Labour urges government for early years package

Party calls on government to prevent closures
Ofsted to start “phased return” to inspection in autumn

Inspectors will conduct “visits” rather than full inspections
Employers to get £1,000 bonus for retaining furloughed staff

Chancellor unveils £30bn support package
Government responds to EYFS consultation

DfE confirms that schools will be able to adopt reforms from September 2020
Rules on “bubbles” to be relaxed on 20 July

Early years providers will no longer need to keep children in small consistent groups
New report shows scale of crisis in early years sector

Coronavirus crisis puts additional strain on already stretched sector
Government relaxes social distancing rules from 4 July

New rules will see two metre distance replaced with “one metre plus”
Early years left out of ‘Covid catch up plan’

Early years sector left out of government funding scheme
Ofsted statistics show 33% rise in childcare closures

An average of 735 providers closed each month between September and December 2019
Just one in 10 children return to early years settings

DfE statistics confirm low uptake of early years places
Covid-19 is putting stress on under fives, NCB warns

National Children’s Bureau analysis reveals strain on mental health
TUC calls for financial support for childcare sector

New report calls for action to prevent parents being forced out of work