The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years providers must meet to ensure that children have the best start in life and are kept healthy and safe. The statutory guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.

All early years providers are already required to meet the safer sleep requirements set out in the EYFS statutory framework, available at: https://www.nhs.uk/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/.

Ofsted is responsible for inspecting registered early years providers against the EYFS requirements and can take regulatory action where providers fail to meet them.

The department continually reviews safeguarding requirements to ensure children are kept as safe as possible. We are planning to update the wording in the EYFS framework so that the safer sleep requirements are set out directly in the statutory framework, rather than through a link to NHS safer sleep guidance, from September 2026, subject to parliamentary and legislative process.

Ofsted has also announced it will inspect safer sleep practice at every early years inspection. This sits alongside additional investment to strengthen inspection and regulatory activity, including funding to deliver an additional 3,000 unannounced inspections each year, helping to strengthen oversight of compliance with safer sleep requirements.

Since the introduction of the early learning for two-year-olds (EL2) entitlement the department has collected data on its uptake but does not break this data down by whether or not parents are in working families. Parents may be eligible for EL2 if they are in receipt of Universal Credit and have a household income of less than £15,400. Parents might also be eligible regardless of work status or income if their child is looked after, is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance or has an education, health and care plan.

Local authorities are responsible for ensuring there are sufficient places to deliver the childcare entitlements and give every child the best start in life. The department maintains close contact with local authorities to monitor sufficiency of childcare in their area, ensuring challenges are identified early and support is provided where needed.

We continue to work with local authorities to strengthen sufficiency planning, and improve data on the availability of suitable places, including for those needing specialist support.

We have seen significant growth in the early years workforce and continue to help people discover rewarding early years careers through the ‘Do something Big’ recruitment campaign, building on our pilot to offer financial incentives to attract and retain the best educators and introducing flexibilities for childminders.

We also recently published our early years funding consultation, which sets out our vision for a reformed early years funding system for the early years entitlements, alongside proposals for transition in 2027/28.

The latest dedicated schools grant allocations for the early years entitlements over the past five years can be found here: https://skillsfunding.service.gov.uk/view-latest-funding/.

The 3 and 4-year-old working parent entitlement, the 2-year-old working parent entitlement, and the under 2s working parent entitlement are only available to working parents who meet the eligibility criteria. For the universal 3 and 4-year-old entitlement and the early learning for 2-year-olds entitlement, the government has never collected data on whether or not parents who claim these entitlements are in work.

The latest January 2026 statistics relating to funded early education and childcare were published on 2 July 2026 here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/funded-early-education-and-childcare/2026.

These statistics contain headcount level figures on the number of children registered for early-learning for 2-year-olds by basis for funding as well as figures on the number of children registered for the various entitlement types.

The latest dedicated schools grant allocations for the early years entitlements over the past five years can be found here: https://skillsfunding.service.gov.uk/view-latest-funding/.

The 3 and 4-year-old working parent entitlement, the 2-year-old working parent entitlement, and the under 2s working parent entitlement are only available to working parents who meet the eligibility criteria. For the universal 3 and 4-year-old entitlement and the early learning for 2-year-olds entitlement, the government has never collected data on whether or not parents who claim these entitlements are in work.

The latest January 2026 statistics relating to funded early education and childcare were published on 2 July 2026 here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/funded-early-education-and-childcare/2026.

These statistics contain headcount level figures on the number of children registered for early-learning for 2-year-olds by basis for funding as well as figures on the number of children registered for the various entitlement types.

We know early years teachers contribute to better outcomes. That is why the government is committed to championing early years teachers, to achieve our aims that 75% of children reach a good level of development by 2028 and that every child has the best start in life.

We have set an ambition to have an early years teacher in every setting. Currently, less than 50% of private, voluntary and independent group-based settings have at least one graduate member of staff. To achieve our ambition, we would need an additional 9,500 teachers. The scheme is part of a wider programme of initiatives that will help us reach this target.

In year one, we expect 1,200 teachers to benefit from the scheme at a cost of over £8 million.

We know early years teachers contribute to better outcomes. That is why the government is committed to championing early years teachers, to achieve our aims that 75% of children reach a good level of development by 2028 and that every child has the best start in life.

We have set an ambition to have an early years teacher in every setting. Currently, less than 50% of private, voluntary and independent group-based settings have at least one graduate member of staff. To achieve our ambition, we would need an additional 9,500 teachers. The scheme is part of a wider programme of initiatives that will help us reach this target.

In year one, we expect 1,200 teachers to benefit from the scheme at a cost of over £8 million.

The early years teacher recognition payment scheme is not just to recruit new early years teachers. It is also designed to boost retention by recognising talented and experienced early years teachers who are already part of the workforce. The department knows that the turnover rates of all staff in private, voluntary and independent group-based settings is 14%. The payments are part of the government’s long-term ambition to grow and strengthen the early years workforce.

The government already offers similar payments for eligible school and further education teachers, and findings from other similar projects, such as phased maths bursaries, suggests they can support the scheme’s aims.

The early years teacher recognition payments supports the government’s priorities to grow and strengthen the workforce and contribute to our long-term ambition to have an early years teacher in every nursery setting.

We recognise the vital contribution of all early years staff across the country but have prioritised targeting the early years teacher recognition payments where need is greatest. Evidence shows fewer qualified teachers work in disadvantaged communities, so that is where we will focus first.

Local authority areas were selected using three measures, each weighted equally and combined to produce an overall ranking:

• The Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index rank.
• Proportion of the local authority’s early years workforce that are qualified teachers.
• Percentage of children achieving a good level of development in the local authority.

This approach ensures payments are targeted at areas with the highest levels of need and greatest potential impact.

The early years teacher recognition payments supports the government’s priorities to grow and strengthen the workforce and contribute to our long-term ambition to have an early years teacher in every nursery setting.

We recognise the vital contribution of all early years staff across the country but have prioritised targeting the early years teacher recognition payments where need is greatest. Evidence shows fewer qualified teachers work in disadvantaged communities, so that is where we will focus first.

Local authority areas were selected using three measures, each weighted equally and combined to produce an overall ranking:

• The Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index rank.
• Proportion of the local authority’s early years workforce that are qualified teachers.
• Percentage of children achieving a good level of development in the local authority.

This approach ensures payments are targeted at areas with the highest levels of need and greatest potential impact.

The early years teacher recognition payments supports the government’s priorities to grow and strengthen the workforce and contribute to our long-term ambition to have an early years teacher in every nursery setting.

We recognise the vital contribution of all early years staff across the country but have prioritised targeting the early years teacher recognition payments where need is greatest. Evidence shows fewer qualified teachers work in disadvantaged communities, so that is where we will focus first.

Local authority areas were selected using three measures, each weighted equally and combined to produce an overall ranking:

• The Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index rank.
• Proportion of the local authority’s early years workforce that are qualified teachers.
• Percentage of children achieving a good level of development in the local authority.

This approach ensures payments are targeted at areas with the highest levels of need and greatest potential impact.

The early years teacher recognition payment scheme is not just to recruit new early years teachers. It is also designed to boost retention by recognising talented and experienced early years teachers who are already part of the workforce. The department knows that the turnover rates of all staff in private, voluntary and independent group-based settings is 14%. The payments are part of the government’s long-term ambition to grow and strengthen the early years workforce.

The government already offers similar payments for eligible school and further education teachers, and findings from other similar projects, such as phased maths bursaries, suggests they can support the scheme’s aims.

We know early years teachers contribute to better outcomes. That is why the government is committed to championing early years teachers, to achieve our aims that 75% of children reach a good level of development by 2028 and that every child has the best start in life.

We have set an ambition to have an early years teacher in every setting. Currently, less than 50% of private, voluntary and independent group-based settings have at least one graduate member of staff. To achieve our ambition, we would need an additional 9,500 teachers. The scheme is part of a wider programme of initiatives that will help us reach this target.

In year one, we expect 1,200 teachers to benefit from the scheme at a cost of over £8 million.

The early years workforce is at the heart of our mission to give every child the best start in life and deliver the Plan for Change.

Early years teacher recognition payments form part of a wider programme to attract and retain early years teachers. The department is significantly increasing the number of funded training places on the early years initial teacher training courses over three years, as well as uplifting funding for providers. We are introducing a new degree apprenticeship route to help more people become early years teachers, with an employer support grant available to deliver this.

On 18 June, we launched the ‘Shaping the future of early years teaching’ consultation. This sets out proposals to reform how early years teachers are trained and supported, with the aim of strengthening training quality and consistency and raising the status of early years teachers across all settings.

Evidence shows leaders with specialised early years graduate qualifications, particularly early years teachers, have the strongest impact on children’s outcomes. The department has prioritised the payments for early years teachers in areas of greatest need.

The cost for the first year of the early years teacher recognition payment is expected to be over £8 million, including payments and tax, and a value for money assessment was carried out. We will announce future year costs in due course. Quantitative metrics will be used to evaluate the scheme, including the number of teachers claiming a payment, numbers and turnover rates of teachers, alongside qualitative metrics, such as staff motivation and confidence.

Early education is delivered by a mixed provider market that sets its own rates of pay. In 2026/27, we expect to provide over £9.5 billion for entitlements, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24.

Evidence shows leaders with specialised early years graduate qualifications, particularly early years teachers, have the strongest impact on children’s outcomes. The department has prioritised the payments for early years teachers in areas of greatest need.

The cost for the first year of the early years teacher recognition payment is expected to be over £8 million, including payments and tax, and a value for money assessment was carried out. We will announce future year costs in due course. Quantitative metrics will be used to evaluate the scheme, including the number of teachers claiming a payment, numbers and turnover rates of teachers, alongside qualitative metrics, such as staff motivation and confidence.

Early education is delivered by a mixed provider market that sets its own rates of pay. In 2026/27, we expect to provide over £9.5 billion for entitlements, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24.

Evidence shows leaders with specialised early years graduate qualifications, particularly early years teachers, have the strongest impact on children’s outcomes. The department has prioritised the payments for early years teachers in areas of greatest need.

The cost for the first year of the early years teacher recognition payment is expected to be over £8 million, including payments and tax, and a value for money assessment was carried out. We will announce future year costs in due course. Quantitative metrics will be used to evaluate the scheme, including the number of teachers claiming a payment, numbers and turnover rates of teachers, alongside qualitative metrics, such as staff motivation and confidence.

Early education is delivered by a mixed provider market that sets its own rates of pay. In 2026/27, we expect to provide over £9.5 billion for entitlements, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24.

Evidence shows leaders with specialised early years graduate qualifications, particularly early years teachers, have the strongest impact on children’s outcomes. The department has prioritised the payments for early years teachers in areas of greatest need.

The cost for the first year of the early years teacher recognition payment is expected to be over £8 million, including payments and tax, and a value for money assessment was carried out. We will announce future year costs in due course. Quantitative metrics will be used to evaluate the scheme, including the number of teachers claiming a payment, numbers and turnover rates of teachers, alongside qualitative metrics, such as staff motivation and confidence.

Early education is delivered by a mixed provider market that sets its own rates of pay. In 2026/27, we expect to provide over £9.5 billion for entitlements, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24.