Nursery World - Poorer children could miss out on free childcare places, NAO warns

Failure to get the funding right for the 30-hour childcare policy could lead to cuts to places for disadvantaged two-year-olds, the Government’s independent spending watchdog claims today.

The report, Entitlement to free early education and childcare, highlights the extent to which many providers are concerned about the level of funding for the 30 hours, putting the success of the 30 hours’ policy at risk.

If the funding is not right, it says, early years settings may choose to cut back on offering places for disadvantaged two-year-olds, whose care costs them more, to enable them to offer extra hours for threes and fours.

While providers are keen to offer the 30 hours some providers may choose not to offer the scheme at all, it says.

This would jeopardise the Department for Education’s aims to improve educational outcomes for children who would benefit most from free childcare, the NAO warns.

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