Early Years Alliance (formerly Pre-school Learning Alliance)

Overview

Early Years Alliance (formerly Pre-school Learning Alliance) is England's largest membership organisation dedicated to supporting the early years sector. Based in London, it represents and serves nurseries, pre-schools, childminders, and other early years education and childcare providers across the country. The organisation plays a central role in advocating for quality early years provision, supporting practitioners in delivering the best possible care and education for young children, and helping early years settings and childminders navigate the regulatory, educational and business challenges they face.

If you work in early years education and childcare—whether as a nursery manager, pre-school leader, childminder, or early years practitioner—or if you run or own an early years setting, Early Years Alliance is a membership body worth considering. The organisation brings together the early years community to share knowledge, access professional development, and collectively influence policy and practice in the sector.

Who Should Join?

Early Years Alliance serves a broad spectrum of early years providers and professionals:

• Nurseries and early years settings: Both private and independent nurseries, including day nurseries and full-time childcare providers
• Pre-schools and playgroups: Community-based and independent pre-schools, often offering sessional provision for children aged 3–5
• Childminders: Individual childminders offering home-based early years care and education
• Early years leaders and managers: Nursery managers, pre-school managers, nursery owners and operators responsible for running early years settings
• Practitioners and staff: Early years educators, childcare workers, teachers and other practitioners working directly with young children
• Student members: Those undertaking early years qualifications or training

Membership is open to both individual practitioners and organisational members (nurseries, pre-schools and childminding settings as registered entities). As the largest and most representative early years membership organisation in England, Early Years Alliance welcomes providers across the private, voluntary and independent sectors.

Why Join?

Early Years Alliance offers practical, tangible value to members working in a complex and highly regulated sector. Key reasons to join include:

• Access to professional expertise and guidance: Members benefit from specialist advice and support tailored to early years settings and childminders, helping them understand and meet regulatory requirements, deliver quality provision and resolve operational challenges.
• Professional development and training: The organisation provides training and learning opportunities to help practitioners and leaders develop their skills, stay current with best practice and progress their careers in early years education.
• Collective voice and influence: By joining, members become part of a large, unified early years community with genuine influence over policy, regulatory changes and the future direction of the sector. This gives individual practitioners and small providers a seat at the table when policy decisions are being made.
• Peer support and networking: Membership connects members with other early years professionals, leaders and providers, creating opportunities to share learning, discuss challenges and build professional relationships.
• Business and operational support: For nursery owners, pre-school managers and childminders, the organisation offers guidance on business planning, compliance, safeguarding, employment and other operational matters essential to running a sustainable early years service.
• Recognition of professional standing: Membership of England's largest early years membership organisation signals professional credibility and commitment to quality, which can support reputation and trust with families, local authorities and other partners.

Member Benefits & Opportunities

Early Years Alliance provides a range of practical services and resources to support member organisations and practitioners:

• Professional support and advice: Access to specialist guidance on regulatory compliance, quality standards, statutory framework requirements, safeguarding, and good practice in early years provision
• Training and professional development: Access to training courses, webinars and learning resources covering childcare practice, early education, leadership, business management and sector-specific professional topics
• Publications and resources: Specialist guidance documents, policy briefings, best practice guides and other publications to support members in their work
• Events and conferences: Opportunities to attend member events, seminars and conferences bringing together the early years sector to discuss priorities, learn from peers and stay informed about sector developments
• Member community and networking: Connection to a network of thousands of early years providers and practitioners, creating opportunities for peer support, knowledge-sharing and professional relationships
• Advocacy and sector representation: Members benefit from the organisation's engagement with government, regulators and policy-makers on behalf of the early years sector
• Member discounts and offers: Access to discounts and special offers from suppliers and partners relevant to early years settings and childminders

Industry Role & Professional Standing

Early Years Alliance holds a significant position within the English early years and childcare sector. As the largest and most representative membership organisation in the field, it plays an important role in:

• Advocacy and policy influence: The organisation engages directly with government, regulators (including Ofsted), local authorities and other key stakeholders to represent the views and interests of the early years sector, influencing policy decisions and regulatory approaches
• Professional standards and quality: Early Years Alliance promotes and supports high standards of early years education and childcare through guidance, training and best practice promotion
• Research and evidence: The organisation contributes to research and evidence-gathering on early years provision, child development and sector challenges, informing both member practice and broader policy discussions
• Sector support and development: Through its work supporting members, the organisation contributes to the overall sustainability and quality of the early years sector across England
• Professional community building: Early Years Alliance brings together the diverse early years sector—nurseries, pre-schools, childminders and practitioners—into a unified professional community with a shared voice

Membership of Early Years Alliance connects individual practitioners and organisations to this wider sector-wide activity, demonstrating professional commitment to quality and giving members a collective voice in shaping the future of early years provision in England.