While most national media commentators obviously found last week's Budget a huge yawn, with little more excitement than a small increase on the price of a bottle of wine, close inspection reveals quite a few measures of interest to the early years and childcare sector (see News, page 4).
Some initiatives are new and could herald the start of a fresh approach, including the Child Development Grant - a one-off payment of £200 to encourage low-income families to take up early years entitlement and children's centre services. The approach is based on a successful anti-poverty initiative in New York called Opportunity NYC. While the CDG is much smaller-scale, it could grow to help families break out of the cycle of poverty.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here