We are looking for parents and carers to join a new Parent Advisory Group for the Early Years Food Coalition (EYFC).
We believe every child deserves the best start in life, and having access to healthy, inclusive, and sustainable food in the early years is key to this.
The EYFC has been working with charities, schools, researchers, and local councils to gather evidence and push for better nutrition in childcare and early education. But parents’ and carers’ experience is just as important. We want your insight to help shape this work and make a real difference for children.
What is the Parent Advisory Group?
We want parents’ voices to be at the heart of our work, so we are creating a new Parent Advisory Group.
This advisory group has been set up in collaboration with Sustain to ensure parents’ voices are central to the Coalition’s work. As a member, you will share your ideas, give feedback, and help guide important decisions.
Your experiences will help us understand the real challenges families face when it comes to healthy and sustainable food in childcare. At the same time, this is an opportunity to influence policy and practice in early years settings and help make a real difference for children.
What will taking part involve?
Your involvement will be flexible and focused on specific topics, with short, manageable bursts of activity known as sprints.
Each sprint may last six to eight weeks and could include a workshop on a particular theme, a short survey, or an online activity. You will also have opportunities to give feedback on draft resources, such as an early years food policy toolkit.
Sessions will be online or hybrid. You can also contribute in your own time through email, WhatsApp, or online tools. No preparation is required. We are simply asking for your honest perspectives and suggestions.
Each sprint will involve:
- One mandatory workshop, with optional additional sessions
- Online participation
- An estimated commitment of three to five hours per month
- No preparation needed; we simply ask for your honest perspectives and suggestions during the workshop, and into documents such as a food policy in early years toolkit
What is in it for you?
As a member of the Parent Advisory Group, you will:
- Have your say in how food is provided in early years settings
- Help influence real change for children and families
- Join a supportive community to share experiences and learn about healthy food
- Build confidence and skills to become a strong advocate for your child’s health and wellbeing
Who are we looking for?
We welcome any parent or carer of a child in nursery or who has recently started Reception. This includes children up to the age of 4, who are currently attending childcare settings (e.g. nurseries, pre-school or professional childminders) or recently started in Reception.
We want to hear from parents across the UK, from all backgrounds and ages. No previous experience with advisory groups is needed. Your interest and perspective are what matter.
Practical details
Participants will be asked to commit to at least one online workshop per sprint. Participation is voluntary and you can withdraw at any time.
We will support accessibility needs, including interpreters and flexible timing. Reasonable expenses related to participation will be considered on a case by case basis.
How to apply
If you would like to join, please complete this short application form.
Deadline for applications is 31st January 2026.
Due to the expected number of applications, only those moving to interview stage will be contacted. Thank you for your interest and understanding.
If you have any questions, you can contact [email protected].