EYFS changes September 2026: what you need to know
Written by The MagicBooking Team | Aug 24, 2026
7 min readThe new EYFS statutory framework comes into force on 1 September 2026. Six changes affect all Ofsted-registered early years providers in England, including nurseries, preschools, school reception classes, and childminders.
The September 2026 EYFS changes at a glance:
- Safer sleeping – new specific requirements for sleep positions, equipment and supervision
- Volunteer DBS checks – volunteers working unsupervised with children must have a DBS check
- Screen time guidance – new limits on screen use for children under 5
- Prohibited dog breeds – certain breeds must not be on premises during operating hours
- Harm threshold – updated language on when providers must act on a safeguarding concern
- Staff disclosure – changes to what employees and trainees must declare
This guide explains each change and what your setting needs to do before the September deadline.
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What is changing in the EYFS framework from September 2026?
The September 2026 updates follow on from the 2025 EYFS safeguarding changes, which introduced safer recruitment requirements, stronger child absence policies, and mandatory paediatric first aid for trainees. If your setting is not yet fully compliant with those 2025 changes, address those first.
The 2026 updates cover six distinct areas. Here is what each change means and what providers must do.
| EYFS 2026 change | Who it affects | Action required |
|---|---|---|
| Safer sleeping requirements | All settings where children nap or sleep on-site | Update sleep policy; check equipment; ensure supervised logging |
| Volunteer DBS checks | All settings using volunteers in unsupervised roles | Audit volunteers; arrange DBS checks before September |
| Screen time guidance | All settings | Add screen use policy; brief staff; create screen-free zones |
| Prohibited dog breeds | Childminders with dogs on premises | Remove prohibited breeds from premises during operating hours |
| Updated harm threshold | All providers | Update safeguarding policy wording; retrain staff |
| Staff disclosure requirements | All settings | Review and update staff declaration procedures |
The full revised EYFS statutory framework is available on Gov.uk.
What are the new EYFS safer sleeping requirements?
The updated framework introduces more specific guidance on safe sleep for children who nap or sleep in your setting. This builds on existing best practice and makes key elements statutory.
From September 2026, providers must:
- Place children under 2 on their back on a firm, flat, clean mattress to sleep
- Ensure sleeping areas are well ventilated and kept at a safe temperature
- Actively check and supervise sleeping children at regular intervals
- Record sleep checks and keep logs accessible for inspection
From September 2026, safe sleep practice is a specific statutory requirement of the EYFS framework, not just recommended best practice. Settings that cannot evidence these procedures at inspection risk a compliance finding.
Childminders are fully in scope, including those caring for children overnight. The DfE guidance aligns with advice from the Lullaby Trust, which provides free resources on safer sleep practice in childcare settings.
Review your setting's sleep policy now. Make sure all staff have read it and know how to complete sleep logs correctly.
What do the EYFS volunteer and recruitment changes mean for providers?
The new framework closes a gap in previous guidance on volunteers. From September 2026, any volunteer who works, or is likely to work, unsupervised with children must have a DBS check in place before doing so.
This applies to:
- Regular volunteers who support sessions independently
- Students on placement who may work without direct supervision
- Parent volunteers who help run activities or take children to and from sessions
It does not apply to volunteers who are always directly supervised by a qualified member of staff throughout their time in the setting.
Providers must keep a record of DBS check dates for all in-scope volunteers and make these records available at inspection.
“We welcome the Department for Education's clarity within the EYFS on a number of points, most notably safer sleeping, checks for volunteers and the guidance on screen time. [...] NDNA provided expert advice on the development of the new screen use guidance and we hope providers will find this useful.” – Tim McLachlan, CEO, National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA)
Start your volunteer audit now. Identify every volunteer who works, or could work, without direct supervision. Anyone without a current DBS check needs one before September. Do not wait until August.
What is the new EYFS screen time guidance for early years settings?
The September 2026 framework introduces statutory screen time guidance for children under 5. This is the most widely discussed of the six changes and one that will require action in most settings.
The DfE guidance states that children under 2 should avoid screen time entirely during their time in early years settings. For children aged 2 to 5, screen time should be limited to no more than one hour per day.
The guidance also sets out the following requirements:
- Screens must not be used during mealtimes
- Screens must not be used within one hour of a child's sleep time
- Settings should establish designated screen-free zones, particularly in areas used for play and learning
- AI-powered tools and apps should not be used with or by children under 5 in early years settings
Source: DfE Help for Early Years Providers, screen use guidance, published July 2026.
This does not mean removing all technology from your setting. It means tracking screen use, setting clear limits, and ensuring that screens never replace active, play-based learning.
What to do before September:
- Add a named screen use section to your EYFS policy
- Brief all staff on the limits and the reasoning behind them
- Review your physical environment and identify where screen-free zones should be established
- Check that any digital tools or apps in use do not use AI features
What other changes does the new EYFS statutory framework include?
Prohibited dog breeds
Childminders who have dogs at home must ensure that prohibited breeds are not present on the premises during operating hours. Childminders should follow the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 for the list of prohibited breeds and make alternative arrangements if a prohibited breed is in the home during childminding hours.
Updated harm threshold
The revised framework updates the language used to define when providers must act on a safeguarding concern. The changes bring EYFS threshold language into closer alignment with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026. Every setting should review its safeguarding policy and update any references to harm or the threshold for action to reflect the revised wording. Retrain staff where necessary.
Staff disclosure requirements
The framework clarifies what employees, trainees, and volunteers must disclose. Settings should review their staff declaration procedures against the revised guidance and ensure all current staff declarations are up to date.
What do early years providers need to do before September?
Use this checklist to prepare your setting before 1 September 2026.
Update your policies
- Revise your safeguarding policy to reflect the updated harm threshold language
- Add a screen use section with the new DfE limits
- Update your safe sleep policy to reflect the statutory requirements
- Review and update staff disclosure procedures
Check your staffing and records
- Audit all volunteers to identify anyone who works or could work unsupervised with children
- Arrange DBS checks for volunteers in scope before September
- Check all staff declarations are current and compliant with the revised framework
- Brief all staff on the six changes before the September deadline
Review your environment
- Check all sleep equipment meets the new guidance
- Identify and create screen-free zones
- Childminders: review whether a prohibited dog breed is present during operating hours and make arrangements accordingly
Prepare your evidence
Inspectors will look for updated policies, DBS records for volunteers, sleep logs, and evidence that staff have been briefed on the changes. Good record-keeping is what separates a confident inspection from a difficult one.
The most effective way to demonstrate compliance is to make the evidence easy to find. Updated policies, dated staff briefing records, and accessible DBS logs tell an inspector everything they need to know within the first few minutes of a visit.
How MagicBooking can help
MagicBooking's safeguarding tools help early years providers keep DBS records, child health notes, and incident logs in one place, ready for inspection at any time.
Our clients report saving over 200 hours a year on compliance admin.
Book a free demo to see how it works for your setting.
Frequently asked questions
What is changing in EYFS from September 2026?
Six changes come into force on 1 September 2026 under the new EYFS statutory framework: new safer sleeping requirements, a requirement for volunteers working unsupervised with children to have DBS checks, new screen time limits for children under 5, restrictions on prohibited dog breeds on premises, updated harm threshold language, and changes to staff disclosure requirements. All Ofsted-registered early years providers in England must comply.
What are the EYFS safer sleeping requirements from September 2026?
From September 2026, children under 2 must sleep on their back on a firm, flat mattress in a well-ventilated space. Providers must supervise sleeping children at regular intervals and keep a log of sleep checks. The requirements apply to all settings where children nap or sleep on site, including childminders, and are now a specific statutory requirement rather than recommended best practice.
Do EYFS volunteers need DBS checks from September 2026?
Yes, if they work unsupervised with children or are likely to do so. The revised EYFS framework requires all such volunteers to have a current DBS check before starting in an unsupervised role. Volunteers who are always directly supervised by a qualified member of staff are not in scope. Providers must keep DBS check records for all volunteers in scope.
What is the EYFS screen time guidance for nurseries and childminders?
Children under 2 should avoid screen time entirely in early years settings. Children aged 2 to 5 should be limited to no more than one hour of screen time per day. Screens must not be used during mealtimes or within one hour of sleep. Settings must create screen-free zones in play and learning areas, and AI-powered tools or apps must not be used with children under 5.
Does the new EYFS statutory framework apply to childminders?
Yes. All six September 2026 changes apply to childminders. This includes the volunteer DBS requirement, the screen time guidance, the safer sleeping requirements, updated harm threshold language, staff disclosure changes, and the prohibition on certain dog breeds being present on the premises during operating hours.
