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Leading early years organisation, the Early Years Alliance has today published a wide-ranging essay collection, titled ‘No child left behind’, which explores the ways in which we can build and sustain an early years sector where all children are given the best possible start in life.

Featuring contributions from a wide range of early years experts, including Nobel-Prize winning academic James Heckman and Dame Cathy Nutbrown, the collection reflects on current sector challenges and outlines the long-term vision of a system underpinned by fairness and equality. The essays span a variety of topics, including supporting children with SEND, embedding anti-racist practice in settings, family support, digital literacy and supporting the early years workforce.

The collection is free to download at www.eyalliance.org.uk/no-child-left-behind-essay-collection.

Commenting, Neil Leitch CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said:

“At the heart of the Early Years Alliance is the belief that all children, regardless of background or circumstance, should be given the best possible start in life. And yet we know that despite positive rhetoric on the power of early intervention over the years, the gap between those children in need of support and their peers continues to widen.

“At a time when there is so much political focus on breaking down barriers to opportunity, this essay collection provides a hopeful and unashamedly ambitious vision of how this could be achieved in practice. We are grateful to each and every one of the contributors for sharing their thoughts, ideas and reflections on this vital topic, and hope that this collection will be the start of many important discussions to come.”

The collection includes the following essays:

• What needs to change in England's early years sector for all children to get the best possible start in life? – Abby Jitendra, Principal Policy Adviser at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation
   
• Play as a focal point for effective early childhood education – Andreas Rasch-Christensen Ph.D, Director of Research at VIA University College, Denmark 
   
• Making sure every child with SEND gets their early years place – Catherine McLeod MBE, CEO, Dingley’s Promise
   
• England’s early years workforce: what is broken can be mended – Dame Cathy Nutbrown, Professor Emeritus, The University of Sheffield; Honorary President, Early Education
   
• Growing up digital: why early years media literacy matters – Cliff Manning, Research and Development Director, Parent Zone
   
• The power of evidence-based parenting support: unlocking better outcomes for vulnerable and disadvantaged children – Donna Molloy OBE, Deputy Chief Executive, Foundations
   
• Investing in early childhood: lessons from lifelong evidence – James J. Heckman, Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor of Economics, and director of the Center for the Economics of Human Development, University of Chicago; and Alison Baulos, Executive Director of the Center for the Economics of Human Development, University of Chicago
   
• Reflections on anti-racism in the early years – Liz Pemberton, Anti-racism Trainer and Consultant
   
• Home is where we start from – Professor Peter Hurley, Director, Mitchell Institute, Victoria University, Australia
   
• Mathematics: those who start behind, stay behind, but the early years can make a difference – Sue Gifford, Chair of the Early Childhood Maths Group and Emeritus Fellow at the University of Roehampton
   
• Adverse childhood experiences: it has never been more important to prioritise children’s mental health – Dr Trudi Seneviratne OBE, Registrar of the Royal College of Psychiatrists