Chancellor Alistair Darling last week set out the government's spending plans for the next three years. He reannounced a government pledge that £4bn would be made available for childcare and early years, but did not promise any new funding.
The £4bn will be used to provide a children's centre in every community by 2010, fund two outreach workers in the most deprived areas and extend the free childcare entitlement from 12.5 to 15 hours per week for three and four-year-olds.
But childcare providers say the £4bn will not solve financial problems currently faced by nurseries and pre-schools and called on the government to spend more.
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