The first Kindred2 Digest was published 1st September 2021. So, it is almost four years to the day that we have been keeping an eye on all things “early years” and sharing a free, fortnightly summary in your inbox.
Reflecting on 100 editions of the newsletter, we have delved into the archive and noticed a positive change in the way the media covers the early years sector. Early editions of the digest have a strong focus on childcare as the primary issue of early childhood, and through the years we can see an evolution of news coverage to include a broader discussion on children and families, including: parenting approaches, public awareness around the importance of early childhood, scientific studies on child development, as well as debate on child poverty and school readiness.
Here is a whirlwind summary of the key themes covered in the media over the past four years.
Back in 2021, news coverage on early years focused on the cost of childcare [The Independent, 2021]. Childcare in the UK was said to be the most expensive in the developed world (The Telegraph, 2022). Since then, funding entitlements have been debated and changed - with the extension to the funded childcare entitlement announced by a Conservative Government in 2023 [The Guardian], and honoured by the Labour Government in 2024 [BBC News].
The UK has been accused of being “a society that doesn’t value children” [The Telegraph, 2022], but we have seen positive movement towards increased awareness of the importance of early childhood. There are organisations tracking public perception through surveys and reports [The Royal Foundation/Ipsos, 2022], and regular pulse checks [Early Education and Childcare Coalition, 2023-2025]. We have seen detail on how businesses could drive transformative societal change by prioritising early childhood [The Royal Foundation, 2023] and how employers can improve policies for parents [ReGenerate, 2025]. There is even a manifesto for babies, backed by a coalition of over 200 charities and professionals [1001 Days Foundation, 2024].
Over the years, various commentators have discussed the importance of quality childcare provision [The Independent, 2023], and the difficulties faced in staffing and overhead costs for childcare settings [Nursery World Magazine, 2022]. There have been challenges in the Childminder workforce [Nursery World Magazine, 2025] and debate around Government policy to change ratios in order to attempt to improve availability of childcare across the UK [Children & Young People Now, 2022].
Research has been published, with evidence suggesting investment in universal early years education pays for itself in the long-term [The New Economics Foundation, 2023], and that a broken childcare system has negative effects on UK economic growth [The Times, 2022].
The cost-of-living crisis started making headlines post-COVID and has continued to spark discussion [The Guardian, 2022], with the 2-child benefit cap a key debating point [The Mirror, 2024]. Is child poverty the main driver of the attainment gap [Wellcome Trust, 2023]? Can we reduce the attainment gap by working with early years settings, childminders and parents to ensure all children start school ready to learn [TES Magazine, 2025]?
And today? Childcare cost [The Times, 2025], availability of quality early years provision [BBC News, 2025], child poverty [Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2025] and the attainment gap [TES Magazine, 2025] continue to be a focus for many organisations working in the early years sector. But we are also seeing new themes for research and news coverage, including the importance of play [Centre for Young Lives, 2025], the role men play in the early childhood sector [The Mirror, 2025], SEND provision[The Guardian, 2025], screen time [The Telegraph, 2025] and the use of AI in education [The Sutton Trust, 2025].
Leaving us to ponder, what will we see in the next 100 editions of The Digest?
Remember, The Digest remains a free fortnightly touchpoint to help the very busy stay in touch with the key news stories coming out of the early years sector’. If any of your colleagues would like to receive it, tell them to sign up here.