Places for two-year-olds will be extended from the pilot areas to 15 percent of the most disadvantaged families in every local authority area,reaching around 23,000 children a year.
They will start in some local authorities from April, with the aim forall local authorities to offer the extra entitlement by September 2009.Families of two-year-olds will be able to access ten hours a week over38 weeks a year.
The London Borough of Newham has been piloting seven-and-a-half hours aweek for two-year-olds since April 2007. Janet Hicks, head of ExtendedServices, said the focus was on parents on low-incomes and children lesslikely to take up free places.
From April Newham will offer 211 two-year-old places and 342 from2010-2011 in private, voluntary and maintained settings.
Ms Hicks said it was important that families accessed the two-year-oldsplace as part of an integrated package. 'We also encourage parents touse other services in children's centres, a toddler group or a speechand language service or a course for parents.'
Steve Alexander, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance,said, 'At a time of world economic downturn it is gratifying that theGovernment is investing in early years because they recognise theconnection with later life chances.'
But he warned, 'Sustainability is still the sector's number onechallenge and the free entitlement is causing real cash-flow problems.It's reasonable to assume there will be a reduction in demand for fulldaycare as unemployment kicks in or parents turn to informal care.'
The NDNA said extending the early years offer would greatly benefitchildren and families but it could affect sustainability unless fundingwas 'adequately and properly distributed'.
