Early Years Hub

28/08/2026

Happy weekend everyone. If like many you have a long Bank Holiday ahead of you, we hope you enjoy the extra time to rest and relax. ☺️

Illustration: Running Through Summer Fields by Jeremy Norton. ☀️

28/08/2026

A reminder that from next week - the 1st of September, all volunteers working in settings will require an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

If you are unsure of how this will apply to your setting and to ensure compliance with the new requirements check out the details below. 👇

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27/08/2026

'Safeguarding children and babies in early years settings' - is the new FREE training that has been written by the NSPCC and in collaboration with the DfE.

It was launched in July and is a great resource for EY practitioners to access authentic, research based safeguarding training.

Here's some details about the course.

The course comprises of 5 online modules.
💛What is safeguarding?
❤️Operating in line with legislation and guidance.
💙Recognising harm, abuse and neglect.
🧡Responding to and reporting harm.
💚Creating a culture of safeguarding.

The link to take you to the training is embedded into the new Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework (Sept 2026) at the bottom of the Annex C: Criteria for effective safeguarding training. This takes you back to the main website page for the EYFS here:👇

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2

Scroll down the page on the website and you will come to the text below. 👇

DfE has developed online safeguarding training in collaboration with the NSPCC. The training is free for all early years educators. Log in to the early years safeguarding training. 👇

You may already have an account?

If you do not have an account, use the registration form to sign up. 👇

https://eysafeguardingtraining.vc-enable.co.uk/Register

26/08/2026

What happens when a whistleblower wants to remain anonymous.

A really helpful article from Imogen Edmunds who is managing director at Redwing Solutions.

👇👇

Imogen Edmunds, managing director of Redwing Solutions, which specialises in HR for early years settings, explains what happens when a whistleblower wants to...

26/08/2026

Best Start in Life Screen Time.

The information and resources in the link below offer a brilliant way of reinforcing safe practices and messages with parents. It also supports settings compliance with the screen time expectations in the new EYFS. 💜🩷

Digital screens are now a normal part of family life. The early years are however critical for development - 90% of a child’s brain development occurs by age 5, making it a critical period for the development of social, emotional and cognitive skills. Consequently, on Friday 27 March, the governme...

26/08/2026

A new EYFS (September 2026) has clear expectations that providers MUST have regard to the DfE's guidance on children's screen use in early years settings.

We've added the link to this guidance in this post for a quick reference.

Guidance explains how to 'limit children’s screen use in settings and ensure it supports children’s learning and development'.

📌Screen use should be avoided for under 2s and limited to up to an hour a day for children aged 2 to 5.

📌(providers should) limit screen use for children and only use it carefully and intentionally, for specific learning and development aims.

📌Guidance covers managing screens, appropriate content for young children’s brains and advice for working collaboratively with parents and carers on this topic.

Check out the details below to ensure that you are compliant with the changes. 👇

Evidence shows that screens can have a big impact on children and their development in the early years. Screen use should be avoided for under 2s and limited to up to an hour a day for children aged 2 to 5. You should take a precautionary approach to using screens in your setting by limiting screen....

26/08/2026

Important safety information from The Child Accident Prevention Trust 🩵

25/08/2026

So very sad to hear the news of Dolly Parton’s passing.

Her Imagination Library that provides literature for children from birth to five is inspirational and will be just one of her many legacy’s.

https://imaginationlibrary.com/

25/08/2026

Whistleblowing.

When and how to use whistleblowing procedures to report concerns about unsafe, poor, or unaddressed safeguarding practice.

More useful information from the DfE's Help for early years providers content.

When and how to use whistleblowing procedures to report concerns about unsafe, poor, or unaddressed safeguarding practice.

24/08/2026

Adults contacting the NSPCC Helpline about children experiencing domestic abuse reaches record levels.

full details below: 👇👇

Last year, our Helpline handled 8,448 child welfare contacts where the main concern was domestic abuse, an increase of more than 80% since our records began.