When you send your child to a childcare setting, you want to feel sure they’re safe, well looked after, and getting the best possible start. That’s exactly what the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is designed for. It’s the statutory framework that sets the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to age five.
From September 2025, the EYFS is being updated. These changes are all about making early years care even safer and more consistent across the country. If your child goes to a childminder or nursery, these updates will apply to them.
At tiney, we’ve been keeping a close eye on these changes and making sure our community is fully supported and ready. But first, here’s what the updates mean for families like yours. You can read the full revised EYFS framework on the Government website.
What’s new in the 2025 EYFS update?
Stronger Focus on Suitability The updated EYFS includes more robust requirements for recruiting assistants, helping ensure that everyone working with children is suitable and well-prepared for the role. There are also updated requirements for whistleblowing procedures, so that in any setting with more than one adult, clear steps are in place for raising concerns safely and confidently. These updates build on good practice that many providers already follow, helping to ensure high standards are consistent across all childcare settings.
Clearer rules around absences and emergency contacts
There’s now a stronger focus on communication when a child is unexpectedly absent:
Childminders must have a clear policy in place for recording and following up on unexplained absences.
They are also encouraged to keep more than two emergency contact numbers for every child, where possible.
Absences and reasons for absence must now be logged in the attendance register and the tiney app makes this quick and easy to do.
These extra steps help ensure that families stay connected with their childcare provider and that any concerns are followed up quickly and appropriately.
Safer mealtimes and allergy management
The new guidance includes updated rules to make mealtimes safer and more inclusive:
Parents must share information about their child’s dietary needs before they start at a setting.
There are now clearer rules around food safety, choking prevention and managing allergies.
A trained first aider must always be present during mealtimes.
This means your childminder will be fully prepared to create a safe, happy and inclusive mealtime experience for all children.
More regular safeguarding training
Safeguarding training for the Designated Safeguarding Lead is being made more robust and more frequent:
All childminders and their assistants must refresh their safeguarding training at least every two years.
The new EYFS also gives clearer detail on what that training should cover. Including new topics like safer recruitment, whistleblowing and online safety
This ensures the adults caring for your child stay up to date with the latest knowledge and best practice.
How tiney has been preparing for these EYFS changes
Ahead of the 2025 EYFS updates going live, we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to make sure all tiney childminders are confident and fully prepared. These changes aren’t just new rules to follow – they’re an opportunity to make early years settings even safer, and to give families even more peace of mind.
Here’s a rundown of how we’ve supported our community:
Updated safeguarding training across the board Our childminders now receive safeguarding training that meets every one of the new requirements outlined in the EYFS. We’ve also updated our refresher schedule, so everyone stays on top of their knowledge.
Improvements to the tiney app We’ve made updates to our app to help childminders log absences and store multiple emergency contacts with ease. This means less admin and more time focused on the children.
Helpful policy templates and ready-made tools We’ve created new templates for safeguarding, attendance, whistleblowing and more. These are ready to download and use straight away, giving childminders confidence that they’re meeting the EYFS standards.
Webinars, Q&As and 1-to-1 support We’ve hosted live webinars to talk through the changes in a friendly, supportive way. Our team has also been available for individual advice, making sure no question goes unanswered.
A strong and supportive community With thousands of childminders in the tiney network, our members don’t have to figure things out on their own. We make sure every childminder feels part of a wider group, where they can swap advice and feel supported.
What this means for families
These updates to the EYFS are a positive step forward. They’re designed to make sure all children are kept safe, well cared for and supported to thrive – wherever they are in England. At tiney, we’re proud to lead the way in putting safety and quality at the heart of early years care. Whether it’s through smart tools, top-quality training or everyday support, we’re committed to helping our childminders provide the best possible experience for you and your child.
