News https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/ en-US 60 https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/parents-of-nine-month-olds-can-apply-for-funded-places-from-may-under-largest-ever-childcare-expansion Parents of nine-month-olds can apply for funded places from May under 'largest ever childcare expansion' Parents of nine-month-olds can apply for their funded place in May ahead of the September rollout, the Government has announced today as it launches a consultation into ways to recruit more childminders. Fri, 15 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/new-dfe-consultation-on-recruiting-and-retaining-childminders New DfE consultation on recruiting and retaining childminders The Department for Education (DfE) has today launched a new consultation to consider ways in which childminders can be supported to join or continue in the profession. Fri, 15 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/early-education-launches-events-to-address-gaps-in-professional-development-when-working-with-birth-to-threes Early Education launches events to address gaps in professional development when working with birth to threes These series of events will highlight the importance of quality – rather than quantity – of provision for the new entitlements for children from nine months to two years. Thu, 14 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/government-told-it-s-time-to-unlock-the-trauma-trap-of-adverse-childhood-experiences Government told it's time to 'unlock the trauma trap' of Adverse Childhood Experiences Cross party MPs have called on the Government to ‘unlock the trauma trap’ of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and free children with a population-wide public health strategy. Wed, 13 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/froebel-partnership-launches-pilot-phase-of-new-cpd-package Froebel Partnership launches pilot phase of new CPD package A new professional development programme designed to support practitioners to reflect more deeply on their practice has been launched by the Froebel Partnership. Tue, 12 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/ashbourne-day-nurseries-buys-harp-nurseries Ashbourne Day Nurseries buys Harp Nurseries Ashbourne Day Nurseries has acquired Harp Nurseries, bringing its total number of settings to 41. Tue, 12 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/organisations-profiting-from-inspection-preparation-accused-of-creating-significant-fear-around-ofsted Organisations 'profiting from inspection preparation' accused of creating 'significant fear' around Ofsted Ofsted has accused organisations and individuals profiting from inspection preparation of creating ‘significant fear’ of the inspectorate. Mon, 11 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/seven-in-10-dads-forced-to-cut-their-paternity-leave-short Seven in 10 dads forced to cut their paternity leave short Just over 70 per cent of dads have had to cut their paternity leave short as they couldn’t afford to stay off work that long, finds new research. Fri, 08 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/ofsted-invites-the-sector-to-take-part-in-its-big-listen-consultation Ofsted invites the sector to take part in its Big Listen consultation Ofsted’s Big Listen, which seeks the views of the education and social care sectors, along with parents, on the inspectorate’s work, has opened today (Friday 8 March). Fri, 08 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/scotland-s-first-minister-commits-an-extra-16-million-to-boost-the-pay-of-early-years-staff Scotland's first minister commits an extra £16 million to boost the pay of early years staff The First Minister has announced £16 million of additional investment to boost the pay of early years staff in Scotland. Fri, 08 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/tv-presenter-rachel-riley-named-as-the-ambassador-for-new-early-years-reading-initiative TV presenter Rachel Riley named as the ambassador for new early years reading initiative Television presenter Rachel Riley has been announced as the first ever ambassador for Oscar’s Book Club, a new initiative to inspire early years reading. Thu, 07 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/wrexham-football-club-create-bilingual-welsh-children-s-book Wrexham Football Club create bilingual Welsh children's book A bilingual Welsh language children’s book has been published this World Book Day (7 March). Thu, 07 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/budget-2024-chancellor-confirms-guaranteed-rates-for-landmark-childcare-expansion Budget 2024: Chancellor confirms 'guaranteed' rates for 'landmark' childcare expansion The Chancellor has delivered his spring Budget today confirming there will be an extra £500m for providers over two years to support providers with workforce costs. Wed, 06 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/budget-2024-early-years-sector-cautiously-welcomes-chancellor-s-plans-for-funding-rates-to-rise-in-line-with-costs Budget 2024: Early years sector cautiously welcomes Chancellor's plans for funding rates to rise in line with costs Early years sector organisations have given a cautious welcome to the Chancellor’s confirmation that he would ‘guarantee rates’ for providers to deliver the expanded childcare offer, but say the 'devil is in the detail'. Wed, 06 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/pandemic-babies-found-to-have-fewer-allergies-and-infections 'Pandemic babies' found to have fewer allergies and infections Babies born during the Covid-19 pandemic have experienced lower rates of infection and fewer allergies, reveals new research. Tue, 05 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/more-than-eight-in-10-single-parents-on-universal-credit-unable-to-meet-new-work-requirements More than eight in 10 single parents on universal credit unable to meet new work requirements Over 80 per cent of single parents claiming universal credit say they are unable to meet the 30-hour work requirements introduced last October for ‘lead carers’ of three-to-12-year-olds. Tue, 05 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/working-families-will-be-1-300-worse-off-by-the-end-of-the-decade Working families will be £1,300 worse off by the end of the decade New analysis by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) suggests that the upcoming Budget on Wednesday risks keeping the UK economy on a course which would see household worse off by £1,300 a year, compared to the beginning of the decade (2021). Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/labour-says-chancellor-s-plans-to-expand-childcare-are-in-absolute-tatters Labour says Chancellor's plans to expand childcare are 'in absolute tatters' Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has claimed that the Government is ‘on track’ with its plans to expand childcare for parents, in response to Labour claims that it has a dossier that shows that the Conservatives’ plans are ‘in absolute tatters’. Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/call-to-give-more-importance-to-family-learning Call to give more importance to family learning A group of organisations from across the early years and family support sectors is calling for family learning to be reformed so every child and parent in England are supported. Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/how-a-better-start-areas-support-families-and-babies-against-backdrop-of-shortages-to-midwives-and-health-visitors How 'A Better Start' areas support families and babies against backdrop of shortages to midwives and health visitors A new report on maternity and antenatal support by the National Lottery Community Fund and the National Children’s Bureau highlights the challenges faced by the midwifery and health visiting workforce, and highlights partnership working in the five 'A Better Start' areas of England. Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/a-significant-proportion-of-families-still-not-using-tax-free-childcare A 'significant' proportion of families still not using Tax-Free Childcare While take-up of Tax-Free Childcare among families has risen, there still remains a ‘significant’ proportion not using the taxable benefit. Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/rising-numbers-of-children-now-start-school-without-the-basic-skills-they-need Rising numbers of children now start school without the basic skills they need Fewer children are ‘school ready’, with many unable to listen and respond to basic instructions and share and play together, suggests new research. Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/long-read-sector-is-split-over-decision-to-provide-funded-twos-places LONG READ: Sector is split over decision to provide funded twos places Two surveys show that many settings will not be able to offer parents places for the extended entitlements, as the start of the roll-out of the expanded policy nears. By Catherine Gaunt Tue, 27 Feb 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/interview-meet-professor-angelica-ronald Interview: Meet Professor Angelica Ronald Angelica Ronald is professor of psychology and genetics at the University of Surrey and recently led a study on how pre-school children’s fine motor skills, including drawing, folding paper and block-building, may play an important role in their later education and behaviour. Tue, 27 Feb 2024 00:00:00 Z https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/articles/millions-of-families-cutting-back-on-healthy-food-that-is-twice-as-expensive-as-unhealthy-options Millions of families cutting back on healthy food that is twice as expensive as unhealthy options A ‘worrying’ proportion of ‘food insecure’ families are cutting back on healthy food, sparking concerns of widening health inequalities. Tue, 27 Feb 2024 00:00:00 Z