Tackling the Early Years Recruitment Crisis Head On
A sober outlook The mood across the Early Years sector seems to be suggesting that recruiting and retaining staff is one of our biggest challenges. It was certainly the biggest…
LEYF News
Read the latest news and updates from the LEYF team.
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: in Conversation with Charlotte Riley
Time to Put Childcare in the Spotlight When do you hear the words ‘actor’ and ‘childcare’ in the same sentence? Rarely, according to actor Charlotte Riley, Founder of The…
Blue Monday is not very blue in Early Years
In a world, which is very focused on wellbeing and how we consider people sense of wellbeing, it seemed a bit strange to me that 17th January was renamed Blue…
A Wish for Wellness in 2022
2022 has finally arrived and it is also Day 5 of my COVID isolation. I know I am nearly better because the world doesn’t feel like a permanent menopausal hot…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: in Conversation with Norma Raynes
From Generation to Generation: In Conversation with Professor Norma Raynes About ten years ago I discovered the work of Robert Putnam and the idea of social capital. In…
Oh What a Year – We Couldn’t Have Done It Without YOU
Thank you to everyone for your support this year and helping us Stand Up for Early Years by shouting out like Santa about the big structural issues relating to child…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: In Conversation with Leslee Udwin
Leslee Udwin is a film maker who is now on a mission to achieve a global system change In Early Childhood Education through social and emotional learning based on empathy,…
What About The Baby?
Why now is the time for national leadership and a rescue, recovery and repair plan for the nation’s youngest children. I have long reluctantly accepted that any child…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: in Conversation with Sonia Pombo
Child Obesity, Hunger, Allergies and Fads: How Do We Respond to these Challenges? We all agree that child obesity is a complex issue and addressing it can seem overwhelming.
Is the Early Years sector doing enough to tackle childhood obesity?
Is the Early Years sector doing enough when it comes to helping young children maintain a healthy weight and tackle childhood obesity? Tell us what YOU think. Did you…
Time to Level ALL the Way UP
The Chancellor had some tough decisions to make today to drive the Government’s Levelling Up agenda and prepare the country for a post-Covid “age of optimism”. Whilst we know…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: in Conversation with Bikeworks
Pedal Power to the Children and their Families It was a chance conversation with Jim Blakemore that led to the beginning of what has now become a strong relationship…
Don’t Keep Quiet about the Menopause Fairy
Gosh, isn’t it great to have permission to talk about menopause. Thank you whoever pushed for World Menopause Day. Personally, I think it should be a week.
Raise the Alarm and Stop Changes to Children to Staff Ratios
In 2013, I wrote a blog to raise the alarm on an ill-considered plan to reduce staff to child ratios and reduce the cost of childcare. I was not…