The Government is going to have to make up its mind what to prioritise if the neediest children are to gain from early years services, says Vidhya Alakeson
Should the Government increase paid maternity leave by a further six months, or extend free early years provision to two-year- olds? Both proposals are on the table for a third Labour term. Both have merit but both cost money. If the Government can't do both, which proposal should it go for?
Hard choices are the stuff of politics. The number of interest groups wanting a piece of the action inevitably exceeds the available funding. In last year's Green Paper Every Child Matters the Government made it clear that the interests of children must take centre stage in early years policy. But the needs of children, particularly disadvantaged children, are being pushed aside as departments battle it out for their share of the public spending pot.
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