Welcome
The Early Childhood Forum (ECF), brings together national organisations and professional associations in the early childhood sector for all young children from birth to seven. ECF exists to promote inclusion, challenge inequalities, debate issues, celebrate differences and develop consensus to champion high quality experiences for young children and their families.
News & Events
Next Meeting Dates
Zoom Meeting: 2 pm 2nd October, 2025 programme: Aaron Bradbury on
Reforming the EYFS: What's Changing and What Matters Most. (90minutes) OPEN ONLY TO PAID UP MEMBERS.
2025/26 Programme
Further dates to be announced soon
Foundation Years Updates
The Department for Education has published two updated guidance documents for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
EYFS Profile 2024 handbook
The EYFS Profile is an important statutory assessment of children's development at the end of the EYFS. We have published the updated EYFS Profile 2024 handbook to support teachers and early years practitioners to complete the EYFS Profile assessment in the 2023/24 academic year in line with statutory requirements.
The EYFS Profile must be completed for each child and submitted to the local authority no later than 30 June 2024. Local authorities must submit EYFS Profile data to DfE by 31 July 2024.
EYFS guidance on exemptions
We have also updated the EYFS guidance on exemptions for early years providers and individual children. The updated guidance simplifies, streamlines and clarifies the previous guidance, making it easier to follow and implement. There have been no changes to the EYFS exemptions policy or processes.
Copy, paste and follow this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-handbook
ECF does Twitter
ECF has renewed its social media links for the benefit of members and other EY professionals. The new Twitter handle is:
@ECFBirthto7
Membership Fees
New Members
To apply for membership, please go to the About ECF section for the application form.
Corporate Membership is £60 per year and Individual Membership £20 per year. Currently, there is a 20%
discount for new members.