Gordon Brown launched the government funding for two year olds in his speech at teh Labour Party conference.
So is this 'Welfare to Work' to get young and unskilled mothers back into training or work or is it a genuine effort focussed on the most vulnerable young children to support their early learning? Probably a bit of both...
My understanding is that initially the funds will be very limited. In our authority where The Leveller Children's Centre is based, some 9,000 children are born each year and we will be funded for 225 two year old places from next September. And this in one of the 20% most deprived authorities.
This small number suggests that the initiative will be highly targetted which makes sense - so it will probably be young lone parents required to attend training or attend the jobcentre in return for a free place. This is the 'Welfare to Work' angle.
Meanwhile the EPPE research indeed indicates that the most disadvantaged children do have better outcomes if they attend a good quality early education setting. In addition the research also showed that disadvantaged children benefit from mixing with children from other backgrounds, ie in some way their attainment is pulled up by mixing with more affluent, middle-class children thus covering the better outcomes for the child angle. EPPE also showed that a gap in development between the most disadvantaged children and the rest was evident by 22 months (i.e. 2 years old).
To be honest the Leveller feels that this is a pretty decent attempt to support children in the most vulnerable children and families, it's just that its a tiny drop in a huge ocean. If we believe in turning the tide on child poverty this scheme will have to be expanded quickly - according to governemnt sources approximately 6-7% of children are in the most vulnerable group which in our authority would mean that between 540 and 600 children should benefit rather than the current 225.
So where are these children going to be placed?
Unfortunately not in the mainatined sector which where we are moves in ever-decreasing circles of self-proclaimed quality provision, undermined at the older age range by the single point of entry to reception classes and a resistance at the younger end to any child in nappies. Unlikely also in the traditional PVI nurseries as they look for more profitable placements. That leaves Children's Centres who seem to be increasingly tasked with providing the best of everything: affordable, high-quality, flexible childcare and early education but without adequate resources to provide it. Understandable possibly that some of my fellow Children's Centre Managers are confused about this proposal, one querstionning 'Does this mean that I'll have to turn away a paying customer to provide one of these free places?' Isn't this though what Children's Centres are intended to do?