The Early Education and Childcare Coalition (EECC) is launching a new webinar series that will explore the Labour Government’s plans for the future of early education. This series, hosted by the EECC, will provide an in-depth look at the Government’s proposals, which aim to improve the quality and accessibility of childcare for children, parents, and providers across the country.

The Early Education and Childcare Coalition (EECC) is a leading voice advocating for high-quality early education and childcare services in the UK. The organisation collaborates with parents, educators, and policymakers to ensure every child has access to excellent early learning opportunities. Through research, campaigning, and strategic partnerships, the EECC works to shape policies that benefit young children and their families, with a focus on those in rural and underserved communities.

The first webinar in the series, titled “Labour’s Plans for 3,000 New School-Based Nurseries,” is scheduled for Tuesday, 10th September. This event will feature a panel of experts, including Eva Lloyd OBE, Emeritus Professor of Early Childhood at the University of East London; Peter Hurley, Director of the Mitchell Institute at Victoria University in Melbourne; and Neil Leitch OBE, Chief Executive of the Early Years Alliance. The session will be chaired by Sarah Ronan, Director of the EECC, and will include an audience Q&A.

Labour's proposal to establish over 3,000 new nurseries in primary schools, creating 100,000 additional childcare places, has been a central aspect of their campaign. The initiative, particularly targeting "childcare deserts" where access is limited, is designed to expand childcare options for working families and improve early learning outcomes. However, the plan has sparked a range of opinions. The webinar will explore these perspectives, discuss how similar models have been implemented in the past, and consider what success would look like for all stakeholders involved.

This event will take place via Zoom on Tuesday 10 September. You can register here.

Upcoming Webinars in the Series

The rest of the series will explore Labour’s other key commitments for early education:

• 26th September: How will they do it? Supporting 500,000 children to reach their early learning goals by 2030
• 8th October: How will they do it? Delivering a new early years workforce strategy
• 22nd October: How will they do it? Delivering a free breakfast club in every primary school?

To learn more about the Early Education and Childcare Coalition and their work, visit their website: www.earlyeducationchildcare.org.