Strengthening Practice Through Research – EECERA
LEYF at EECERA 2025 Wrapped up with a Bow for You! Attending an EECERA conference established by the wonderful Chris Pascal and Tony Bertram has become a LEYF ritual. …
LEYF News and CEO Blog
Read the latest news and updates from our CEO and the wider LEYF team.
The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World
On the 17th of November, I was invited by the Royal Foundation, Centre for Early Childhood to a lecture by Professor Robert Waldinger from Harvard University, who co-wrote the letter…
Childcare Expansion: Promise or Mirage?
Yesterday, amid much fanfare, the government announced the start of the expansion of funded childcare hours. It may sound like a win for parents but the reality is far less…
Why We Need More Men in Childcare
A Reflection and Call to Action I’ve long been an advocate for getting more men into childcare (MiC). It simply seems absurd to write off half the human population as…
Stephen Morgan MP visits LEYF Soho Nursery and Pre-School
Minister for Early Education, Stephen Morgan, visits LEYF Soho Nursery and Pre-School to meet the men working in childcare as the government ramps up efforts to grow and diversify the early years workforce.
Talking Early Years: In Conversation with Ellen Sandseter
Risky Play or Not Risky Play – That is the Question! Ellen Sandseter is a well-known professor at Queen Maud University College for Early Childhood Education in Trondheim, Norway…
Building a Childcare System Rooted in Justice, Equity and Sustainability
According to organisational psychologist Adam Grant, the hallmark of a productive debate isn’t persuasion, but insight. In a good argument, you’re as motivated to learn as to convince. That spirit…
D is for Disadvantaged: What Does that Mean?
“Disadvantage” is one of those terms we bandy about in policy papers and conference keynotes, but what do we mean by it? Do we understand the lived reality behind the…
Talking Early Years: June O’Sullivan and Sue Egersdorf
The Power of Intergenerational Nurseries The world is changing fast. Technology is accelerating how we live, work and even care, but in that rush, you can’t help but…
Another Consultation… This time, it’s Space
Just as the ink dries on the Ofsted consultation, up pops another. This time it’s about space, equally important and not to be overlooked. The Department for Education (DfE) has…
AI Cybersecurity
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Kill Switch! This is AI blog number four, and by now I thought I’d be off down the rabbit hole exploring…
Talking Early Years: In conversation with Greg Bottrill
Are children deprived of the opportunity to play?… …is not a new question, but one that continues to be tackled on many levels. Greg Bottrill’s book ‘Can…
Packed lunches: I just want the right to say no!
Do you want the right to ban packed lunches from your setting because of Health & Safety concerns? The recent legal challenge to the Early Years in February, was…
Supporting ECEC for Infants Under Two
What We Learned from the Nursery World Webinar The Governments policy to expand “childcare” for children from 9 months by funding 30 hours ECEC is driving demand and anxiety in…