Ten million free breakfasts have been served to children across England through the government’s free breakfast club programme — unlocking 5 million hours of childcare and representing potential savings of up to £25 million in childcare costs for working families. 

The early years sector could help tackle rising youth unemployment through both the early identification of children at risk of becoming NEET and by employing young people, the response to a government-commissioned review suggests.

Campaign group Early Years Voice (EYV) has written to the chief executive of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), urging her to undertake a ‘full market’ investigation into childcare charges, including whether the Government hourly funded rate set is ‘adequate’, as

The education secretary is encouraging all primary schools to get involved in its free breakfast club programme, as the policy marks a milestone of having served 10 million free breakfasts to over 300,000 children, across 1,250 clubs.

Universities are often seen as institutions that begin their work at 18. But if we are serious about social mobility, opportunity and national productivity, our responsibility begins much earlier – in the first five years of life.

Something significant is happening in childcare policy in England.