RIP David Lipsey. A warm, brilliant and inspiring man. Thinking of his wife Margaret and the kindness they both showed my family. Labour peer dies while swimming in river www.bbc.com/news/article...

Lord David Lipsey dies while swimming in River Wye

Lord David Lipsey previously worked as a journalist and Downing Street adviser.

bbc.com

Some exciting personal news…

Home-Start UK@homestartuk.bsky.social · last yr.

1/4 - We’re very excited to announce that we have appointed Natalie Acton and @jodier.bsky.social as our new Co-CEOs. Natalie and Jodie are the first Co-CEOs in our 50 year history, and they will start work in September 2025.

Excellent to see free school meals extended to 100k more poorer children. (Even if a bit of a headache for us wonks…). Top graphs and analysis from @ckfarquharson.bsky.social as ever.

Christine Farquharson@ckfarquharson.bsky.social · last yr.

The government has announced that, from next year, free school meals will be extended to all children whose families receive Universal Credit. Currently, families need an after-tax income below £7,400 to be eligible - removing the cap will bring 1.7m kids into eligibility in the long term.

Important new work on exceptional needs of babies born in lockdown on @bbcradio4.bsky.social Woman's Hour. 5yrs on, its staggers me how shocked many still are about this. Those of us paying attention saw the babyblindspot play out like a slowmotion crash parentinfantfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/u...

The annual @theifs.bsky.social report on education spending is out. I've always found it incredibly useful so really pleased that @nuffieldfoundation.org fund it. Here's spending by educational stage over the last 35 years. So many policy stories in a single chart. ifs.org.uk/publications...

Amazing news of a 45% uplift to Early Years Pupil Premium, announced while I was literally in BBC Woman's Hour green room preparing to call for this very thing. They must have read my mind (or my childcare report yesterday for @ippr.bsky.social ...)!

Charlotte Santry@charlottesantry.bsky.social · 2y ago

Breaking: DfE announces early years package including a 45% uplift to Early Years Pupil Premium, and a £75 million expansion grant for early education. This is part of Labour's new 'school readiness' target - for 75% of children to reach 'a good level of development' when starting school by 2028.

Thanks BBC Woman's Hour for making the space to discuss how we can build childcare into a proper public service

Institute for Public Policy Research@ippr.org · 2y ago

It’s excellent news that the government is committed to expanding childcare, but increased entitlement must be matched by more provision and places. 📻 @jodier.bsky.social on BBC Woman's Hour 👇

Excited to have this out today.

Institute for Public Policy Research@ippr.org · 2y ago

👶 | NEW REPORT: The massive expansion of free childcare currently underway is at risk of not delivering for poorer and rural families. This paper considers some of the key delivery challenges and reimagines childcare as a proper public service. www.ippr.org/articles/the...

Our childcare report for @ippr and Save the Children out today

Josy B@josyb.bsky.social · 2y ago

Two-thirds of England’s poorest families miss out on childcare, report finds IPPR and Save the Children call for measures including new not-for-profit nursery trusts and increased funding for deprived area