Streetlife

Get a torch and see what is under there first, I would think.  If it has already made a den and has babies, you might be stuck.  But it may just be the first night's work and you can block it up temporarily with bricks or somesuch, so the fox has to find another place elsewhere

Dynamite it

wrong time of year for cubs, mating is Dec - Feb (loud noises), cubs born March-April, weaned at 6 weeks, so probably a young fox making a new home & yes, you should get rid of it now otherwise it will be there forever.

make lots of  noise as you are putting blocks in place.  fox will get out asap whatever time of day or night.  you might have to poke it with a broom as well - given that urban foxes have no fear of humans.  i'd wear some robust gardening gloves while doing this & probably have some kind of spray with me - just water if necessary, but maybe with some dettol in it to be repulsive to the fox or an actual fox repellent.

you will need to use the biggest, heaviest blocks you can - mere bricks foxes can easily push aside.  in addition to the blocks, probably worth using some fox repellent too - see Amazon - or alternatively, pee on the garden yrself - which does work but is easily washed away, so you have to do it repeatedly - especially given the current weather.  

alternatively, go to a pest control company with a specialist capability for fox removal, they will hire you a trap to trap it, then shot the fox when its caught, and then incinerate it.  it will cost a significant amount of money, over £100 at least and probably more like £300 (incineration of the body, which is deemed toxic waste, costs £80 alone), but then you would be sure that you weren't blocking a fox in when you put barricades up.  

good luck.  toddlers and foxes certainly aren't a good combination.  

I had this problem under my last house extension. I rang a specialist. He said put something like bamboo canes across the hole during the day. Last thing at night, go out and see if they have been moved. If so, almost certainly the fox has come out to go hunting, then you can block it up.

You can buy from garden centres some repellent stuff which you mix with builders sand and scatter. But it really stinks I warn you, so use sparingly.

I had this problem and solved it through getting the shed put on a cement base. Not the cheapest solution but it has worked well!

Richard, unless your 2 year old is out playing at dusk on it's own there is no danger posed to your baby.

Leave the hole and use the fox family as wildlife education..

what about the fox poo?  suspect thats more of a danger to a toddler than the fox actually biting the infant.  can carry round worm which does affect humans.

Pick it up with tissue paper?  It'll be in an obvious heap like dog poo....

quicker than a toddler can put it in their mouths?  i don't think so ... 

One molotov cocktail is a better option than dynamite.

Wildlife education ?????

I have found in the past year the foxes in my garden do not run away now as they used to they are not frightened of humans now even if you try to shoo them away. I would be very cautious if toddlers are involved it s not worth taking the risk that they may pick up an infection or may attack the child. This is not hating foxes this is valuing your child more.