Business support for London's early years sector
The COVID-19 pandemic is predicted to have a significant impact on the medium and long-term sustainability of the early years sector in England. This could prove hugely damaging to London’s economy, as well as widening existing inequalities across the city.
Read on for more info and opportunities.
Strong Early Years London
Between June 2021 and March 2022, the Mayor invested £150,000 in Strong Early Years London (SEYL) - an innovate new programme of business support for London’s under-pressure early years sector.
Delivered by the Early Years Alliance, SEYL aimed to equip private, voluntary and independent (PVI) early years providers with the business skills, knowledge and confidence needed to survive and thrive in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
SEYL offered a comprehensive package of support, including:
- a one-stop-shop on the London Business Hub, where early years providers can access a range of sector-specific business support, advice and guidance
- a series of online workshops and webinars
- a dedicated helpline
- local group surgeries, co-delivered with local authorities
- the opportunity for intensive business consultancy for the most at-risk providers.
An independent impact report by CEEDA, found that SEYL had been successful in promoting awareness of business support, tackling some of the barriers to access, increasing take-up of support and achieving positive impact for nurseries and pre-schools in London.
It achieved good levels of engagement over a short time frame, supporting 1,344 unique early years providers, across all London boroughs - with many accessing multiple events or resources.
Click the link below to read the full report.
For more information about SEYL:
- view one-stop-shop for early years business support
- read the press release launching SEYL
- read our 'request for proposals' to deliver the programme, issued in March 2021.
Research into the sector's needs
In September 2020, the Mayor commissioned the Early Years Alliance, in partnership with CEEDA, to carry out research into the specific business support needs of London's early years sector and how they can be met.
This research aimed to support the sustainability of the sector by helping us:
- to better understand the specific business support needs of London’s early years sector during the COVID-19 pandemic recovery period
- to better understand the business support already being provided to the sector and identify any gaps within it
- to develop clear, scalable and evidence-based recommendations for the sector, outlining the type of business support which could be offered by relevant stakeholders.
Early Years Alliance's final research report was completed in November 2020 and is published below.
You can also read the press release from February 2021.
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