LABOUR has backed calls for early years to be at the forefront of education recovery after a charity found the majority of parents of pre-school children are concerned that a lack of play during the pandemic has negatively affected their child. 

A new report by the Sutton Trust found that 56 per cent of parents are worried about the impact of Covid-19 on their young child’s overall development. 

The charity’s poll of more than 500 parents of two to four-year-olds found that a fifth feel their child’s physical development had been impacted negatively, and a quarter feel similarly about their language development.

The parents cited their child’s social and emotional development as a much bigger concern, with 52 per cent believing this as being negatively impacted and more than half claiming the government has not done enough during the pandemic.

The charity is calling on the government to put pre-school children at the heart of its education recovery, increasing funding to the sector and widening eligibility for funded early education.

Both Labour and the National Education Union (NEU) have said that more must be done, with the NEU saying ministers cannot ignore the “severe” impact of Covid-19 on the social life of young children.

Shadow minister for children and early years Tulip Siddiq said: “We owe it to the next generation to deliver an ambitious education recovery plan.

“Instead, the government is pressing ahead with a stealth cut to pupil premium funding for disadvantaged children and allowing nurseries to close.”

A Department for Education spokeswoman pointed to the government funding available, adding: “We know the early years are the most crucial point of a child’s development, which is why we have prioritised them throughout the pandemic by keeping nurseries open.”