April 2024 saw the start of the roll-out of the expanded childcare entitlement for children of working families in England. Whether enough places on an ongoing basis will be available to satisfy demand from eligible families is still an open question.
But what has received much less attention to date is the potential implications of the policy for children who are not entitled to it – particularly disadvantaged two-year-olds who should also be able to access funded early education. Previous experience suggests that these children may be crowded out of early education, further worsening inequalities in access and development, and that action should be taken to ensure that these children do not miss out.
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