Birth to Three Matters was the first national framework for the support of children in their earliest years. Commissioned by the UK Government, it was developed by a research team at Manchester Metropolitan University, led by Professor Lesley Abbott. The framework was published in 2003 and incorporated into the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in 2008.
At the heart of the framework were four aspirations:
- a strong child
- a skilful communicator
- a competent learner
- a healthy child.
The framework made the case for:
- a holistic, interactive and positive view of young children’s development
- national policy and provision for babies and toddlers
- a well-educated, well-trained workforce
- research-informed policy, practice and curriculum
- a multi-professional model of provision.
In February 2020, the University held a conference to discuss the legacy of Birth to Three Matters, asking whether it still informs practice and if its holistic and positive vision for early childhood education and care is still relevant. Now its Children and Childhood Research Group would like to hear the opinions of the wider early years workforce.
Practitioners that have used, or still use, the framework in their setting, are invited to fill in a survey at: https://mmu.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/does-birth-to-three-still-matter
There are only five questions and it should take ten minutes to complete. Please respond by 11 August.
