Ministers are proposing to change the eligibility criteria for disadvantage, so that all children who would be eligible for free school meals are entitled to 15 hours of free early education a week. All looked-after children will also be offered a place.
If the plan goes ahead, 140,000 more children will have access to the free entitlement from the age of two.
Next month, the Government will launch a consultation on changes to the Code of Practice for the free entitlement for three-and four-year-olds, to include plans to change the eligibility criteria for two-year-olds.
The revised Code of Practice will come into force in September 2012.
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