The proportion of disadvantaged two-year-olds eligible for a funded childcare place has plummeted over the last seven years, analysis has found. The analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) shows only a quarter of young, disadvantaged children were eligible for a place in 2022/23, compared with nearly two in five in 2015. The IFS fears the proportion could fall further amid the government’s policy of prioritising childcare support towards parents who work, rather than universal services or targeted support for low income families. Read more.
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