Latest childcare and early years news

Coronavirus guidance for nurseries and early years providers

See the latest guidance on coronavirus / COVID-19 for nurseries and early years settings on our dedicated page here, updated regularly.

See guidance

High court rules insurers should pay out on most claims

16 September 2020

A landmark High Court ruling brought about by the Financial Conduct Authority against eight defendant insurers should mean that most policyholders of business interruption insurance can receive a payout. Read more

Government rejects Petitions Committee recommendations

09 September 2020

The Government outlined its response to a landmark report from the Petitions Committee on the impact of COVID-19 on maternity and parental leave which recommended reviewing childcare provision and funding for the childcare sector. Read more

IFS analysis: many nurseries face financial difficulties

04 September 2020
Purnima Tanuku OBE

Research and analysis by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) along with researchers from the Universities of Birmingham and Surrey, Frontier Economics and Coram Family and Childcare has shone a light on the full scale of the financial stress nurseries are under. Read more

TUC reports almost half mums facing childcare crisis

03 September 2020
TUC logo

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has reported today that around two in five working mums are struggling to find childcare – and has added to NDNA’s calls for additional financial support for the childcare sector. Read more

Attainment gap remains stagnant according to EPI

26 August 2020
Education Policy Institute logo

The Education Policy Institute (EPI) has released its annual State of Education report in England. Read more

Early Years Workforce Commission launch new research

25 August 2020
Early Years Workforce Commission logo

The Early Years Workforce Commission have launched an employee survey and Call for Evidence for people working across the early years sector. Read more

Report highlights the talent being lost through lack of investment in EY workforce

25 August 2020
Purnima Tanuku OBE

The Sutton Trust and the Centre for Research in Early Childhood has released the Early Years Workforce Review urging the Government to improve the training, pay and working conditions of early years staff to support children’s learning and development before school begins. Read more

Early years support offers no help to the majority of providers

24 August 2020
Vicky Ford

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced targeted funding for reception classes and maintained nursery schools to boost the early language skills of reception aged children. Read more

Ceeda report raises significant concerns for sector

20 August 2020

Early years research organisation Ceeda has released its latest research data which shows that nurseries and pre-schools expect to have below 60% occupancy. Read more

New free training course to learn about air pollution

11 August 2020
Mother and child with air purifier in living room
NDNA members can benefit from a free course to understand the dangers of indoor air pollution.

Read more

Social Mobility Commission: EY workforce underpaid, overworked and undervalued

5 August 2020

A new report from the Social Mobility Commission reveals that as many as one in eight of the early years workforce is paid under £5 an hour, echoing NDNA’s own workforce research.

Read more

Childcare Offer reopening to new children

4 August 2020
Julie Morgan

The Welsh Government will reopen the Childcare Offer for Wales to new entrants from mid-August, giving certainty to parents and the childcare sector, Deputy Minister for Health and Social Care Julie Morgan announced today.

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Labour: perfect storm risks childcare providers closing

30 July 2020

The Labour Party says a “perfect storm” of rising childcare costs and thousands of providers at risk of closure due to a lack of government support will make it impossible for many parents to return to work.

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Competition and Markets Authority issues open letter to sector

28 July 2020

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued guidance within an open letter to the early years sector so providers understand their obligations under consumer law towards parents.

Funding to be based on pre-Coronavirus occupancy

22 July 2020

Vicky Ford, the Children and Families Minister, has revealed the Government’s intention for the early years funding in the autumn term.

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Scotland: Survey findings show that nursery staff are struggling to operate within the current guidance

21 July 2020

Three quarters of nurseries would be running at a loss over the coming months without changes to existing guidance for early learning and childcare settings.

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Children’s Commissioner calls to make early years central to COVID fightback

17 July 2020

Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England, has today published a report “Best Beginnings” looking at early years provision. Read more

Scottish nursery “bubbles” could end in August

17 July 2020

Bubbles or small consistent groups in nurseries should no longer be necessary from August subject to the scientific advice, the Scottish Government has announced. Read more

Duchess launches Tiny Happy People scheme

14 July 2020

The Duchess of Cambridge has launched a new BBC programme to support parents and carers nurture children’s language development.

See guidance

1140 hours delayed for at least a year

8 July 2020

Childcare Minister Maree Todd has published a letter to the sector today saying that the roll-out of the 1140 hour of funded early learning and childcare for three and four-year-olds will not happen in the next academic year. Read more

Plan for Jobs will fail without Plan for Childcare

8 July 2020

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak has made his summer statement today announcing a Plan for Jobs including a Job Retention Bonus of £1,000 for staff brought back from furlough and a kickstart programme for 16-24 year olds. But he did not announce any much-needed support for the early years and childcare sector.

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Committee urges Government to look at childcare funding

6 July 2020

The Petitions Committee has recommended that the Government urgently reviews short-term funding for early years and provide emergency funding if required.

Read more

Guidance change - bubbles not required after 20 July

2 July 2020

The DfE has published new guidance for early years settings which takes away the need for children to be in “small consistent groups” or “bubbles” from 20 July. Instead nurseries will focus on their own risk assessments and put measures in place to minimise the risks for children and staff, keeping them as safe as possible. Read more

Sutton Trust: third of nurseries in disadvantaged areas may close

A new report by the Sutton Trust, which champions social mobility, claims that a third of nurseries in the most disadvantaged areas of England may be forced to close permanently.

Read more

New EYFS and consultation published

1 July 2020

Today the Government has published the new Early Years Foundation Stage following a consultation period.
The consultation responses and EYFS documents have been published ahead of voluntary adoption by schools in September and will apply to all early years settings from September 2021. Read more

NDNA joins calls for children at heart of recovery

30 June 2020

National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) is among one of more than 150 UK organisations which has called the Government to put children at the heart of the recovery process. Read more

New Shadow Education Minister appointed

29 June 2020

Kate Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston, has been appointed as Labour’s new Shadow Education Secretary. Read more

Early years disregarded in billion pound education investment

29 June 2020

Prime Minister Boris Johnson today announced a ten-year school rebuilding programme, with £1bn to be spent on 50 projects in the first year. Read more

Latest DfE stats show importance of PVI nurseries

25 June 2020

The DfE has released its latest stats from January 2020 which show the majority of two and three year olds access funded early years places in private, voluntary or independent run settings. Read more

Wraparound and holiday childcare to go ahead

23 June 2020

The Prime Minister announced today that from 4 July many lockdown measures would be removed, including the restrictions on wraparound and holiday childcare provision. Read more

Nurseries in Wales to reopen from Monday 22 June

19 June 2020

First Minister Mark Drakeford MS announced changes to the lockdown regulations in Wales from Monday (22 June) to enable childcare providers to reopen alongside non-essential retail businesses “to support a return to work for more people.” Read more

Catch up billion excludes early years sector

19 June 2020

A billion pound announcement for education catch up plans for children in England will not include investment in early years, the Prime Minister and Education secretary are set to announce today. Read more

New reopening guidance for Scottish nurseries

15 June 2020

The Scottish Government published new guidance to support settings in planning for the safe reopening of early learning and childcare (ELC) settings in Phase 3 of Scotland’s Routemap. Read more

No new Childcare Offer entrants until September

10 June 2020

The Welsh Government announced that the suspension of the Childcare Offer to new entrants is extended until at least the end of August. Read more

Meeting with Competitions and Markets Authority

10 June 2020

Today NDNA, Pacey and the Scottish Childminders Association had a joint meeting with the CMA to discuss their current investigation into the complaints they have received into cancellations and refunds in the childcare sector. Read more

TUC calls for emergency childcare bailout

04 June 2020

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has echoed NDNA’s concerns in their latest report that the childcare sector risks collapse without an emergency government bailout. Read more

Welsh Government announce date for schools to re-open

03 June 2020

The Welsh Government’s Education Minister Kirsty Williams has announced that schools in Wales will start to return from 29 June. Read more

Chancellor announces changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

29 May 2020

In tonight’s Downing Street briefing the Chancellor has announced that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will change from the start of August with a new ‘flexible furlough’ scheme to begin a month early from 01 July. Read more

Sector sends joint letter in response to unfair CMA investigation

27 May 2020

National Day Nurseries Association, the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) and the Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) have written a joint letter to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for urgent clarification about their investigation into early education and childcare providers. Read more

DfE releases early years Planning Guide

26 May 2020

The Department for Education has published its Planning Guide for early years and childcare settings which sets out how settings might plan to re-open or accept more children from 1 June. Read more

Taking control of managing the risk

19 May 2020

One of the main issues regarding nurseries reopening is taking control of managing the risk. Read more

Update to Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

12 May 2020

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will continue to operate in some form until the end of October this year. Read more

Nurseries to reopen from June

11 May 2020
Department for Education logo

Following earlier announcements by the Prime Minister, the Children and Families Minister Vicky Ford MP has given NDNA more clarity on the Government’s plans to reopen educational settings following this lockdown period. Read more

NDNA challenges fairness of CMA plans to investigate nurseries

30 April 2020

Nurseries and childcare providers are being unfairly singled out for investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority. Read more

Update on NDNA's partnership with Bambini Recruitment

30 April 2020

NDNA's partnership with Bambini Recruitment is ending as of today. Read more

Using EY funding flexibly – new guidance for local authorities

29 April 2020

The Department for Education has released new guidance expanding on their plans for local authorities to use funding flexibly. Read more

Minister denies sector crisis caused by underfunding

23 April 2020

Children and Families Minister Vicky Ford MP gave evidence to the Education Select Committee in Parliament yesterday. Read more

New guidance from Welsh Government on funding and furlough schemes

22 April 2020

Childcare providers in Wales will not be able to fully access both the early years entitlement funding and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Read more

Councils can use funding flexibly to support open nurseries

22 April 2020

Education Minister Gavin Williamson announced new guidance will be available for local authorities to be able to redistribute their funding to secure childcare for critical workers and vulnerable children. Read more

NDNA response to Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme update

18 April 2020

NDNA's Chief Executive responds to the update to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme issued on 17 April 2020. Read more

NDNA and CLWLM partners in plea for more support

17 April 2020

Four weeks into the Coronavirus pandemic, CWLWM partners are pleading for more support from the Welsh Government as many unanswered questions remain about the support available to the childcare sector. Read more

Childcare Offer suspended for new children

06 April 2020

The Welsh Government launched its coronavirus childcare assistance scheme to support Wales’ critical workers today – but suspended the Childcare Offer to new children. Read more

1140 hours roll-out to be delayed

31 March 2020

The Scottish Government announced last night (30 March) that they have suspended the statutory duty on local authorities to provide 1140 hours of early learning and childcare from August 2020. Read more

New information published on Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

27 March 2020

The Government has published more detailed information on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for employers. Read more

Latest update regarding Morton Michel insurance

25 March 2020

NDNA is aware of a notification from Morton Michel on their insurance position as a result of the number of calls they have been receiving regarding Covea insurance cover due to COVID-19. Read more

Minister thanks nurseries for their efforts

24 March 2020

Children’s Minister Vicky Ford has penned an open letter to the sector and new COVID-19 guidance has been published by the Department for Education (DfE). Read more

Open letter from Early Years Minister to childcare providers

Early Years Minister Vicky Ford has written an open letter to to all childcare settings in which she sets out more about the Government’s response to COVID19.

See the Welsh Government's Education Minister Kirsty Williams' statement to the sector here.

See letter here

Chancellor announces support for businesses to pay workers

The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has announced a range of support to businesses and employees affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Key workers list revealed

20 March 2020
Doctor

A list of key workers relating to nursery closures was released overnight. Read more

Update on Scotland School closures

20 March 2020
John Swinney - Education Minister

Education Minister John Swinney has given a statement following Nicola Sturgeon’s announcement yesterday about expected school and nursery closures. Read more

All nurseries in England set to close

18 March 2020
Gavin Williamson - Secretary of State for Education

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced in the Commons that all nurseries in England will close from Monday 23 March. Read more

NDNA pushes for further support

18 March 2020
Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a range of measures yesterday to support businesses through the Coronavirus pandemic. Read more

2020 Budget: Chancellor ignores business rates relief for nurseries

11 March 2020
Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak MP has delivered his first budget but there was no sign of business rates relief for nursery businesses. Read more

COVID-19 Q&A session with Citation

11 March 2020
Citation logo

NDNA and member partner Citation are hosting a live question and answer session webinar about staffing or health and safety regarding COVID-19 for NDNA members. Read more

Coronavirus insurance concerns: joint statement

04 March 2020
Pound Gates logo

NDNA and insurance partner Pound Gates have put together a joint statement to clarify the situation regarding insurance in the event of a closure as a result of COVID-19. Read more

NDNA member of Commission on future of the early years workforce

04 March 2020

NDNA, along with a number of other early years organisations, has launched the Early Years Workforce Commission to review the workforce related challenges facing the sector and to develop comprehensive solutions. Read more

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