ECF originated in January 1993 and continues to meet regularly to share knowledge and information, lobby policy makers and organisations, and develop and maintain consensus across the sector. ECF welcomes the support and attendance of government officials and civil servants as observers at our meetings.

As childhood is such a crucial stage of life, it is essential to value all young children and their families equally and to invest in supporting them.

The Forum aims to:

• raise public awareness of the needs and entitlement of all young children and their families;
• influence public policy and bring about change;
• develop and promote a coherent national strategy to support the development of children from birth to eight;
• lobby for more adequate and improved resources and environments to be made available for young children and their families;
• lobby for the development, implementation and monitoring of high quality national standards for all provision;
• develop and promote effective practices for working with young children;
• lobby for appropriate and high quality education and training for all those who work with young children and their families;
• promote inclusion in all early years settings;
• challenge inequalities that affect young children;
• develop and promote more effective practices to enable children and young people to participate in decision-making processes and the delivery of services;
• promote the use of Quality in Diversity as a framework for the evaluation of quality in early years settings.

The Forums principles are:

• Children's rights and entitlements
• Training, education and development of early years practitioners
• Partnership
• Addressing inequalities and valuing diversity
• Evaluation of practice and ensuring quality

The EPPE project, funded by the DfES, has looked at how different types of pre-school education and care affect children’s development. EPPE has been tracking the progress of more than 3,000 children since they were three. Clear evidence has emerged now the children are seven.

EPPE identifies key indicators of high quality early education which includes:

• Highly qualified staff including trained teachers
• An equal balance of child initiated and adult led learning
• The quality of adult-child interactions (sustained shared thinking)
• Knowledge of how young children learn
• Knowledge and understanding of the curriculum
• Supporting children’s learning at home
• Supporting children in resolving their conflicts

EPPE findings at the end of Key Stage One

• The beneficial effects of high quality early education remained evident throughout KS1
• High quality provision combined with longer duration had the strongest effect on development, the difference can be as much as 9 months
• High quality early education was particularly beneficial to children who are more disadvantaged.

Diane was instrumental in setting up the Forum for Maintained Nursery schools in England in 2000. She was its convenor from 2000-2003.

Learning Through Landscapes, Vision and Values consultative group

Diane Rich supports the work of Learning Through Landscapes. In 2003 and 2004 she was invited to act as chair for the meetings to develop the Learning Through Landscapes vision and values statement. Rich Learning Opportunities endorses this statement. click here