The early years of a child’s life plays an enormous role in setting their future life chances. Giving all children access to high-quality education can help to close gaps and put children on a level playing field for their schooling and beyond. But access to childcare and early education is currently unequal, with the government’s flagship 30 hours policy excluding many of the country’s poorest families.
In England, all three-and-four-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours of early education and childcare per week, but children in ‘working families’ are able to access an additional 15 hours on top. Many families on the lowest or no incomes – the very children who would benefit most from more time in early education – are not able to access these additional hours.
