Invitation to tender: Mapping review of professional development in the Early Years

This work will help to inform EEF grant-making by providing information about the professional development that settings are using to support babies’ and toddlers’ educational and developmental outcomes. In particular, how it supports children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. 

The deadline for applications is Friday 21^st August. Full details of the application process are provided below.

We are interested in professional development programmesA programme is a package of support, including professional development, that helps early years educators to improve particular areas of practice and children’s outcomes. and structured practice support used by:

• maintained nurseries
• Private, Voluntary and Independent settings (PVIs)
• Childminders
• groups or networks of providers
• membership organisations

We are also interested in local systems and sector-wide support arrangements.

This may include:

• induction programmes
• in-house training
• practice-based support
• packaged programmes

Indicative research questions for this work include:

• What programmes, structured support, and professional development activities are currently available to educators working with babies and toddlers aged 0 to 2 in England?
  • How do these vary by setting type, target audience, cost, and delivery model?
• What topics, practices, and areas of knowledge do these programmes and professional development packages cover? How are they intended to improve educator practice and outcomes for children aged 0 to 2?
• How widespread is the use of these programmes and approaches, and how does availability vary by setting type and by settings serving higher proportions of children experiencing socio-economic disadvantage?
• How does the availability, use, and accessibility of professional development vary across the early years sector? Including between areas and communities with different levels of socio-economic disadvantage?
• What factors influence educators’ and settings’ engagement with professional development? Including preferences, priorities, constraints, and barriers for those working in more disadvantaged communities.
• How is internal professional development designed, delivered, and embedded within Private, Voluntary and Independent settings (PVIs) or childminder networks? Including induction, ongoing professional learning, supervision, and review processes.
• What are the professional development needs of educators and setting leaders working with children aged 0 to 2? Including priority areas of practice and preferred content and design features?

We are open to different approaches to answering these research questions.

We anticipate that the work may include a combination of desk-based research and direct engagement with early years educators and setting leaders. (For example, through interviews and surveys across a range of settings providing care and education for babies and toddlers aged 0 to 2.

This may also include a dedicated strand exploring internal professional development within medium and large provider groups through engagement with relevant organisational leads.

We expect that the work would include analysis and presentation of findings by 9^th December 2026, with a full report draft submitted to the EEF for review by 18^th January 2027.

Further details can be found in the invitation to tender below.