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childminders to operate outside the domestic settings to deliver 3,300 nurseries to meet the requirement. Parents are led to believe their fees will be reduced, but that is now in jeopardy following the recent budget, which increased salary costs by an average of 12% overnight. In order to facilitate this expansion, we will need 35,000 new staff in a sector already struggling with recruitment and retention, varied quality of practice and random access to consistent quality of training, service support and public recognition. In the midst of this, Ofsted is being reformed and single-word judgements are to be replaced with report cards. FINDING SOLUTIONS What does this mean for hard-pressed staff trying to manage these competing issues, many of which are out of their control? We’re seeing practitioners signed off by their GPs for “stress”, with no guidance to employers as to what this means or how to support them. In life, we know some worries are unavoidable and that some people cope better than others. So, how do we enhance staff’s resilience to our rapidly evolving educational landscape? I believe we must do the following: Foster a compassionate environment that encourages psychological wellbeing by building and nurturing safe, stable, harmonious relationships – read Think, Feel, Do (tinyurl.com/TEYtfdw ). Create an ethos of reflective practice that encourages staff to problem- solve and act with autonomy. Build harmonious team and parental relationships and address behavioural problems quickly (are your policies clear about how you won’t tolerate bad behaviour?). Develop a CPD approach that gives staff equal access to a career pathway. Teach staff about the theories of social and emotional development and trauma- informed practices to create an emotionally literate environment that promotes consistency in care for children and staff. And, finally, look after staff by providing them with health benefits, wellbeing initiatives and opportunities. June O’Sullivan OBE is the CEO of the London Early Years Foundation. Visit juneosullivan.com or connect on @JuneOSullivan There are steps we can take to bridge the policy gap and safeguard our staff’s wellbeing… JUNE O’SULLIVAN Here’s how to meet 2025’s challenges” I’VE LONG SAID EARLY YEARS IS HIGHLY POLITICAL. The sector’s staff are thrust into a world that requires them to navigate social and political policy issues, then respond to them through their practice. Early years centres on children’s lives, touching on bigger topics such as poverty, housing, education, social justice, war and health. The impact of society’s changes, good and bad, is first seen in the children. However, those of us who work with children know they don’t have time to wait for adults to acknowledge and address the big problems, so we must advocate on their behalf. What are the major challenges we face? Let’s start with child poverty, which has devastating effects on development and wellbeing. We advocate for policies including initiatives such as social enterprises, family centres, and campaigns to improve early intervention services. Similarly, the child obesity crisis was ignored until it became a full-blown emergency, despite early years staff proactively ensuring nutritious meals, employing skilled chefs, and providing resources for parents. While the environmental committees focus on net zero goals and carbon footprints, the early years sector has taken the conversation further, working to become sustainability- informed. By integrating sustainable practices, we aim to make better decisions that minimise environmental harm and safeguard the planet for our children’s future. PEDAGOGY AND POLICY Pedagogically, we operate within the societal view about the purpose of education. This means knowing how children learn and how we deliver an age-appropriate education, challenging the political concept of school readiness. Childhood is a vital stage of life, deserving recognition as its own unique phase – not merely preparation for the future but a fundamental right of every child. This is why we must remain pedagogically confident, translating learning into child-centred, play- based practices that incorporate the right balance of challenge and differentiation. In 2025, our new government will implement the childcare expansion policy to children as young as nine months. The talk is of using empty classrooms and allowing We must remain pedagogically confident Teachearlyyears.com 11