Celebrating the power of difference to create kinder, stronger and more inclusive early years environments

Building belonging: celebrating the power of difference

9.30am - 4pm, 15 October 2026: King's House Conference Centre, King's Church, Sidney Street, Manchester, M1 7HB

Join us for an inspiring event hosted by Alliance director of quality improvement Michael Freeston focused on creating kinder, stronger, and more inclusive early years environments. Hear keynote insights from Kat Lakes and Wendy Ratcliff from Ofsted on why inclusion is a golden thread and an evaluation area in the Early Years Inspection Framework and Professor Samantha J Johnson on the potential impact of preterm births on child development.

This event will give you the chance to speak to other leaders and educators in the sector, to learn from experts and share insights that will help you create environments where every child feels valued and supported, with a sense of belonging.

You will also enjoy informative talks from Alliance experts, including Neil Leitch (on reflecting on the consequences of the marginalisation of children, and the critical importance of fostering inclusive early years environments), Richard Knight (on rethinking disadvantage beyond the postcode), and Sharon Hill (on keeping humanity at the heart of early years development).

Later, you'll have the chance to take part in a dynamic panel discussion featuring all keynote speakers, led by Alliance communications and external affairs director Shannon Pite, exploring how we can collectively drive inclusion forward.

All attendees will also get the chance to choose two out of four practical workshops to join during the day, delivered by the Alliance's early years experts:

Supporting multilingual children and families - getting it right from the start (Louise Campbell White, Alliance early years development officer)

Unique families – understanding diverse needs (Alison Heseltine, Alliance early years development manager)

Open doors, open minds – building inclusive teams and environments (Ruth Richardson, Alliance early years development manager and Stella Freebody, Alliance early years development officer)

Beyond pink and blue – rethinking gender in the early years (Richard Knight Alliance children's services manager)

Throughout the day, you will also have the chance to speak directly with representatives from Ofsted, who will have a stand at the event, and ask them any questions you have about their renewed focus on inclusion. TTS and Smallest Things will also have stands at the event.

Exclusive event giveaways

The first 50 bookings to the London or Manchester events will receive a FREE copy of our brand-new publication Beyond Pink and Blue: Creating spaces where every child and family member belongs

Every delegate will receive a goody bag from our event sponsors and official Alliance partner TTS.

All attendees will also be entered into a prize draw for a TTS Calming Kittens & Calming Cat Regulation Set, worth around £200.

Cost: £55 for members and £90 for non-members (includes lunch and refreshments).

Keynote speakers and topics

Professor Samantha J Johnson, University of Leicester - The potential impact of preterm births on child development

Wendy Ratcliff, Ofsted principal officer for early education and Kat Lakes, Ofsted quality and practice lead, early education policy team - Inclusion as a golden thread and an evaluation area in the revised Early Years Inspection Framework

Neil Leitch, Early Years Alliance CEO - the consequences of the marginalisation of children, and the critical importance of fostering inclusive early years environments

Richard Knight, Early Years Alliance children's services manager - Rethinking disadvantage beyond the postcode

Sharon Hill, Early Years Alliance Flying Start volunteer officer - Humanity at the heart of early years development

Workshops

Supporting multilingual children and families - getting it right from the start

Recognising the unique advantages multi-lingual children and families bring to an early years setting is the first positive step in effective support. Understanding typical language acquisition, communication profiles and useful strategies to get children to a good level of development is underpinned by inclusive, thoughtful practice that supports all children. Join us for a hands-on workshop where we will develop these concepts into practical ideas to support multi-lingual children and their peers everyday.

Unique families – understanding diverse needs

Key to inclusive practice is understanding the diverse realities of children and their families, but the traditional model of a two-parent heterosexual household is no longer the norm for many in society today. By developing our awareness, we can create environments where all family structures are recognised and respected. With responsive understanding comes trust and collaboration, promoting inclusion and engagement and helping every child achieve their best pos

Description supplied by the event organiser.