The Early Childhood Education and Care Sustainability Forum
Was founded in March 2021 to provide a platform for members of the ECEC sector committed to
increasing sustainability, covering all 3 pillars plus governance.
The aim of the forum
To support the development of a holistic and transformational Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector that promotes life-long learning and empowers the whole ECEC community of children, families, professional educators and administrators, in making more informed decisions and responsible actions for environmental integrity, economic viability and a just society, in the interests of present and for future generations to come.
The group intends to achieve this by:
Sharing experiences and knowledge within the group, in a supportive manner.
Sharing best practice with others to role model, encourage and support all in the ECEC sector to become more sustainable including:
Bottom Up – educating practitioners
Top Down – CEOs, Nursery owners/managers, DfE, Local Authorities, Parents, Politicians nationally and locally
To challenge greenwash and publicise same.
Creating publishable research to support the effectiveness of sustainability within ECEC
Membership
Membership of the group is open to anyone in the sector with an interest in supporting, encouraging and role modelling sustainability in the ECEC sector. There are no restrictions on numbers. Members meet every 6 weeks via Zoom, and non-members may be invited to group meetings on an ad hoc basis to speak and/or share experiences or knowledge.
If you are interested in joining the group, please contact us and a member of the forum will be in touch.
1st July 2024 – ECEC Sustainability Meeting
Topic: Sustainable Development Goal 8:Decent Work and Economic Growth
1st July 2024 – ECEC Sustainability Meeting
7th March 2024 – ECEC Sustainability Meeting
22 November 2023 – ECEC Sustainability Meeting
18 July 2023 – ECEC Sustainability Meeting
22 May 2023 – ECEC Sustainability Meeting
14 March 2023 – ECEC Sustainability Meeting.
31 January 2023 – ECEC Sustainability Meeting.
22 February 2022 – ECEC Sustainability Meeting.
STEM and Sustainability
“Trying to help children understand that nature got here first.”
How do children learn about potential occupations? Does assigning gender to certain career paths constitute as a sustainable method of learning or teaching? Watch the video to find out!
Current Members
Nick Corlett
Senior Nursery Manager and Sustainability Lead for LEYF
42 nurseries across UK
Recently Nick has been working with June O’Sullivan and CACHE on L4 qualification – Eco Champions. Course content: covers the 3 area of sustainability, and includes a green project which takes places within the community.
Pedagogy: All incorporated with children’s voices.
June is open to sharing pedagogy, especially if this means helping sustainability move forward within the EY sector.
Mark Bird
H&S Director of Childbase Partnership
44 nurseries across UK all with EcoSchools accreditation, 39 nurseries of these with Green Flag
Sustainability accreditation: PlanetMark
Sustainability is all about an engaged process – Chairman of Childbase is engaged with sustainability process and there are lots of people within the business that are keen on sustainability. Company strategy: Zero carbon by 2030.
Pedagogy: Teaching children about sustainability to improve the future
Cheryl Hadland
Founder and Managing Director of Tops Day Nurseries
30 day nurseries across the South, BCorp achieved Feb 2021
Business ethic based upon sharing good practice, but understands the limitations and the need of different levels within each company to champion sustainability
John Siraj-Blatchford
Academic (UK & International) and OMEP-UK Executive
John is a member of the OMEP-UK executive committee, an honorary Professor of the University of Plymouth, and a co-director of SchemaPlay which developed the OMEP-UK Early Childhood Education for Sustainable Citizenship Award. He has published widely on early childhood education for sustainable development, and took the lead in developing the original OMEP Educational Rating Scale Sustainable Development in Early Childhood (ERS-SDEC)
Amy Flack
Outreach Officer at Enya’s Childcare
Amy, Outreach Officer at Enya’s Childcare, combines her artistic background and varied career in customer relations, marketing, and charities with her passion for building a more respectful and sustainable society. Since joining, she has led initiatives that strengthen community ties and promote sustainable practices, showing how small changes can make a big impact. Inspired by children’s natural love for the environment, she encourages practical, community-driven action, believing that when people see sustainability in practice—especially through children’s enthusiasm—they become more open to change.
Barbara Chaitoff
Sustainability Lead for Tops Day Nurseries
With a career in Early Years since 1987, beginning in Alaska, she went on to co-found a nursery in England that promoted reusable nappies for over two decades. Later, as Nursery Manager at Tops Day Nurseries, she led the first UK nursery to win the Plastic Free School Award, with all 30 Tops settings now holding Green Flag status. She also helped launch the Real Nappy Project and works hands-on with settings to create sustainable environments, encouraging staff to reduce waste and recycle. As part of Tops’ Sustainability Group, she is driving the organization’s goal of reaching net-zero carbon by 2025.
Diane Boyd
Academic at Liverpool John Moores, Faculty of Arts Professional and Social Studies
Diane’s research in the last five six years/my work has been around early childhood education, sustainability and about getting children involved.
Diane has contacts in Australia (Australian citizen) and is linking up with Early Years through the indigenous programs of Australia as well.
Current project with Nursery World on Sustainable Development Goals
Enya Mooney
Founder of Enya’s Childcare & Forest School
Enya, founder of an award-winning Reggio-inspired, eco-focused childcare setting, is passionate about project-based and child-led learning. With a background in Childhood Studies and international experience, she has built a pedagogy that nurtures both children and their role in the global community. Committed to sustainability, she believes early education is key to instilling lifelong respect for the planet and hopes to inspire families and society to make simple, positive changes.
Theo Kuehn
Sustainability Manager at Cosy Direct
Masters in Human Rights & Global Ethics @ University Leicester
Naomi McLeod
Academic at Liverpool John Moores University, Faculty of Arts Professional and Social Studies
Works with Diane Boyd – Naomi is relatively new to sustainability – the need to understand the interconnected nature of sustainability – links between the environment, the economic & political and the social & cultural – requires educators who are reflexive, aware of personal bias and assumptions and awareness of human and non-human relationships; really excited to be part of the group, which shows an appreciation of sustainability making a difference.
Claire Brown
Impact Manager at N Family Club
Based in London – Quite new group, but expanding rapidly
Have own curriculum, based on 4 pillars – one is global responsibility (encompasses sustainability, environmental, wellness and holistic health)
Working towards Eco School Green Flag in all nurseries
Build from bottom up and get team on-board
Working towards Bcorp as well
Janet King
CACHE – Senior Subject Specialist Childcare
Started working in Early Years in Alaska in 1987.
Currently looking at science in the Early Years – plenty of opportunities to bring sustainability into and raise awareness through discussions and activities. Would love to feed messages from the forum into the development of this.
Louise Lloyd-Evans
Managing Director of Young Friends Nature Nursery and Founder of SNAP
Runs Young Friends Nature Nursery and is 100% dedicated to sustainability and to teaching children to be sustainable. Young Friends has a sustainable pedagogy and sustainable curriculum, and that’s what they do all day, every day and speak to anyone about it (that will listen!).
Louise is currently looking for a nursery manager, so that she can step back and really immerse herself within sustainability, looking at how to give other people advice and share mistakes along the way.
Amanda Hubball
Teacher at Alfreton Nursery School
Teacher at Alfreton Nursery School (20 years) and previous TES teacher of the year winner; environmental education is my driver, its why I do what I do; current project in school “outdoor STEM hive” dedicated to education of Young EY children – deforestation, pollution and climate change, interdependence between natural and industrial worlds. Supporting children to understand that exploitation is not the way forward and not the kind of relationships that we need to be developing and respect for life is critical for the future.
Peter Ellse
CEO of Cosy Direct
Launched first sustainability report in September and applied for Queens Award (second time); hardly any people win the Queens Award, but feedback received is really useful; Cosy are using this to set their new vision and missions.
Shweta Bahri
Curriculum Facilitator
“Earth Warriors is the world’s first comprehensive climate education school curriculum for 3-11-year-olds that uses a positive & empowering approach.”
Amanda Hubball
Teacher at Alfreton Nursery School
Teacher at Alfreton Nursery School (20 years) and previous TES teacher of the year winner; environmental education is my driver, its why I do what I do; current project in school “outdoor STEM hive” dedicated to education of Young EY children – deforestation, pollution and climate change, interdependence between natural and industrial worlds. Supporting children to understand that exploitation is not the way forward and not the kind of relationships that we need to be developing and respect for life is critical for the future.
Peter Ellse
CEO of Cosy Direct
Launched first sustainability report in September and applied for Queens Award (second time); hardly any people win the Queens Award, but feedback received is really useful; Cosy are using this to set their new vision and missions.