According to the latest statistics from the Department for Education on funded places, as of January there were 148,800 eligible twos taking up the 15 hours, down from 154,200 in January 2018, a drop of 6,200 children.
Meanwhile, the rate of take-up of three- and four-year-old places has remained stable, with 92 per cent of three-year-olds and 95 per cent of four-year-olds accessing their entitlement. The majority of funded places continue to be delivered by private and voluntary settings.
The DfE says the decline in the number of two-year-olds taking up a funded place from 72 per cent in 2018 to 68 per cent this year is partly due to a change in the calculation of those that are eligible, meaning fewer children are entitled to the 15 hours.
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