The COVID-19 pandemic brought profound challenges to the world and the early years sector was not exempt. The pandemic disrupted settings, families, and children’s development across the UK. As we reflect on the past five years, (yes, it really has been that long), it’s important to understand how far we’ve come and where we still need to focus our efforts to get back to any kind of ‘new normal’.
The Immediate Impact Of The Pandemic On Early Years Settings
At the height of the pandemic, early years settings across the UK, like many businesses, faced an unprecedented series of challenges. Settings were forced to close for extended periods through an edict from the government. This meant that many children missed out on essential early learning and socialisation. Unfortunately, as has come to light later, this seemed to hit those from vulnerable backgrounds especially hard as they often had less access to online learning or interactions.
For practitioners, this period involved adapting to rapid changes in health and safety guidelines, working with limited resources, and in some cases, dealing with reduced staff numbers due to illness or isolation. Some educational settings remained open to offer a service to vulnerable children, but this was very much a minority of settings.
The impact on children’s development was significant. Many children faced delays in their social and emotional skills and concerns over their physical development, while others struggled with language development, as face-to-face interactions were limited.
Short-Term Pandemic Recovery: 2020 – 2022
In the years following the initial lockdowns, early years settings made great efforts to recover. When settings reopened, much of the focus shifted to supporting children’s emotional and social well-being, which had been severely impacted by the isolation and uncertainty of the pandemic. At the time, the extent of the impact was impossible to measure but it has become clearer as time has gone on.
Practitioners worked hard to support children in adjusting back to a more structured environment, focusing on building secure attachments and ensuring children felt safe and supported. Many settings adopted new training methods to help staff understand the long-term emotional effects of the pandemic, with a strong focus on trauma-informed care.
During this period, the importance of communication between families and settings became even clearer. Practitioners embraced digital tools to stay connected with parents, sharing updates and providing support for families at home. The ‘Zoom era’ and the age of online meetings was well and truly born in the pandemic and this new technology allowed many more people to feel confident learning through webinars and online sessions, which has benefitted practitioners through online CPD courses.
Longer-Term Pandemic Effects: 2023 – 2025
As of 2023, the early years sector had made significant strides in recovering from the worst of the pandemic. Many settings had re-established a sense of normality, with children more accustomed to the routines of early learning.
During this time, new resources were introduced to help children catch up on learning missed during lockdown, although the sector continues to face challenges.
In 2025, funding remains a significant concern, with many settings struggling to provide the high-quality care and education that children deserve, especially in the light of the expansion of the government’s ‘free hours’ scheme. Other challenges also remain as staff retention and burnout are ongoing issues, with practitioners still feeling the weight of the pandemic’s effects.
During the pandemic, many organisations restructured as a result of people being forced to work from home, and a lot of companies now offer more flexibility in terms of location and working hours than before the pandemic. This is not possible in the same way in early years, as there are certain times of day that people need to be in the actual physical setting with the children, and virtual working is not an option for most roles.
Despite these challenges, there are plenty of success stories. Many settings have embraced innovative practices, such as more outdoor learning and play-based approaches to support children’s development. The emphasis on social and emotional development has also helped to build more resilient children, who will hopefully be better equipped to handle any future challenges.
The Role Of Government Policy In Recovery
The government’s response to the recovery of the early years sector has been mixed. On the one hand, there have been increased investments and support in some areas, including funding for catch-up programmes, guidance for early years settings through stronger practice hubs, experts and mentors, as well as financial aid to help settings recover.
On the other hand, some practitioners feel that the support provided has not always been enough to address the ongoing challenges of the sector, particularly around staff pay, changes in NI contributions and the long-term sustainability of funding, especially for the ‘free-hours’ programmes.
There have also been policy changes with a greater emphasis in all education institutions on mental health and well-being and there is also now a focus from government to improve the support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) although the impact of this will take time to research and develop.
More immediately, the government made changes to staff qualifications (e.g. no need for Level 2 practitioners to hold a Level 2 maths qualification) and staff:child ratios, although these have been met with a mixed response.
What Is The Sector Doing For Itself?
The early years sector has taken steps to support its own recovery through:
– Sector consolidation and resilience
– Professional development
– Staff training on trauma-informed care, child development, and mental health
– Peer support networks sharing resources, guidance, and moral support
Advocacy through sector organisations campaigning for:
– Better funding
– More training
– Improved working conditions
– Greater diversity and professional recognition
Innovation through the use of:
– New digital tools for tracking children’s progress and learning
– Flexible, child-centred learning approaches
– Practices tailored to post-pandemic needs
Looking Forward
The post-pandemic recovery journey for the early years sector has been a challenging one, but also one which the sector has responded to with resilience and innovation. As we look to the future, there’s still much to be done to ensure the sector continues to recover and thrive. Technology, AI and digital learning are likely to play a bigger role in shaping the future of early years education, but practitioners must ensure that these tools are used in ways that support, rather than replace, face-to-face learning. Sustainability, both in terms of funding and staff retention are likely to remain a priority, as will the well-being of both children and staff.
As we look back on the past five years, it’s clear there are still hurdles to overcome, but there is also hope for a brighter future.
