Within its pre-manifesto, published today, the political party outlines proposals to introduce 15 hours of free early education to all two-year-olds from September 2016. It would also extend the offer to working families of children aged between nine and 24 months.
In the longer term, the party says it would consider increasing the number of free hours from 15 to 20 a week for all twos.
The extension of free childcare would be paid for in part by scrapping the Conservatives plans to introduce a tax break for married couples.
The Liberal Democrat’s pre-mainfesto, which focuses on ‘improving the life chances of children and young people’, includes plans, already announced, to triple the Early Years Pupil Premium for nursery-age children to £1,000 a year, extend free school meals to all primary pupils and make the school food standards applicable to all schools, including free schools and academies.
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