Talking Early Years: In conversation with Professor Sam Wass
We’ve Got It the Wrong Way Round I’ve just finished recording a podcast with Professor Sam Wass, and I’m still buzzing. He is Director of the Institute for the…
LEYF News and CEO Blog
Read the latest news and updates from our CEO and the wider LEYF team.
Why Social Enterprises Must Lead the Future of Childcare — And the Wider Social Care Economy
The Government’s Best Start strategy signals an intention to look again at Early Years business models and examine whether they can truly deliver for disadvantaged communities. It is a welcome…
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. There is…
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…
Ofsted has a Big Conversation with the London OBC
One of the few benefits of COVID-19 was that we learned that we could manage big meetings using technology and there was less reason for people to complain about not…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: in Conversation with Gill Jones
Listen and Listen Well is Gill Jones’ Mantra Gill and I became friends under the most usual circumstances. I was very fed up with Ofsted and the attitude…
London OBC is next week
It was about five years ago, when things with Ofsted were not positive, I started the Ofsted Big Conversation (OBC). Supported by many in the Early Years sector…
Inspector Ofsted – Get Ready, Be Ready and Join the OBC
Last week, when the weather was still warm and summer made a brief appearance, we piled onto Zoom to engage with Ofsted as part of their termly Consultative Forum. While…
Leading by Social Purpose
What does it mean to be awarded Social Enterprise Leader of The Year? A prize, a party, a badge, a sense of confidence about what you do, a picture…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: In conversation with Kate Silverton
Mum to two young children, journalist and children’s mental health advocate, Kate Silverton shares her ground-breaking new approach to parenting under-fives that helps to make family life so much…
Raise the status of the Early Years
Will The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood raise the status of the Early Years? On Friday 18th June, The Duchess of Cambridge launched the Royal Foundation Centre for…