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Early Years Services

About early years qualifications

An early years qualification is a certification that shows you have the necessary training and skills to work with young children.

The early years stage in education covers the learning and development of children from birth to 5 years old.

Early years providers must follow regulations about staff:child ratios. These regulations make sure there are enough qualified staff to support children's development and keep them safe. These regulations are set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework (opens in a new tab).

Our services

Our Early Years Services are for anyone wanting to work in the early years sector in England.

Our evaluations team will review your case. We will advise if your qualification is Full and Relevant based on the Early Years Qualification List (EYQL) (opens in a new tab) set by the DfE.

Our Early Years Services are not for you if:

  • your qualification is not related to the early years stages of education
  • are not looking to work in the early years industry (you may need a Statement of Comparability instead)

Early years qualifications achieved in the UK

Find out more about getting advice for an early years qualification achieved in the UK.

Check the EYQL in the first instance. If your qualification is on this list, you can follow the guidance for qualifications achieved in England.

Please note: from 26th January 2026, Ecctis will no longer be advising on early years qualifications achieved within the UK.

If you have an open or ongoing case with Ecctis before 8th December 2025, we will work with you to resolve your query by 26th January 2026.

After 8th December 2025, for any new enquiries, you can use the Department for Education’s new digital service, Check an early years qualification (opens in a new tab), to check the status of your qualification, and the staff:child ratios you can count within. The service helps early years managers, practitioners and entrants to the workforce to check the approval status of their prospective and existing qualifications.

Early years qualifications achieved outside the UK

Find out more about applying for an Early Years Statement for an international early years qualification.