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Commenting on the 'Nurturing Healthy Minds Together' report by the National Children's Bureau, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance said: 

"As we begin 'Infant Mental Health Awareness Week', it is deeply concerning to hear the impact that the coronavirus outbreak has had on infant mental health.

“The last few months have been turbulent to say the least and we should not underestimate the impact that this has had on children, their parents and families. 

“We have already heard anecdotally from providers who tell us that many children under five are anxious, fearful of germs and worried that their loved ones will become ill. 

“As children begin to return to their childcare providers, I know that practitioners will be doing all they can to ensure a safe and nurturing environment where children's well-being is at the heart of their practice. This will be vital for those children and families who need that additional support at this critical time.

"This, of course, should not just be the responsibility of providers. If the government wants to limit the long-term impact of Covid-19 on infant mental health, it also needs to address the wider underlying health inequalities which have a significant impact on a child's development and wellbeing."

Editor notes 

• The Early Years Alliance is the largest and most representative early years membership organisation in England. A registered educational charity, it also provides high-quality affordable childcare and education to support children and families in areas of deprivation throughout the country.

• The Alliance represents 14,000 members and supports them to deliver care and learning to more than 800,000 families every year. We deliver family learning projects, offer information and advice, produce specialist publications, run acclaimed training programmes and campaign to influence early years policy and practice.

• The Alliance website is