While £3 billion has been spent on catch-up funding for older children, the Government has not provided any funding for children under two, and no assessment on the impact of Covid on the development of babies and toddlers.
The letter says, ‘This week marks the end of many restrictions in England. Since March 2020, nearly one million babies have been born across the UK. Given everything that science tells us about the critical importance of the earliest years of life, our babies and toddlers must now be a priority for Government as we recover from the pandemic.
‘The pandemic has been difficult for many families,’ it continues, ‘with impacts on a range of factors that significantly contribute to child development such as maternal mental health; parental conflict and domestic abuse; poverty, and access to stimulating activities including early learning and childcare.
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