Family Services Directory

DfE Early Years Qualification Announcement

The Department for Education have announced a package of early years qualification initiatives that will both support entry and progression within the workforce and ensure that the staff working with young children have the right skills and knowledge to deliver high-quality provision.

To support early years settings to recruit and retain staff and meet this increased demand, from 3 March 2025 eligible educators will be able to access an experience-based route to working in the Staff:Child ratios at level 3. This new route recognises the significant contribution that skilled and experienced staff can make to the education and care of young children . This is an opportunity for educators without currently approved qualifications, to develop their careers, and for providers to maximise the potential of their talented staff in a way that works best for the children in their care. The full consultation response can be found here.

Alongside this we have announced the publication of the Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship standard. This new, graduate-level qualification will give everyone from school leavers and junior staff to senior leaders the opportunity to easily move into a specialist career in the early years sector.

We are also pleased to announce the Check an Early Years Qualification digital service which will be available later this Spring to early years managers. This service will guide managers through the process of checking the approval status of qualifications held by existing staff members and prospective employees, increasing their confidence that they have appropriately qualified staff ahead of the September expansion.

These initiatives will support SoS’ vision for a childcare system that supports the sector, creates the best possible experience for parents and gives all children access to the opportunities they deserve.

Road Safety Day

We're delighted to share that Beep Beep! Day 2025 will take place on Wednesday 19 March.

Join schools, nurseries, playgroups and youth groups across the UK taking part to learn about road safety with children aged 2-7. This is a fantastic opportunity to engage with children and their parents and carers about how to stay safe on our roads.

Brake will once again provide a free action pack, full of ideas and fun activities that focus on three important road safety topics:

1. Holding hands with a grown-up when walking near roads

2. Crossing roads at safe places with a grown-up

3. Using a child seat when travelling by car

Sign up now at https://www.brake.org.uk/beep.

Free road safety resources for children aged 2-7

Our free action pack resources include activities, colouring sheets, postcards and letters home, certificates, social media toolkits and more. The action pack is illustrated with characters from Aardman’s beloved Timmy Time, adding fun to the learning.

Saving little lives on our roads

It's not nice to hear but every day six children are killed or seriously injured on UK roads – that’s equivalent to a whole class of children every single week. Road safety is a great topic for activities that can really engage, protect and benefit young children, and Beep Beep! Days are a perfect way to do it.

Disclaimer: Whilst FISH works with service providers to try and ensure that the information contained within this directory is accurate and up to date, no warranty is given as to the accuracy of the information. FISH does not accept any responsibility or liability for the information or links to information on websites supplied by providers or the service. FISH is an impartial service and does not recommend, support or endorse any services. Images used on the Family Service Directory obtained free under license from Pixabay.com