Private- and voluntary-sector nurseries appear to be flourishing, yet their place in the Government's reform of children's services is still uncertain.
The number of free part-time nursery education places for three-year-olds provided by independents has risen significantly (Children Now, 2-8 June), yet some in the sector say councils are more likely to approach mainstream providers when developing integrated children's centres as this is seen as a quicker and easier way to meet targets.
Rosemary Murphy, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, says: "Local authorities mainly work within their own sector. It is more difficult trying to forge relationships with private and voluntary providers that they haven't worked alongside before."
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