Features

Take twos... expanding to meet the need

Management
The expansion of the free entitlement to disadvantaged two-year-olds is a welcome early intervention development, and a significant operational challenge. In this new column, James Hempsall examines how settings can meet the challenges in the offer, and shares examples of excellent practice.

Free early education for disadvantaged two-year-olds is an important stepping-stone for families, bringing many of them into contact for the first time with early learning and childcare. It can involve parents actively in their child's experience at nursery and continuing learning and development at home.

The London Borough of Merton's Lavender Children's Centre provides 90 places for children from three months to pre-school. In September 2011, to meet increasing local demand for two-year-old places, the centre opened a 20-place pre-school. Ten places are for funded children and ten are for fee-paying families. Currently, there are 26 on the register and the centre has a waiting list, so it plans to replicate this successful module at its other site in 2012.

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