and share ideas in how to support children’s early education and each other.
- Confident communicators to tiny talkers: a three-week programme to help parents and carers better understand how children like to learn and improve communication between parents and their children.
- Being Together, My Baby and Me: a free online virtual three-week programme especially designed for families with babies, which combines advice on babies’ learning and development with postnatal support for new parents.
- Bumps to Babies: one-hour sessions on why the first 1001 days from conception to two years are so important, which provides advice and guidance on how expectant parents can start to support their babies’ learning during pregnancy.
Commenting, Alliance early years development manager Julie Pearson said:
“Parents and caregivers play a vital role in supporting young children’s learning at home. We know that families want to do everything they can to support their children’s development, but that all too often, accessing simple, reliable information on early learning, and how it can be supported at home, can be a real challenge.
“But supporting early learning doesn’t have to come at a cost – in fact, simply talking, reading, playing and interacting with our children is enough to create a positive environment that lays the foundation for lifelong learning.
“That’s why we’re so excited to be relaunching the Family Corner website, packed full of completely free resources and lots of easy, practical ideas and advice about how families can support their children’s learning at home.
“With articles on everything from emotional wellbeing to communication and language, plus regular free online sessions for families, Family Corner is a must-have resource for any parent or carer with a child in the early years.”
The Family Corner website is available at familycorner.co.uk.