In October 2025, we submitted evidence to the Education Select Committee’s inquiry into the Early Years: Improving Support for Children and Families.
In it, we summarised evidence to address wide-ranging research questions across the three inquiry themes: quality, workforce, and access.
We made eight recommendations to the Committee:
- Increase the supply of well-evidenced 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.
- Improve local systems to support effective use of the early years pupil premium.
- Accelerate development of the evidence base for quality provision for 0 – 2s
- Develop a national assessment pathway for early communication and language.
- Invest in further research related to measuring the quality of early years provision.
- Prioritise evidence mobilisation within the expansion of Stronger Practice Hubs.
- Deliver a career progression framework which is comprehensive and founded on high-quality evidence.
- Reform childcare entitlements for lower-income families to address the access gap.
Additional evidence submission
In November 2025, we were invited to provide oral evidence at a committee session to further discuss these recommendations
Following questions asked at the oral evidence session, and the government’s commitment as part of the Autumn budget to review funded early years provision, we submitted additional evidence in January 2026.
The submission summarises the evidence base on what level of access and starting age for early childhood education and care might deliver the best outcomes for children, particularly those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. We hope this supports the committee with their inquiry and with making recommendations for the government’s review.