Early Years News April 2026

Welcome to April and spring! It's hopefully a time for longer days and sunny outside play in gardens and parks. What are you up to with the children this month? In many early years settings, April is about gardening with the children, growing herbs for sensory play and cooking and planting new seeds.

A popular rhyme for April is 'April showers bring spring flowers' and a good book of the month is 'The tiny seed' by Eric Carle. You can then plan a visit to a local garden centre and bring back seed catalogues for crafting and learning more.

Here are some updates for early years providers in April:

Ofsted - inspection timing changes

The DfE announced last year that Ofsted would be funded to inspect providers more regularly from April 2026. It has now been confirmed that Ofsted will be moving towards a 4 yearly cycle for all early years inspections over the next 4 years. Ofsted will also be revisiting quicker when carrying out first inspections after registration. In more detail:

• Newly registered providers - if you were registered before 1st April 2026, you will have your first inspection within 30 months. If you were registered after 1st April 2026, you will be inspected within 18 months. After this initial graded inspection, you will move into a 4-year window.
• All other providers - you are currently in a 6-year inspection window and Ofsted must inspect you within this window. When you have been inspected in your 6-year window, you will transition to the new 4-year window for your next routine inspection. This is a phased rollout up to April 2030.
• No children on roll providers - inspection is under review but will likely mean that if you do not have children on roll and you are contacted for inspection Ofsted, the inspector will check that you remain complaint with the EYFS. You can continue as 'no children on roll' for up to 3 years and then Ofsted will cancel your registration.

Note that Ofsted can inspect at any time if they have concerns about the setting.

DfE's letter to Ofsted with more detail about the changes.

Ofsted has updated their frequently asked questions blog to give further insight into what the new inspection timing changes will look like in practice.

New screen time guidance

The DfE has released new UK guidance on screen time for early years children (26th March 2026). The latest advice for parents, which covers all devices including computers, phones, tablets and televisions and which should also be used in early years settings includes:

Under 2 years: avoid or limit screen time altogether with the exception of, for example, video calls or shared interaction with an adult.

Age 2–5 years: limit screen time to no more than 1 hour per day (and less is better) with an adult and talk about what you have seen together. Ensure programmes are slow paced, child friendly and simple with a clear start, middle and end. This aligns with latest NHS and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance.

For all ages: no screens in the background, at mealtimes or an hour before bedtime. Co-viewing is important - the guidance states that if the child is going to use a screen, do it together and avoid leaving them using screens on their own. It is important avoid is fast-paced, 'scrolling style' content - for example, short, highly stimulating videos which are linked to poor attention spans and slower language development.

The aim of the guidance is to protect children's development because too much screen time has been shown to reduce language development, creativity, sleep quality and time spent interacting with adults.

The guidance reminds adults that their screen time matters as well because children copy their behaviour and gives new guidance which encourages screen free times for the whole family.

Providers will need to talk to parents about what their children are watching / doing online at home to find the right balance if they also use screens in the setting because Ofsted has confirmed to providers that a link to the guidance will be included in revisions to the EYFS in September 2026. This will mean that providers will need a good reason not to follow the guidance.

The Education Hub has also added a new blog to their website linking to the reasoning behind the changes, noted in the Kindred2 school readiness surveys.

DfE - safe sleep EYFS update

DfE confirm that they are updating the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) from September 2026 to further focus on safer sleep. Currently, the EYFS links to NHS safer sleep guidance. However, to make the requirements clearer, the EYFS wording will be updated with more detail on safer sleep within the EYFS itself, rather than referencing another website.

• Babies under 6 months - only in a cot and with an adult in the same room, frequently checking them.
• Babies under 1 year - only in a cot, within sight and hearing of staff.
• Under 2-year-olds - on their back, in a separate sleep space, on a firm flat surface such as a cot, bed or mattress on the floor, within sight and hearing of staff.

There is more detail about what the sleep spaces should look like - for example, a firm, flat, waterproof mattress, lightweight bedding tucked in around the child to prevent head covering or a well fitted baby sleep bag, feet to foot at the bottom of the cot and no toys, pillows, extra blankets, bumpers, wedges of straps.

The temperature of the sleep room must be checked at 16-20c.

The wording change is currently pending legal processes.

DfE - childcare on domestic premises update

DfE announced in a recent email to early years providers that the EYFS will be updated from September 2026 (pending legislation) to include a requirement for anyone with a Childcare on Domestic Premises (CODP) setting to notify Ofsted about anyone aged 16 or older living or working on any premises you use for CODP. This requirement already applies to childminders, but the EYFS does not specify it for CODP yet.

DfE - banned breed dogs update

DfE announced in a recent email to early years providers that, 'The department is also considering potential changes to ensure that children are suitably protected from banned dog breeds in childcare settings and is conducting a targeted consultation with stakeholders on this matter.'

There is already legislation in place when providers register to state that they cannot have a banned breed dog on the premises and this has impacted on how some childminders work. However, there isn't a requirement currently to notify Ofsted about having a banned breed dog in the setting, so I think this will probably be one of the changes.

Employment law changes

If you work in a nursery or are an employed nanny or childminding assistant, it is important that you know the latest employment law changes and how they might impact.

If you are an employer and have any questions about the new legislation, you should always check with ACAS before making decisions.

EYFS – whistleblowing policy

It has been a requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in England to have a written whistleblowing policy since September 2025. However, many childminders feel that it might not be relevant to them unless they work with assistants.

During a recent 'Safeguarding refresher – writing your safeguarding policy' webinar, childminders commented that they didn't have a policy because they wouldn't need to whistleblow. However, this is not correct – there are many situations which might mean you need to blow the whistle on, for example, poor or unsafe practice in other settings, lost children on outings, financial or other misconduct reported to you, health and safety risks noted during a visit to a colleague etc.

Foundation Years has written a blog Whistleblowing in the early years which you might find useful.

Childcare.co.uk has a sample Whistleblowing Policy (appendix 7) for gold members.

Ofsted - FAQ blog updated

Ofsted has updated their frequently asked questions blog with the answers to 2 new questions. They are advising early years providers to keep an eye on the blog which will be updated when there are new questions raised.

If you want to ask questions, you should use the Ofsted email address - note they no longer answer questions using their Facebook (Childcare Registration) page, but they have said that they will be hosting regular 'live' sessions (which are recorded) on the page and hope to address practitioner questions during these.

Childcare.co.uk gold member benefits

We often see childminders struggling with writing something or putting paperwork together or asking for advice on how to manage staff supervisions or write a policy for parents.

Childcare.co.uk gold member benefits include 1000s of documents for providers to download and use 'as is' or to adapt for their early years settings. From safeguarding policies to staff training modules, from care plans to curriculum examples, from watch again webinars to online training, Childcare.co.uk has got you covered. Insurance is included with gold membership as well as the biggest (and best) parent-childminder / setting search in the UK.

HMRC - making tax digital

If you are required to start using making tax digital from April 2026 you should have already visited the HMRC website to sign up and be ready to use your chosen accounting software. There are many different approved software options available on the HMRC website which do various jobs from linking to HMRC to submit your quarterly reports to those which link to your bank account, calculate invoices, snap receipts, provide financial forecasts and more. It is important to choose a software option that suits you - you are the one who will have to use it on a regular basis to input your records. If you want to continue with your current record keeping, you can use bridging software; if you want something that does more you can choose a more expensive 'bells and whistles' solution. The HMRC requirement is to send your income and expenses totals quarterly and then file an end of year submission.

Safeguarding - Working together to safeguard children updated

The statutory guidance 'Working together to safeguard children' has been updated (18.3.2026). There is a useful summary of changes on the Gov.uk page. Note that the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) states, 'Childminders must also take into account the government's statutory guidance 'Working together to safeguard children' and it is used by Ofsted during inspection.

HMRC - childminder expenses guidance updated

HMRC has published 2 pages of guidance - Claiming expenses and keeping records if you're a childminder and an update to the childminder business income manual (BIM) 52751 to make a distinction between those childminders who are using making tax digital (MTD) from April 2026 and those childminders who are not yet using MTD.

The guidance is broadly in line with the information shared during Childcare.co.uk's recent meeting with HMRC. Note that Childcare.co.uk is sharing this information to ensure members are updated, they are also still campaigning for the punitive changes to be reversed.

Ofsted - scam / phishing messages

Ofsted is aware that some childminders have received scam phishing messages and has written a blog to update childminders about what to do if they receive the messages pretending to be from Ofsted. Ofsted advise the messages are not from them, they would never communicate with providers in that way and if you do receive one you should not follow the link or provide any information.

Ofsted advise providers to report the message to the National reporting centre for cybercrime; they also confirm that they do not need to be informed about the messages.

You will find more data protection tips for early years settings on the ICO website.

NHS - meningitis guidance

In light of the recent outbreak of meningitis, members are reaching out to Childcare.co.uk to ask for advice on next steps. While there is no requirement to record risk assessments, Childcare.co.uk advise that you should risk assess - do you live in an affected area? Do you care for children at risk of illness? Do you know the signs and symptoms of meningitis? Are parents aware / have they been recently updated on the symptoms to look out for? Do parents know to keep ill children at home?

You will find more information and guidance on the NHS website - meningitis page and should contact your local public health protection team if you have any concerns. If there is a confirmed case of meningitis, the diagnosing medical practitioner will report it to the UK Health Security Agency; you will find more information about whether to notify Ofsted on their serious notification guidance page.

DBS - new podcast

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has launched DBS Discussions: Safeguarding in Focus, a new weekly podcast series to help employers and safeguarding professionals better understand DBS services and processes. Each episode will feature a subject matter expert from DBS who will discuss key topics relevant to employers, HR professionals, and those working in safeguarding. You might find the podcasts useful to learn more about the DBS service and as professional development around knowing when to contact the DBS if you need to notify them about an assistant and suitability changes.

Safeguarding - children and mobile phones in childminder settings

During a recent Ofsted inspection, a school age child took a mobile phone out of their pocket and started playing a game. The inspector asked the child what game they were playing and it was a game that had an age advisory beyond the child's age. The inspector asked the childminder a lot of questions about mobile phone safety and the inspection outcome was 'not met' for safeguarding.

It is important that parents and older children recognise the risks associated with using mobile phones and children being unsupervised online. The NSPCC guidance on children, mobile phones and online safety is a useful resource to use when explaining the risks to parents.

There are more resources available to share with parents on the Kids online safety website.

Safeguarding - school children and mobile phones

Do you care for older children who are finding the move to stop them using mobile phones at school difficult? While the new Government mobile phones in school policy may help reduce distractions in the classroom and reduce online bullying, mobile phones also play an important role in children's emotional wellbeing and social connections. You might need to support after-school children, especially if the mobile phone ban is causing stress or anxiety.

For example, we have seen reports of some children in out of school settings who are young carers and are now spending their days feeling distracted and concerned that the family member they care for cannot contact them and other children saying they feel disconnected from family and friends. One child has been handling their mother's medical appointments for some years and cannot do that now his mobile phone is locked away; another is finding it hard to do their schoolwork without their phone.

You will need to work with the children on strategies that build their resilience and self-awareness. They might also need extra after-school support with homework, ideas for how to arrange their home-lives before they leave for school and suggestions for alternative communication strategies.

Safeguarding - Keeping children safe in education review

The statutory guidance 'Keeping children safe in education' is under review and there is a consultation on the changes which is live on the DfE website until 22nd April 2026. Core safeguarding processes remain the same but there are proposed changes to some areas of the statutory guidance that might impact on early years providers. You can find out more and access the consultation here.

Risk assessment - supervision

Imagine the scenario - the children are playing with the messy tray which is full of cornflour and water, cereal or other food items. A child needs a nappy change, so you get up to sort them out, leaving the other children (after a quick risk assessment) playing, because you don't want to disturb their concentration and the activity is going well. During unsupervised play one of the children puts the food they are exploring in their mouth and begins to silently choke.

At mealtimes, you are required by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to sit with the children (EYFS 3.47, 3.63), facing them to ensure they are not choking or suffering from an allergic reaction. However, during play you have got up and left the children unattended with a food product.

Regardless of the ages of the children, they must be supervised when there is food in front of them - this is a statutory requirement.

DfE - funding update

As part of the 'Best start in life' strategy, DfE has confirmed to providers that local authorities will be required to pay funding monthly from October 2026. This change applies to all early years providers, including childminders, nurseries and other early years settings. It might mean a big change to your LA systems so you will need to check locally for updates.

DfE - Early years inclusion fund

DfE has announced a new Inclusive Early Years Fund to support inclusion for England. However, the new fund is not available for childminders and smaller PVI settings.

Instead, they have said that they are developing a dedicated package of support for these settings, including enhanced support from Best Start Family Hubs. DfE state that local authorities will need to take proactive steps to make childminders and smaller PVI providers aware of the support and how to access it.

The package of support will cover training, early identification, smoother transitions and access to specialist advice. The intention is that no setting will be left without SEND-related support.

You should contact your local authority or Best Start Family Hub for more information.

DfE - Schools White Paper

What does the Schools White Paper 'Every Child Achieving and Thriving' mean for early years providers? The Schools White paper commits to early education and childcare as part of a broader system of services including Best Start in Life family hubs, health visitors and local SEND teams. The expectation is for strong transitions from early years settings to schools and commitment to funding to support the transitions. The White Paper also states that all schools should become part of trusts.

DfE - SEND consultation

Early years are included in the SEND reform consultation which shows the Govt is taking a broad view of what the youngest children need to enable them to thrive. The Govt are committing to update the SEND Code of Practice and legal requirements around supporting children in mainstream settings with a universal offer and a commitment to work with the sector to improve the inclusion strategy.

DfE expect to see Best Start Family Hubs acting as a single front door for families and support early years settings and strengthen connections between childminders, nurseries, schools and health, SEND and family support services. There are also funding commitments to make this happen.

Research - babies and screen time

A recent report (March 2026) from the Education Policy Institute shares information about evidence relating to babies and screen time from the national 'Children of the 2020s' cohort study. The main findings show that screen time is very common with 72% of 9-month-olds having some screen time. For babies with 0-2 hours a day of screen time, the report notes that there is no meaningful reduction in being read to or looking at books, but problems occur when screen time exceeds 2 hours a day and there is less daily reading and fewer trips outside of the house.

The key interpretation of the report is that screen time and a healthy child are 'not mutually exclusive' and the focus should be on whether screen time is interactive and shared with parents, for learning and bonding purposes or not. You can read the Education Policy Institute Report here.

Monthly group planning for April 2026

This year, Childcare.co.uk monthly group planning is focusing on special days through the month, to build a planning library which can be archived and used in the years ahead.

Always bear in mind that planning should start with the child and what they already know and can do. In most early years settings, a 'book as a hook' is used to spark curiosity and discussions, with lots of open-ended questions, promote critical thinking. Planning can then be delivered at the appropriate age and stage level for the children in the setting at the time.

The themes for April 2026 in the Childcare.co.uk group planning guide cover:

• Underpinning theme - on the pond.
• Week 1 - Zoo Animal Day 8th.
• Week 2 - Spring changes.
• Week 3 - St George's Day 23rd.
• Week 4 - Earth Day 22nd.

Webinars for April 2026

Childcare.co.uk deliver free weekly webinars for all early years providers. the webinars are then recorded for Childcare.co.uk gold members to watch again at their own convenience.

Webinars planned for April 2026 cover:

• 7th - Easter holiday - no webinar.
• 14th - Food allergies - supporting children with allergies in an early years setting.
• 21st - Communication and language - monitoring children's progress and putting steps in place to support children who have gaps in their learning.
• 28th - Graduated approach - how to use the graduated approach (assess, plan, do, review) to support early years children in the setting.

We hope you find this newsletter useful and informative. If you have any questions, please ask.