Learnings from Year 3 Phase 2, Early Years Special Initiative (EYSI)

Insights & Learning

16th October 2026

Phase 2 of the Early Years Special Initiative (EYSI) launched in January 2023, supporting two grantee cohorts with four-year funding. SQW, the Phase 2 Learning Partner, works closely with grantees and has published its Year 3 report.

Year 3 Report highlights:

Strong reach and continued development: by June 2026, funded organisations had directly benefited 5,573 children and engaged 1,334 Early Years practitioners, 1,686 parents and carers and 382 Early Years settings.
Meaningful engagement strengthens evaluation: research quality and participant experience are mutually reinforcing. Evaluation is most effective when it is accessible, proportionate and shaped around the lives and working contexts of families and practitioners.
Co-design, co-delivery and participation offer different ways to involve people: trusted relationships, inclusive communication and showing how feedback leads to change help make that involvement meaningful.
Evidence has greater impact when it is tailored to its audience: families, practitioners, funders and policymakers need different combinations of stories, data, practical implications and detail.
Collaborative learning supports reflection and action: peer learning has helped grantees address shared challenges, strengthen their work and take increasing ownership of the learning community.
Legacy and sustainability are becoming more important: as the first cohort enters its final year, attention is turning to sustaining impact, maintaining the relationships, and learning developed through the Early Years Special Initiative.

“By bringing organisations together in cohorts over several years, we are able to create space for them to share learning, reflect on their practice and build on what works. The progress made so far reflects the commitment and expertise of our funded organisations, and we believe the learning generated through the Initiative can inform practice across the wider Early Years sector and contribute to better outcomes for young children and their families."

Almaz Zainal, Grants Programme Manager, The Mercers’ Company

Read the Year 3 report

The Year 3 report also acknowledges the financial and operational pressures facing charities and community organisations. Its findings informed the Early Years Interim Learning Symposium on 13 October 2026, held at Mercers’ Hall, which brought together funded organisations, funders, policymakers, researchers and others working in the sector to share learning, reflect on the difference being made and explore opportunities to key challenges.

As a funder, we aim to grow sector knowledge through external Learning Partners. They foster collaborative learning, peer exchange and mutual support among grantees, helping organisations identify shared themes, respond to emerging challenges and explore effective practice. This supports grantees to reflect on and develop their work, while deepening our understanding of the sector and informing future grantmaking.

Read about our Learning Symposium here

Phase 2, Cohort 1 grantees (funding from July 2023 for four years):

Phase 2, Cohort 2 grantees (funding from July 2024 for four years):

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