Neil Leitch, CEO of
the Early Years Alliance, said:
"There is no doubt that this is an ambitious and wide-ranging
strategy which, if implemented in genuine partnership with the
sector, has the potential to transform the experiences of
children and families in this country.
"We welcome the focus on the quality of early years provision,
and on the need to recognise those working in the sector as
educational professionals, and look forward to understanding more
about the detail of these plans. We're also pleased to see plans
to make the early years system simpler and easier to navigate for
parents and families – especially those whose children have
special educational needs and/or disabilities – as part of wider
efforts to remove barriers to early years access.
"That said, we're very clear that given the financial challenges
currently facing the early years sector, the ambitions detailed
in this strategy can only – and will only – be possible with
sufficient funding from government.
"While we welcome plans to consult on early years funding,
it is critical that this review looks specifically at the
sufficiency of the overall level of early years funding, as well
as how it is distributed – and of course, this is a fundamental
part of ensuring that settings are able to recruit and retain
high-quality early educators, which is – rightly – a key focus of
this strategy.
"What's more, we know that many settings are facing a daily
battle to remain financially viable and simply cannot afford to
wait over a year for changes to be implemented. As such, it
remains vital that government provides additional financial
support to the sector during the interim period ahead of the
funding consultation in summer 2026.
"Ultimately, however, the Best Start in Life strategy is a
welcome and positive vision of what early years education, care
and support could look like in this country. We stand ready
to work in partnership with government to make it a reality."
