The increase in the free entitlement from 12.5 hrs to 15 hrs a week (when delivered in term time) is already being implemented in some local authorities.
Its intention is to improve access to good quality early years provision and to support all young children’s development and understanding. It also is a great help and support to parents in the growing needs of young families and in enabling some parents to be able to access work related opportunities more easily.
There is a need for flexibility to be built into the programme so that parents can have a range of options to chose from. These should include access on a termly basis or through the year.
Schools and also private, voluntary and independent (PVI’s) settings generally have very different abilities to offer a range of flexible options. But these can be achieved and within areas or neighbourhoods there can be a number of ways of offering the extra time that will best meet the needs of the majority of parents. Some effective consultation is the best way to discover parental needs.
The pathfinders and local authorities that are already successfully delivering the scheme have been asked to have all settings offering 15 hrs by September 2010. Other local authorities now have until September 2011.
There is some helpful information on the DCSF website and includes research and findings from Sheffield and Cambridge.