Eight-five per cent of parents were taking up the offer. But thefindings also suggested a need to promote the early years entitlementmore in deprived areas.
There was little evidence the pathfinder authorities assessed parentaldemand for the extended offer before implementing it, as few hadcompleted their childcare sufficiency assessments at the time of theroll-out in April 2007.
However, almost half of the providers in the survey had consultedparents themselves.
In all areas, the full 15 hours had to be taken over a minimum of threedays, except in York, which allowed two days in 'special cases'.
Fifty-eight per cent of parents used the free offer over five days and23 per cent over three days.
Take-up was highest in the morning between 9am and 12pm, fitting in withschool drop-off time and when parents start work.
More than a third of providers said they had seen increased demand as aresult of taking part in the pathfinder.
While the DCSF advised a maximum of ten hours a day, eight of the 19local authorities set a lower limit between six and nine hours - usuallybecause it was the authority's view that ten hours was 'detrimental tochildren'.
FURTHER INFORMATION
'Extended Flexible Entitlement for Three-and Four-Year-Olds: PathfinderEvaluation' is at www.dcsf.gov.uk/research