Nick Clegg announces free childcare for Britain's poorest children
Filed under: Advice and health
PA
Some of Britain's poorest children are to get free childcare to 'give them a fair crack of the whip', Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said today.
He also announced parents of children on free places can drop their children earlier and collect them later.
He told BBC Breakfast: "We're revolutionising the early start our children get in life - there will be more free childcare, it will be higher quality, and it will be more flexible for parents
"Every child should have a fair crack at the whip from the start and be able to go on to fulfil their potential.
'By getting things right from the off we're making sure our youngsters are ready to learn when they start school so that they get the most out of their education."
More than 800,000 three and four year olds nationally are currently eligible for 15 hours per week of free early education.
The plan had been to extend this to 150,000 two year olds from the poorest families from September 2013, rising to around 260,000 in the following year.
But Mr Clegg said that a £3million trial – affecting around 1,000 children - will now start in September in 10 trial areas.
The time when parents can pick up and drop children is also being increased from 8am to 7am, and from 6pm to 7pm.
Parents will also be able to spread their free nursery places over two, rather than three, days, which will allow them to leave their children for longer on individual days.
Following a consultation, Mr Clegg announced that the first areas to benefit, in September this year, will be Blackpool, Cornwall, Greenwich, Kent, Lambeth, Lancashire, Newcastle, Northamptonshire, Peterborough and Rotherham.
New guidance will also make clear that nurseries cannot make the free childcare conditional on parents also taking up additional paid-for hours.
Would you be able to find quality childcare from 7 to 7?
Is this strategy about helping parents back to work - in which case why not start subsidised childcare after maternity leave?
Or is it about helping children who might fall through the cracks to prepare for school?
Tell us what you think?
Best children's books for three-five years
- Lost and found<p> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Found-Oliver-Jeffers/dp/0007150369/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302268682&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Lost and Found </a>by Oliver Jeffers, £5.99, published by HarperCollins.</p> <p> It's tricky to choose just one of this author and illustrator's books but we've plumped for his magical tale of friendship between a boy and a penguin. Jeffers' illustrations are as much of the appeal as the words - simple but beautiful, whilst the text is such that young readers can soon start to manage it for themselves.<br /> <br /> <em>'I wish I was the boy who had a real penguin I love it when the boy finds the penguin and they hug each other!' </em>(Khyan Joe, aged 3 -nearly 4!</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>
- Mr. Happy<p> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mr-Happy-Men-Classic-Library/dp/1405235519/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302268896&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Mr Men stories </a>(shown here Mr Happy) by Roger Hargreaves, £2.50, published by Egmont.</p> <p> Pleasingly silly stories which will make young and old readers alike smile. The original gang of Mr Men from the 1970s have been joined by a horde of Little Miss Characters and newer Mr Men who are still arriving on the scene, thanks to Roger Hargreaves' son taking over the writing and illustrating mantel (Hargreaves senior died in 1988).</p> <p> Mr Man fans should look out for box sets of 50 for £30, sometimes available on the <a href="http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_home_tbp?storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100" target="_blank">Book People</a> website – not all that much more than the 20p the books cost when published in the 1970s!</p>
- Room on the broom<p> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Room-Broom-Julia-Donaldson/dp/0333903382/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302269199&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Room on The Broom</a>, by Julia Donaldson, £6.99, Macmillan.</p> <p> From her big break, The Gruffalo, onwards, Julia Donaldson's charming rhyming books have been capturing the hearts of the current generation of children (and their parents).<br /> Of the staggering 157 books she's had published, so many are wonderful that we could fill our top ten with her works alone.</p> <p> Alex Scheffler's illustrations are vibrant and fun and there's just the right amount of repetition in the text –enough to help youngsters learn the words, but not so much that parents groan on being presented with the same book at bedtime every night for a month!</p> <p> Other favourites by the same author:<br /> Tabby McTat<br /> The Smartest Giant in Town<br /> The Gruffalo<br /> Monkey Puzzle.</p>
- Where the Wild Things Are<p> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Where-Wild-Things-Maurice-Sendak/dp/0099408392/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302269914&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Where the Wild Things Are</a>, Maurice Sendak, £5.99, published by Red Fox.</p> <p> Max, wearing a wolf suit, gets sent to bed without his dinner. Fortunately exciting adventures await in his room. An amusing read for parents and children alike – add it to your family bookshelves and it's sure to be a favourite for years to come.</p>
- Winnie the Pooh<p> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winnie---Pooh-Milne/dp/1405223987/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302269996&sr=1-2" target="_blank">Winnie the Pooh</a>, by AA Milne, £6.99, published by Egmont.</p> <p> A timeless classic – children have enjoyed getting to know Christopher Robin, Pooh, Tigger and friends for generations.</p> <p> <br /> Like most of the books for this age range, this is ideal for reading to a preschool child, but later on can be read independently by them too.<br /> <br /> Other favourites by the same author:<br /> The House at Pooh Corner<br /> When We Were Very Young<br /> Now We are Six.</p>
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle, £6.99, published by Puffin<p> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Very-Hungry-Caterpillar-Board-Book/dp/0241003008/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302269617&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Very Hungry Caterpillar</a> by Eric Carle, £6.99, published by Puffin.</p> <p> Ravenous caterpillar eats his way to becoming a butterfly. Lovely illustrations, a charming story and helps with counting and days of the week as a bonus!<br /> <br /> Lottie, three says:<em> "This is my best book. The butterfly is pretty. And the fruits."</em><br /> <br /> Other favourites by the same author:<br /> The Very Quiet Cricket<br /> Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?</p>
- Charlie and Lola My Completely Best Story Collection<p> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charlie-Lola-Completely-Story-Collection/dp/014138252X/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1302268349&sr=1-2-fkmr0" target="_blank">Charlie and Lola My Completely Best Story Collection</a>, by Lauren Child, £12.99, published by Puffin.</p> <p> 'Charlie has this little sister Lola, she is small and very funny' is the telling first line of all Lauren Child's best-selling books about a sensible older brother and his tricky but amusing little sister.<br /> Initially you could find the way the text goes swirly or upside down disconcerting or get all pedantic about Lola's grammatically shaky speech (she's partial to a double negative e.g. 'I will not ever never eat a tomato') but such idiosyncrasies are what make Lauren Child's books special and loved by so many kids.</p> <p> This hardback collection of five stories is excellent value, and some cute Charlie and Lola stickers are thrown in.<br /> <br /> Other favourites by the same author:<br /> Clarice Bean series<br /> Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent.</p>
- The Best of Dr Seuss<p> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Dr-Seuss-Comes-Seusss/dp/000715853X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302268457&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Best of Dr Seuss</a>, £9.99, published by HarperCollins.</p> <p> Three of Dr Seuss' most popular stories in one book: The Cat in the Hat, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back and Dr Seuss's ABC. In the first, Sally and her brother are home alone (don't tell Social Services!) when a cheeky cat pops round to visit and causes mayhem and mess. Can they clear it up before mum returns? The other two tales are just as lively and zany, and help young children learn the alphabet.<br /> <br /> Other favourites by the same author:<br /> Green Eggs and Ham<br /> How the Grinch Stole Christmas!</p>
- The tale of Peter rabbit<p> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Peter-Rabbit-World-Beatrix-Potter/dp/0723247706/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302269100&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Tale of Peter Rabbit</a> by Beatrix Potter, £5.99, published by Warne.</p> <p> Rejected by several publishers in the late 19th Century, the Peter Rabbit series has gone on to sell well over 150 million copies worldwide and this, the first of the stories remains one of the bestselling books of all time. It sees young Peter ignoring his mother's orders not to venture into Mr McGregor's garden. Beautifully illustrated and sure to leave children eager to hear others of the Peter Rabbit series' 23 books.</p>
- The Tiger Who Came to Tea<p> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tiger-Who-Came-Tea/dp/0007215991/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302269746&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Tiger Who Came to Tea</a> by Judith Kerr, £5.99, HarperCollins.</p> <p> Sophie and her mummy are minding their own business at home when there's someone (or should that be something...) knocking at the door. It's not the milkman, or the boy from the grocers (or would that be the 'man from Tesco Direct' nowadays?). And it's not Daddy home from work. Nope it's a large and greedy tiger which proceeds to eat them out of house and home.<br /> <br /> Other favourites by the same author:<br /> Mog</p>
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