England

Spending cuts, stagnating wages and increased living costs put families under huge pressure. But across England, our work with partners helps give children the best possible start in life.

Working with families and local partners, we help catalyse and facilitate new approaches to improving young children’s early development, among families experiencing poverty.

Our flagship Early Learning Communities bring together schools, local councils, families and more to design new ways to support young childrens learning.

We currently have Early Learning Communities in Margate, Feltham (West London) and Sheffield. We are also leading a partnership in Tower Hamlets (East London).

Despite the rhetoric from across the political spectrum, the reality is that too many children are still denied a fair chance to succeed.

We'll continue to stand up for children who are facing poverty. At the highest levels of government we press for significant policy change.

Right now, we're asking leaders to ensure all children get the support they need in their early years to start school ready to learn.

To learn more about the difficulties facing many families, read 'It's just constant debt', our report on the struggles to fund childcare under Universal Credit.

Daniel, age 4, lives in Manchester with his mum, dad and sister. He loves reading books with his Mum and dressing up as his favourite superhero!

Daniel and his mum tested our Early Years chatbot, TwoCan, which provided them with tips and activities that helped Daniel's language to soar.

"Before using TwoCan I was doing some activities with Daniel like they were just mechanical, but now it's not just that," said Daniel's mum. "I can use all the activities, and rotate activities to improve his language!"

• "How are you meant to help?" Parents' perspectives on supporting their children's learning
• Barriers to early learning briefing: Barriers to early learning among low income families in the UK
• It all starts here: Tackling the crisis in the early years teacher workforce
• A bright start: Improving childcare for disadvantaged families through universal credit
• Three steps to improving childcare
• Submission to the Work and Pensions Committee inquiry into childcare costs under universal credit
• Making childcare work: fixing upfront childcare costs for families on universal credit

• Lighting up Young Brains: How parents, carers and nurseries support brain development in the first five years
• The Lost Boys: How boys fall behind in their early years
• Lost opportunities, lost incomes – Why families in England need freform of childcare and early education
• Untapped Potential – How England’s nursery lottery is failing children
• Early language development & primary school attainment – the link between the early years and children’s later lives
• Ready to Read – Closing the gap in early language skills so that every child in England can read well