• the needs of the infant and child must be placed at the centre of the planning and provision of high quality services./li>
• all children are entitled to participation, provision, play and protection, as outlined in the UN Convention on the rights of the Child and to live without fear of discrimination.
• the safety and well-being of children is central to every aspect of children's learning, health and development.
• knowledge and understanding of child development is fundamental for all practitioners who work with young children.
• parents and the home environment have the strongest influence on children’s development.
• learning is a process of development through interaction and experience which begins before birth.
• young children should have equal rights to culturally and developmentally appropriate play-based provision, both indoors and outdoors, which develops their understanding, dispositions, skills and knowledge.
• every child needs sensitive, attuned and responsive care in the first years of life and a key person to support them.
• all parents need support at times to feel confident in raising their children in a loving and supportive environment.

A Charter for Early Childhood
As proposed by the Early Childhood Forum - June 2014

• 1 - Agreement to set up an all-party planning and funding group to develop and implement long term policy for young children’s education, health and care.
• 2 - A demonstrated commitment to multi-professional working across education, health and care based on evidence and informed by research and professional guidance from practitioners.
• 3 - Consistent, well funded and effective policies that give parents and carers real choices about whether to stay at home.
• 4 - Universal access to children’s centres and related services as a vital route to family support programmes and outreach for vulnerable families or those in crisis.
• 5 - Support for family and child physical and mental health through equitable universal implementation of the health programmes.
• 6 - Formative assessment throughout early childhood to support families and professionals to provide the best possible care and education.
• 7 - A statutory framework for early years from birth extended to age 7 that is coherent and appropriately developed and elaborated for different stages within it.
• 8 - Guidance that acknowledges each child’s unique requirements at every stage of development and which recognises the importance of consistent loving care from a main carer in a nurturing environment.
• 9 - A presumption for fully funded inclusion for disabled children and those with special educational needs. Early years providers must have access to specialist support and qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCos), as in schools.
• 10 - A commitment to work towards universal high quality integrated education, health and care whilst strengthening the entitlement for children in early years to access play and daily outdoor experiences in all provision until age 7.
• 11 - A specialist qualification route which includes graduate staff who are qualified to work in the early years phase (birth to age 7) with a clearly defined pay and career structure and a statutory requirement to participate in continuous professional development.
• 12 - Integrated inspections that are carried out by qualified and knowledgeable inspectors, who have had experience of working with children under age 7.