Nursery World - Take twos...opportunities for everyone

The extension of the free entitlement to around 40 per cent of all two-year-olds from 2014 will need a significant increase in the number of places so that approximately 260,000 children will be able to benefit. James Hempsall urges childcare providers across all sectors to look at the opportunities this will bring

This new revenue stream can be used to fill empty places, increase occupancy levels, expand and/or set up new provision to meet the growing demand. Now is the time for nurseries to start thinking about the potential for individual or multiple sites, undertaking research, and working in partnership with the local authority and other settings including children's centres.

Pebbles at Stoneygate is a good example of being pro-active. It has operated from Stoneygate Children's Centre in Preston city centre since 2007 - a partnership between the school nursery, children's centre and Caritas Care (a registered charity which delivers a variety of children and family services in the North West). Earlier this year Caritas Care was approached by the head of Children's Centre Services Stoneygate to consider undertaking a feasibility study to replicate its Preston model at Appletree Children's Centre in Lancaster.

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