A revolution in free childcare is gathering pace. The entitlement of 15 hours a week free childcare for three- and four-year-olds will extend to the 20 per cent most disadvantaged two-year-olds from September next year, and then to the 40 per cent most disadvantaged from September 2014. This will make around 260,000 two-year-olds eligible for free childcare for 38 weeks a year.
The ethos behind this expansion of free childcare is to improve social mobility; to better prepare young children for school; and to help parents find work and training opportunities. It is an ambitious next step for an initiative started by the Labour government six years ago. But it also presents the most striking set of challenges for councils and early years providers.
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