Welcome
Academics, professionals and policy makers formed Foundation Years Information and Research to promote the vital importance of the earliest years to children’s development and well-being.
The group advances public education and understanding of the substantial body of scientific work on the extent to which the earliest relationships play a major role in shaping a baby’s brain and in influencing their future mental and physical health.
Foundation Years Information and Research promotes research and study and makes available the useful results to engage decision makers, those working in front-line services and the general public.
The evidence:
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Shows that the implications of our knowledge of the plasticity of the baby's brain require society to shift its perceptions and resource priorities.
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Justifies a national commitment to strengthening a universal community of care and support for every infant and their immediate caregivers
- Demonstrates that such a commitment would pay for itself many times over in terms of the quality of life of children, young people and adults, the reduction of mental illness and crime and the resilience, well-being and freedom of society as a whole.
We were delighted to welcome Tarja Kahiluoto to a FYIR Zoom on the 8th November 2023.
How does Finland do it? What can we learn from a successful model of ECEC?
Tarja Kahiluoto, Senior Ministerial Adviser at the Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland, explored with us the lessons she has learned from thirty years at the heart of Finland's outstanding early years services.
A video of the event will be available soon.
Workforce quality in early years provision: research and reflections on an under-emphasised aspect of UK policy for the earliest years of life
Tuesday, 3rd October 2023
Professor Gabriella Conti, University College London
Professor Conti gave us a fascinating seminar with many detailed findings from her latest unpublished research on workforce issues for the under 5s. Once the research is published, her talk will appear on the FYIR Youtube site.
Preoccupations, contradictions, opportunities in early child development: a budget briefing March 2023
This FYIR briefing provided up-to-date evidence as context for the Chancellor's decisions about 0-3 years in the 2023 budget.
FYIR Budget Briefing 2023
The IFS Deaton Review on Inequality
12th December 2022
Sarah Cattan and Christine Farquharson of IFS gave us fascinating accounts of the Deaton Review's conclusions about inequality and funding in the early years, and of recent research on the policy environment which provides the context in which this inequality is sited. Helen Hayes MP, Shadow Minister (Education) responded to the discussion.
Watch Video
5pm-6.30pm, Monday 14th March 2022.
Reforming the Early Learning Care and School-Age Childcare System in Ireland: Recent Policy Development, Early Implementation
- Professor Eva Lloyd, University of East London, Hazel O’Byrne, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) (Ireland)
& Toby Wolfe, (DCEDIY) (Ireland)
Watch Video
On Monday, 13th December, 2021 we were delighted to welcome:
Joeli Brearley, founder of Pregnant then Screwed, who updated us on their powerful campaign on child care and discrimination against mothers.
Watch Video | Read Transcript
Aurélia Rabe & Marion Charpentier of Ensemble pour l'education de la petite enfance (EduEnsemble), explained the EU initiative First Years, First Priority,(EduEnsemble is French National Co-ordinator), and the Family-Friendly Company badge scheme to improve employer approaches to the first 1000 days of life.
Watch Video | Read Transcript
On Monday, 10th January, 2022, we welcomed:
Nikki Humphrey, Director, People, John Lewis Partnership describe the company's new equal parental leave policy, recognised as the first commitment by a major UK retailer to address equality in this area.
Watch Video | Read Transcript
We were delighted to welcome the Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP, Leader of the Government’s ongoing Early Healthy Development Review, and Professor Susan Golombok, University of Cambridge, to speak to a FYIR Zoom meeting on Monday, 16th November 2020.
Les Premiers 1000 Jours report published
The French national commission on the first 1000 days of life in which our colleagues, Nathalie Casso-Vicarini and Aurelia Rabe of the Ensemble pour L’Education de Petite Enfance (Eduensemble),played leading roles can be read at https://solidarites-sante.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/rapport-1000-premiers-jours.pdf
Educating Society about the Early Years
20th April 2021
We were delighted to welcome Aida Cable, Chief Advisor to the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Felicity Gillespie of Kindred Squared to our Zoom event on 20th April.
- Aida gave us an insight into the Foundation's far-reaching objectives following their Big Survey on attitudes to early years.
- Felicity explained Kindred Squared's drive to teach all students about the science of the first 1000 days by commissioning of an Oxford University team to develop a secondary curriculum resource.
Both talks are now available on our YouTube channel
Watch Video
Evidence to the Public Services Committee
You can read our evidence to the Public Services Committee's call for evidence on 'The role of public services in addressing child vulnerability' here:
Evidence-to-publicservices-committee.pdf
