NEWS

While the EYFS framework currently links to the NHS safer sleep guidance, early education minister Olivia Bailey has confirmed that the framework will now be updated so that the requirements around safer sleep are set out directly within the EYFS itself.

In a letter sent to all registered early years providers, the minister confirmed that while these changes are expected to come into effect from September 2026, “providers must already be compliant with them now”.

To support this planned update, guidance is available in the Help for Early Years Providers section of the Gov.uk website (bit.ly/U5-safersleep), with a new FAQ document available on the Foundation Years website (bit.ly/U5-safersleepFAQ).

The updated wording, developed for children under two with input from the Lullaby Trust, medical experts and Ofsted, is as follows:

• Children are placed down on their back in their own separate sleep space on a firm flat surface such as a cot, bed or mattress on the floor. Babies aged one year [12 months] and and under must only be placed to sleep in a cot.

• Sleep spaces should only contain a firm, flat, waterproof mattress and lightweight bedding which is firmly tucked in around the child below their shoulders to prevent head covering. Alternatively, a well fitted baby sleep bag may be used. Check the manufacturer recommendations before using a baby sleep bag.

• Where blankets are used, the child is placed feet-to-foot at the bottom of the cot, with blankets tucked in.

• Cots must not contain extra items such as toys, pillows, extra blankets, bumpers, wedges or straps.

• Children should not get too hot or cold. The recommended room temperature for babies is 16 – 20˚C.

• Children’s heads are not covered.

• Children under six months of age must always have an adult with them in the same room for every sleep. All children must be frequently checked when sleeping.

• Children are always within sight and hearing of staff when sleeping.

The announcement comes after the government’s review of proposals raised through the Campaign for Gigi, a safety advocacy initiative launched by Katie Wheeler and John Meehan following the death of their nine-month-old daughter, Genevieve (‘Gigi’) at a nursery in 2022.

Nearly one in five early years providers have not applied for Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) funding due to practical barriers to accessing the funding, a new report from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has found. According to the report, based on a survey of more than 500 early years professionals and 18 in-depth interviews with setting leaders, while 95% of respondents said they were aware of the funding, 19% had not applied for it.

The research, conducted by IFF research, revealed several roadblocks to accessing the funding, including parents being unwilling to share personal information, uncertainty about eligibility and variation in local authority processes.

With the funding typically paid in arrears, in small instalments, and often bundled with other revenue sources, leaders interviewed also cited difficulty in predicting how much they will receive and planning its use.

The EEF has warned that many settings are missing out on a valuable opportunity to narrow the learning gap in the early years as a result.

To combat this, the EEF has published a new tool to support settings with using their EYPP funding, designed to help leaders identify priorities, consider evidence-informed approaches, and monitor the impact of their spending.

EEF CEO Professor Becky Francis CBE said: “Our new research shows strong awareness of the funding, but also that it’s often used to meet immediate needs rather than invested in the approaches that have the greatest impact.

“As the funding available to settings increases, there is a real opportunity to think more strategically about how it is used. With the right support, including practical tools to help leaders plan and prioritise, the Early Years Pupil Premium can play a vital role in improving outcomes for disadvantaged children.”

and free schools, including maintained nurseries and nursery classes within primary schools.

Under the government’s new plans, schools will be required to limit food and drinks that are high in fat, salt and sugar and provide more fruit, vegetables and wholegrains.

The plan will also ban deep fried food and limit unhealthy ‘grab and go’ options like sausage rolls and pizzas. Schools will need to serve fruit instead of sugary treats for most of the week.

As part of the proposed changes, the government is additionally planning to remove the reduced set of lunch standards that currently apply to maintained nursery schools and nursery classes within primary schools, with these settings instead only required to follow the Early Years Foundation Stage nutrition guidance. 

The government has launched a nine-week consultation on the healthier options with parents and children, alongside a new national enforcement mechanism to monitor the new standards and ensure they are applied consistently.

The move comes after parent polling revealed three-quarters are concerned by the food their children are eating. One in three children are leaving primary school overweight or obese, while tooth decay from diets high in sugar is the leading cause of hospital admissions for kids aged five to nine.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Every child deserves to have delicious, nutritious food at school that gives them the energy to concentrate, learn and thrive – meals that children will actually recognise and enjoy, backed by robust compliance so that good standards on paper become good food on the plate.”

New guidance from the DfE sets out how schools and early years settings can strengthen their relationships and work together with families to ensure more children are ready for reception.

According to the Kindred2 School Readiness Survey 2025, over a third (37%) of children are starting school without the basic skills they need for the classroom, such as using the toilet independently, communicating clearly or following simple instructions.

To combat this, the guidance comprises three key building blocks:

■ Strong relationships with families.

■ Close partnership between schools and early years settings.

■ Early identification of children’s needs, including SEND.

The initiative aims to provide a clear idea of what good support from schools and early years settings looks like.

The guidance outlines practical strategies, such as home visits, ‘stay and play’ sessions, opportunities for families to tour new schools and for teachers to observe children in their current settings.

Early education minister Olivia Bailey MP said: “From the moment families receive their school place, they should feel supported with simple, practical ways to help their child build confidence, independence and the skills they need for the classroom.

“By bringing schools, nurseries, childminders, and families closer together, we can make sure every child gets off to a strong start – arriving at school feeling settled and ready to learn.”

The new services form the first wave of the government’s plan to deliver up to 1,000 hubs across all local authorities by the end of 2028.

The government will invest a total £900m into Best Start Family Hubs over the next three years: £500 million to deliver hubs nationwide, £200 million for the Healthy Babies services, and a further £200 million to fund SEND practitioners in every hub.

The government has also announced a new commitment to deliver up to 2,000 satellite locations by the end of 2028, based in health centres, leisure centres, libraries and churches.

New guidance sets out the full support families can expect from Best Start Family Hubs, bringing together help from pregnancy through to school age in one joined-up offer.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Best Start Family Hubs will revitalise family services – bringing together health, parenting support and practical advice in one place, free and close to home, so that parents can get the help they need, when they need it.

“Whether it’s advice on child development, help with additional needs, or simply a friendly face in the community, this government is putting the support so many families used to rely on, back into each and every community.”

Alliance CEO Neil Leitch said: “We welcome the announcement of the Best Start in Life Family Hubs opening this week. They have the potential to make a real difference for families, particularly those in disadvantaged areas, as long as they are fully joined up with local early years provision to deliver meaningful, long-term support.

“This is a positive step, and we stand ready to work with ministers to help ensure that the rollout of Best Start family hubs – and the wider Best Start in Life strategy – delivers the high-quality care, education and support that families both need and deserve.”

Over half of parents (54%) in the UK wish they’d had more essentials for their newborns, with seven in 10 believing the government should ensure all babies have the necessary items from birth, a new Barnardo’s survey has found.

According to the survey, which received responses from around 2,000 UK parents with children aged under five, and was commissioned to Censuswide:

• 44% of parents struggled to afford all the essential items needed for the first six months of their baby’s life

• 44% feel financial pressure has affected their child’s ability to develop skills such as speech, socialising or physical play

• 49% said their child missed out on opportunities to learn or play due to cost

• 43% feel their child is starting school at a disadvantage due to financial pressures

• 47% said they had to avoid buying toys, books or educational resources in the past 12 months because of cost

Barnardo’s has called for the introduction of a universal baby bundles scheme to give all babies the best possible start.

Barnardo’s chief executive Lynn Perry said: “Poverty steals the foundations of learning, playing and growing that are essential to build their futures, leading to delays in speech, growth and emotional development.

“A baby bundle isn’t just a collection of items, it’s a vital building block. It’s a way of making sure that every baby, regardless of their parents’ circumstances, has what they need from the very beginning. It means a family doesn’t have to choose between heating and a cot, or between food for themselves and clothes for their newborn. It means the basics are there, ready and waiting, so parents can focus on bonding with their baby rather than worrying about how they’ll provide for them.

“By giving parents the essential items they need from day one, we’re not just supporting families in crisis we’re investing in children’s health, wellbeing and development for years to come. It’s something all parents need for their newborn babies and which we are calling for the government to provide.”

child’s screen time, and 98% of two-year-olds watching screens every day.

The guidance, which is available on the Best Start in Life website, advises that parents should:

• avoid screen time other than for shared activities that encourage bonding, interaction and conversation for under-twos

• keep screen time to no more than one hour a day for children aged two to five, and avoid it at mealtimes and in the hour before bed

It also recommends choosing slow-paced, age-appropriate content, stating that “fast-paced, social media-style videos and AI toys or tools should be avoided for young children”, and advises where screen are used, they are watched together and discussed.

The guidance also suggests a number of “screen swaps” such as reading bedtime stories together or playing simple games at mealtimes.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Parenting in a digital world can feel relentless. Screens are everywhere, and the advice is often conflicting.

“My government will not leave parents to face this battle alone. Our new guidance cuts through the noise with clear, commonsense tips to keep children safe and make sure healthy habits are baked in from the start.

“There will be some who will oppose us doing this. But whether it’s navigating technology, tackling the cost of living or balancing the demands of family life, I will always stand on the side of parents doing their best for their children.”

Alliance CEO Neil Leitch said: “We know that it’s inevitable that young children will interact with screens in their everyday lives, and so we welcome this new guidance and its emphasis on providing practical tips and advice for parents and carers.

“That said, we’re very mindful that digital media is more than just ‘screens’. As such, we hope this is the first step towards equipping children – and those supporting them – with the skills they need to thrive in an increasingly digital world and ensuring that technology enhances rather than undermines early learning and wellbeing.”

Short news updates from the early years sector and beyond.

During an inquiry hearing on the government’s Child Poverty Strategy, the Sutton Trust’s director of research and policy Carl Cullinane said too many disadvantaged children are missing out on government-funded childcare.

Cullinane warned that “the impact of material poverty is at its greatest in those early years children”. He said children who are “shut out of high-quality education” are less school ready and more vulnerable to poorer academic outcomes at secondary school.

The City of York Council’s Healthy Child Service, in collaboration Ebor academy trust, Kindred Squared and Families First, has launched a pilot project to support families with toilet training, aiming to be the first city in the UK to have all children using the toilet before starting school.