Ms Staggs emphasised the need to consider the framework in the context of the five outcomes for children in the Every Child Matters agenda.
She said, 'Of course we want to prepare children for what happens later, but we also want them to have the opportunity to get the most out of the here and now.'
She said the media furore surrounding the publication of the Childcare Bill had arisen partly because of the name change to the Early Years Foundation Stage.
'It changed its name because the minister for children, Beverley Hughes, really wanted a name that signalled to the sector that this was about hanging on to what we already had with the Foundation Stage and bringing in, on a much more formal basis, Birth to Three Matters and looking at how we can do that much more holistically.'
Ms Staggs emphasised that the framework was 'underpinned by a play-based approach', and was 'about strengthening the links' with Birth to Three Matters and the Foundation Stage.
She said that the team were consulting with practitioners during the development of the framework and invited delegates to get in touch.
Proposals would go out for consultation by the DfES next summer and the framework be put in place by 2008, she said.
Maurice Smith, Ofsted's director of early years, spoke about the role of the regulator and the future of inspection. He stressed that ensuring the quality of settings was 'a multiple responsibility' and that parents had 'a critical role to play'.
Other speakers were Kathy Sylva, head of the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) project, Linda Baston-Pitt, owner of Old School House Day Nursery and Christine Goldsack, national co-ordinator of Sheffield Quality Initiatives. There were also contributions from Liz Richardson of Asquith Nurseries and Julian Grenier, head of Kate Greenaway Nursery School in London.
Lesley Staggs and her team can be contacted at foundationstage@capita.co.uk.