Committees

Early Years: Improving Support for Children and Families

Inquiry

Early years safeguarding  

Safeguarding in early years sector: Education Committee launches additional call for evidence  

The Education Committee has expanded its ongoing inquiry into the early years sector to examine how safeguarding can be strengthened in nurseries and all forms of care of young children.  

It follows recent high-profile cases of children being abused by nursery staff. 

The additional call for evidence has been extended and will now close on Friday 23 January 2025.

Read the additional call for evidence 

 

The Education Committee’s ‘early years’ inquiry will examine a number of policy issues related to workforce sustainability in the sector, access and affordability of services for parents, and quality of provision and outcomes for young children in terms of their development.

This inquiry follows significant reforms to the childcare sector in 2023, and the Government’s announcement in July 2025 of its Best Start in Life Strategy. The call for evidence for this inquiry closed on Friday 10 october 2025.

Read the original call for evidence

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was 11:59am on 23 January 2026.

Upcoming events

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Past events

Wednesday 8 July 2026
10:00am Public
Early Years: Improving Support for Children and Families - Oral evidence 8 July 2026
10:00am
  • Olivia Bailey MP (Minister for Early Education at Department for Education)
  • Chris Armstrong-Stacey (Director for Early Years at Department for Education)
The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Tuesday 30 June 2026
10:00am Public
Early Years: Improving Support for Children and Families - Oral evidence 30 June 2026
10:00am
  • Dr Samantha Callan OBE (Director and Co-Founder at Family Hubs Network)
  • Sir David Holmes CBE (CEO at Family Action)
  • Christine Farquharson (Associate Director at Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS))
  • Eavan Mckay (Policy and Public Affairs Manager at National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Child (NSPCC))
Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Tuesday 9 June 2026
10:00am Public
Early Years: Improving Support for Children and Families - Oral evidence 9 June 2026
10:00am
  • Sarah Ronan (Executive Director at Early Education and Childcare Coalition)
  • Rachel Grocott (CEO at Pregnant Then Screwed)
  • Justine Roberts CBE (founder and CEO at Mumsnet)
Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Tuesday 10 February 2026
10:00am Public
Early Years: Improving Support for Children and Families - Oral evidence 10 February 2026
10:00am
  • Ann Graham (Director of Children's Services Haringey Council at Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS))
  • Mike Short (Head of local government and education at UNISON)
  • Clare Reid (Children’s Services Director at Early Years Alliance)
  • Clare Roberts OBE (Founder and Chief Executive of Kids Planet at National Partnership in Early Learning and Childcare)
  • Jayne Coward (Deputy Director for Early Years Regulatory Policy and Practice at Ofsted)
The Wilson Room, Portcullis House

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