Sector sizes up Labour policies

Early years organisations have delivered a mixed verdict on the first five years of the Labour Government's early years policies. Since coming to power in May 1997 the Government has introduced a number of initiatives, including nursery places for all four-year-olds and, by 2004, all three-year-olds in England, the National Childcare Strategy and the Sure Start programme for families with children aged under four in disadvantaged areas, Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships, Neighbourhood Nurseries in disadvantaged areas, and Early Excellence Centres, as well as great expansion in out-of-school provision.