新澳门六合彩官网开奖

By Rachel Lawler

 

Local authorities are struggling to ensure take-up of funded childcare places for disadvantaged two-year-olds, according to a from the Department for Education (DfE).

 

Based on feedback to the DfE鈥檚 , the report reveals that 44% of local authorities that responded had experienced difficulties in implementing the funding for disadvantaged two-year-olds.

 

The most common reason given for this was eligible parents not wanting or needing childcare for their two-year-old child (34% of local authorities), followed by a lack of funding for publicity and infrastructure development (20%).

 

16% of local authorities said that they had experienced providers not wanting to offer funded places to eligible two-year-olds.

 

One in five local authorities said that they had experienced difficulties implementing the universal early education entitlements of 15 hours for all three- and four-year-olds.

 

38% of local authorities said that the introduction of the 30-hours had caused difficulties for the implementation of the 15-hours offer for disadvantaged two-year-olds.

 

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: 鈥淭his report makes clear that the government is failing some of our most disadvantaged children. Everyone agrees that the early years is a vital in ensuring children get the best start in life 鈥� but this report shows that children from low income families, who stand to benefit most from childcare, can鈥檛 rely on the government to ensure they鈥檙e able to access it.

 

鈥淭he fact is that ministers were warned repeatedly that providers would struggle to deliver childcare for younger children following the rollout of 30 hours. They chose to ignore those warnings and continue to do so; this study is just the latest to underline the wider impact that frozen and falling funding levels are having, not only providers but also on the children they are able work with.

 

鈥淚t鈥檚 simply not right that the government鈥檚 flagship childcare policy has meant wealthy parents are receiving funded childcare while those less well-off are not 鈥� particularly if one is at the expense of the other. 新澳门六合彩官网开奖 are passionate about helping all children realise their full potential but, until ministers own up to their responsibilities and ensure funding covers the true cost of providing quality childcare, children from poorer backgrounds will continue to miss out.鈥�