Early Years Latest News

The Department for Education has developed non-statutory screen use guidance for early years providers which you should be aware of.  You should have regard to the guidance which is linked in the EYFS frameworks and can be accessed here: https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/screen-use. 

This evidence-based guidance was developed with contributions from sector experts including the Digital Standards Early Years Action Group and Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group.

The early years are a critical period for children’s development. Healthy child development depends on sufficient sleep, play, real-world interaction and responsive adult engagement.  The Department encourages educators to take a precautionary approach when using screens in your setting.

The guidance sets out useful information on how to use screens safely and effectively in your setting.  

Join us for the second South West Every Word Matters webinar series to learn more about the evidence behind the Government’s new early years screen time guidance and ways to support parents to understand and engage with it.

Microsoft Teams Meeting

Meeting ID: 372 415 660 906 838

Passcode: Cr3uB3gX

The Department for Education (DfE) announced in March that it will be providing an Inclusive Early Years Fund to support the early years sector in becoming more inclusive for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

This funding marks a first step towards a more coherent and inclusive early years SEND funding system. It is upfront funding intended to:

• support providers in adopting setting-wide inclusive practices
• reduce reliance on individual child-based funding applications
• enable early intervention for children with SEND

The allocation we received was based on the number of 3&4 year olds claiming Universal hours recorded in both the Early Years and School January 2026 censuses.

To ensure we are using the most up-to-date information to work out how much each provider will receive, we used data from the Summer 2026 censuses (both Early Years and Schools).  

The Inclusive Early Years Fund will be split as follows:

• Childminders and wrap-around care providers, with at least one eligible 3&4 year old will receive £300 each
• The remaining funding will be distributed evenly across all Early Years settings and schools who claimed funding for a 3&4 year old.  This works out at £1,298.22 each

The Inclusive Early Years Fund will be paid to qualifying providers in September 2026.

The DfE has indicated that the fund should be used to support activities such as:

• strategic planning
• workforce development
• adaptations or resources to create an inclusive environment

Local Authorities will be required to ensure that this funding is used for its intended purpose. Therefore, providers must retain appropriate financial records (for example, detailed spreadsheets or receipts) demonstrating how the funding has been spent.

Friday 27^th November 2026: The Gateway, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF

Be part of our annual Early Years Conference and join colleagues from across the sector for an inspiring day of learning, collaboration and fresh thinking. Drawing on the Best Start in Life Plan, this exciting event will bring together expert speakers, engaging workshop sessions and opportunities to explore effective practice that can make a lasting difference for children and families.

Delegates will hear from keynote speaker Gary Wilson: What if we started by listening to our boys? Drawing on a wealth of experience and the powerful voices of young children themselves, renowned education consultant Gary Wilson explores how understanding boys’ perspectives can transform outcomes from the very beginning of their learning journey.

Participants will also be able to choose 2 Workshops to attend from the following:

• Workshop 1 - An Exploration of the Importance of Outdoor Adventurous Play for all by James Davolls
• Workshop 2 - Let's Talk and Move by Helen Guntrip
• Workshop 3 - Supporting EAL Children in the Early Years by Rachael Turkington and Marzena Fernando
• Workshop 4 - Develop understanding of the role of physical development when supporting children with SEND by Rachel Mitchell

To book your place, please click the title above. To view our poster and guidance document, please click here.

Please print and display the following poster in your setting for families to use.

Steps to starting school