LGA calls for inclusive early years education
In response to data and feedback from councils in England showing rising numbers of children aged under five requiring additional support, the LGA commissioned consultants Isos Partnership to undertake independent research into this trend.
This attributed a range of factors to the increase in needs, such as a rise in poverty, family stress and hardship, increasing neurodivergence, and pandemic lockdowns. Research participants did suggest, however, that this has been a long-term trend and is therefore not fully attributable to the effects of the pandemic.
Councils and early years providers who responded to the research highlighted that they are increasingly providing support for children’s communication and interaction needs.
Department for Education data supports this, highlighting that the proportion of children under the age of five who access their universal early education and childcare entitlement, and who are identified as having special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), rose from 6.3 per cent in 2024 to 8.9 per cent in 2025.
Education, health and care plans are now most commonly first issued to children aged four and five.
The research found that early years’ practitioners feel under increasing pressure, often not considering themselves equipped to support children, or lacking sufficient staff to cover the appropriate adult-to-child ratios.
Sometimes, children with additional and emerging needs cannot access their early years entitlements, thereby missing out on crucial learning and development.
In response, the LGA is highlighting the opportunity to develop an inclusive early education system that provides support for babies, children, parents and families.
With the Best Start In Life strategy, national rollout of Best Start Family Hubs, the 10 Year Health Plan for England and the upcoming schools’ white paper, we can galvanise system change to improve outcomes for babies and children.
Targets for a ‘good level of development’ – a measure for early years education, defined by a child reaching the expected level in 12 early learning goals covering communication and language, physical development, literacy, maths, and personal, social and emotional development – sit with councils. However, the whole system needs to wrap around and provide support to children with additional and emerging needs, to prevent escalation.
The research highlighted positive local practice, with early years providers supporting parents to navigate complex local systems, and councils working swiftly and effectively to identify needs and put in place support.
The LGA has long called for more powers and levers for councils to support early years providers to develop inclusive provision, and to ensure more children have access to early years educational entitlements. We’ve welcomed proposals set out in the Best Start in Life strategy to transform the funding system around early years, suggesting it should be used flexibly by councils to support providers and invest in preventative approaches.
Best Start in Life and the publication of the schools’ white paper in the new year provide the opportunity to ensure a transformed, inclusive education system starts from the earliest years.
- See the Isos Partnership research and the LGA’s response to it. ‘Rising needs in the early years’ was launched at the National Children and Adults Services Conference in late November