Early Years Foundation Stage Safeguarding and Experience Based Routes: Update

Monday 22nd April 2024 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (David Johnston)]

Government are delivering a brighter future for Britain, with long-term economic security and opportunity: where hard work is always rewarded; where ambition and aspiration are celebrated; where young people get the skills they need to succeed in life and where families are supported.



We are rolling out the largest expansion of childcare and early education in England’s history. From this month, eligible working parents will access the first 15 hours of funded childcare each week for their two-year-olds. In September they will be able to access 15 hours each week for their nine-month-olds. From September 2025 all eligible parents will have access to 30 hours free childcare for children aged nine months all the way until they start school.



At the beginning of April, we exceeded our target of 150,000 children benefiting from the new two-year-old entitlement. As of today, this stands at over 195,000. By September 2025, the full rollout will be completed—saving parents an average of £6,900 per year.



With the action Government are taking, we will ensure that parents can benefit from more affordable childcare, making it easier to return to work or increase their hours.



Experience-based route (EBR) consultation



Last year, the Government consulted on proposed changes to the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework. This included the introduction of an “experience-based route” for early years staff who do not have the required full and relevant qualifications, but are otherwise experienced, competent and responsible, to work within the staff-child ratios. This proposal received strong support as a means to help childcare providers make the best use of the skills and experience of the workforce so that they can deliver on the childcare expansion, and in its response to the consultation the Department noted its intention to develop this route.



Today 22 April we launched a technical consultation setting out the Department’s proposals on how the experience-based route could work in practice, ensuring that high-quality education and care is maintained. The consultation asks questions on the proposed decision-making model, eligibility criteria, and process requirements.



We know that to deliver the commitments announced at spring Budget 2023, the early years workforce will require additional staff. Our strategy to support the workforce is clear—to enable providers to better utilise the skills of their existing workforce, to attract talented staff into the sector and maximise the skills pipeline into the early years workforce.



Safeguarding consultation launch



The safety of children is our utmost priority and we continually monitor and review safeguarding requirements for early years settings to make sure children are kept as safe as possible. As the early education and childcare sector expands, we want to continue to support early years practitioners to deliver high-quality and safe provision to millions of children each day.



Today 22 April, we launched a consultation on proposals to deliver changes to the safeguarding requirements in the EYFS statutory framework. This is the framework that sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn, develop well and are kept healthy and safe. The safeguarding proposals have been informed by extensive engagement with providers, health professionals, sector stakeholders and safeguarding experts, and using lessons learned from previous incidents.



I have seen first-hand the excellent practices that providers have in place to keep children safe. Many are already carrying out what we are proposing in the consultation in their settings. It is my intention to ensure that all practitioners have the knowledge and support they need to deliver the safest, highest-quality early education and childcare provision possible.



Through both consultations, we hope to hear from as many people and organisations as possible so we can gather a broad range of views to help the Government reach well-informed and fair decisions.

[HCWS420]