Alliance launches early years policy survey for practitioners

6th March 2014

The Pre-school Learning Alliance has today launched a landmark new comprehensive survey on early year policy, giving practitioners the opportunity to share their views on the state of the early years sector.

The Early years agenda survey covers several key areas of early years policy, including funding, qualifications, schools, childminder agencies and 新澳门六合彩官网开奖.

The results of the survey will underpin the Alliance鈥檚 upcoming Early years manifesto for government: a realistic, sustainable plan of action for the future of the sector, grounded in three key principles:

  • The needs of the child must always be at the centre of all decision-making.
  • Policy should be based on an extensive body of evidence, not the personal views of government ministers (or other policy-drivers, such as 新澳门六合彩官网开奖).
  • Consulting with the early years sector should be the first step of policy development, not the last.

Chief executive of the Alliance Neil Leitch said:

鈥淎s the UK general elections draw closer, the political focus on childcare and early years continues to intensify. We鈥檝e seen promise after promise and pledge after pledge made to parents about improving the availability and affordability of childcare, but due to a continued lack of any meaningful consultation with the sector, many of these policies are unrealistic, unsustainable and simply unworkable.

鈥淲e believe it鈥檚 time that practitioners 鈥 professionals with the knowledge, experience and passion for early years 鈥 are placed at the centre of the early years debate. That鈥檚 why we are launching our Early years agenda survey, a chance for all practitioners to share their views on early years policy and the future of the sector. The more responses we receive, the more powerful our message to government, so we are urging as many practitioners as possible to take part.鈥

The Alliance鈥檚 Early year manifesto will be a key focus of the Alliance鈥檚 upcoming Annual Member Event: 鈥楽etting the childcare agenda: making our voices heard鈥, which will take place at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole on Friday 6 June.

The event will include keynote speeches from key political and sector representatives, including a senior Cabinet minister (confirmed); a range of useful and informative seminars on key early years issues; and the Alliance National Volunteer Awards.

For further information, please .

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Notes for editors

  1. The Early years agenda survey
  2. The Pre-school Learning Alliance is the largest voluntary sector provider of quality affordable childcare and education in England.
  3. Through direct provision and its membership of 14,000 nurseries, sessional pre-schools and parent and toddler groups, the Alliance supports over 800,000 children and their families in England. The Alliance also develops and runs family learning programmes, offers information and advice, runs acclaimed training and accreditation programmes and campaigns to influence early years policy and practice.
  4. For information about the Pre-school Learning Alliance, visit our website:

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