Early Years News Roundup |🌞 Inside Babyzone’s Summer Wellbeing Week

Spotlight 🌟

Babyzone’s Summer Wellbeing Week in Action

This summer, Babyzone sites across the country came together to host a vibrant week of Summer Wellbeing events, creating vital spaces for families to connect, play, and access the support they need to thrive.

From drumming workshops in Croydon to first aid in Barnet, and from mental health support in Barking & Dagenham to creative play and oral health promotion in Blackburn, each event reflected the power of place-based partnerships. These were not simply activity days - they were a celebration of the ecosystems of care that surround families when we get it right.

Over 80 partner organisations joined Babyzone - among them NHS services, Barnardo’s, Mind, BookTrust, Home-Start, local councils, and emergency services - offering families a mix of expertise, warmth, and practical help. For many of these organisations, Babyzone is not a one-off collaboration but a weekly fixture, where frontline teams come together under one roof to provide integrated, community-led support.

These events showcased the essence of Babyzone: trusted neighbourhood spaces where support is relational, not transactional and where every interaction is designed with child development in mind.

As our First Years Last Forever campaign highlights, the foundations we lay in the early years shape a lifetime. Our Summer Wellbeing week was a powerful reminder that when local services collaborate, and when families are welcomed without stigma or threshold, we create conditions for every child to flourish.

Want to see Babyzone in action or explore how your organisation could partner with us? We’d love to welcome you. Get in touch to start a conversation: [email protected].

Behind the Headlines 📰

Early Years Social Enterprises Unite to Expand Model Across the UK

The Early Years Social Enterprise Collective (EYSEC) has been launched to promote the expansion of social enterprise models in early childhood education across the UK. By supporting disadvantaged children and families, this initiative seeks to influence government policy, utilise social funds, and showcase the potential of social enterprises in offering quality, affordable care. The collective aims to create a roadmap for scaling social enterprises, ensuring ethical leadership and community-focused education.

Early Years Experts Share Their Views On The Best Start in Life Strategy

Earlier this month, the Government released its Best Start in Life Strategy (BSILS), shaped by feedback from parents, early years professionals, and insights from Sir David Bell’s independent review (commissioned by Labour while in opposition). The review focused on improving access to affordable childcare, raising the quality of early years provision, and setting out a long-term workforce plan.

Nursery World spoke with providers, sector leaders, and economists to explore the potential impact of the key reforms — including workforce professionalisation, a funding review, and strengthened Ofsted oversight. Press here to read more.

In Case You Missed It - Government Boosts Ofsted Nursery Inspections To Improve Child Safety Standards

The increase in Ofsted nursery inspections from once every six years to four is a response to the Campaign for Gigi, spurred by the tragic death of Genevieve Meehan in 2022. This change aims to enhance nursery safety standards, though campaign supporters stress the need for further measures such as compulsory CCTV and mandatory safe sleep training to truly meet their objectives.

Research & Insights 🔬

Impact Of Early Adversity On Brain Development And Mental Health Disorders

Early adversity significantly impacts brain architecture, enhancing susceptibility to mental health disorders. Focusing on critical developmental periods, this research identifies how early-life challenges affect neural networks, emphasising the necessity for early interventions. Supporting the development of preventative measures, this underscores the long-term benefits of addressing childhood adversity.

DfE Increases Early Years Funding Pass-Through Rate to 97% by 2026

The Department for Education in the UK will increase the early years funding pass-through rate for local authorities from 96% to 97% by 2026, ensuring more funding reaches early years settings. This aims to benefit children's early education by enhancing resource availability directly to nurseries and childminders. The change underscores the government's dedication to giving children an optimal start.

Global Perspectives 🌎

China's Free Preschool Rollout Begins, Easing Financial Strain On Families

Assessing Kindergarten Readiness in Colorado Amid Data Gaps and Challenges

Colorado faces challenges in assessing early childhood readiness due to incomplete data, particularly affecting perspectives on kindergarten preparedness. Advocates argue for mandatory reporting on racial, socio-economic, and assessment details to refine educational strategies. Addressing these gaps could potentially enhance the state's initiatives in advancing early childhood development.

Building Emotional Resilience In Primary School Children In Govan, Glasgow

The NSPCC's Emotional Resilience programme in Govan, Glasgow, aided 799 primary school children from 2021 to 2024 to counteract the COVID-19 lockdown's emotional impact by enhancing emotional intelligence. Teachers and local stakeholders observed significant benefits, underscoring the programme's efficacy in addressing these children's emotional needs. This initiative highlights the critical role of targeted emotional support in early childhood development.