Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with early years stronger practice hubs on funding.

The department has offered all Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs further funding until 31 March 2025 so they can continue providing early years educators with support to improve practice, supporting our mission to break down barriers to opportunity by giving children the best start in life.

The Stronger Practice Hubs Programme launched in 2022 to address the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the youngest children, with a focus on the most disadvantaged areas. The Hubs support early years settings and childminders by sharing effective practice, learning from the best available evidence, and building lasting local networks.

The department is committed to ensuring that every child in an early years setting receives high quality education and care. Evidence shows that this has a positive impact on outcomes in both the short and long term, particularly for the most disadvantaged children.