Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has plans to extend 30 hours of free childcare to the parents of two-year-old children; and if he will make a statement.

We are in the first full year of rolling out 30 hours for working parents of three- and four-year olds. Our immediate focus is on effective delivery for the spring and summer terms, and on evaluating the policy during its first year. We are not currently planning to make any significant changes to the policy.

The government currently offers disadvantaged two-year-olds 15 hours a week of free early learning to help ensure they get the best start in life. This is in response to evidence which tells us that children from disadvantaged backgrounds, can be up to 19 months behind their better off peers in their learning by the time they start school[1]. High-quality early learning from the age of two can help to narrow that gap, helping those children to achieve better GCSE results and ultimately earn higher wages[2].

[1] Toth, K et al (2015) Subject to background. Sutton Trust http://www.suttontrust.com/researcharchive/subject-to-background/

[2] Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj, I., & Taggart, B. (2014). EPPE Students’ educational and developmental outcomes at age 16. London. Retrieved from http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/20873/1/RR354_-_Students__educational_and_developmental_outcomes_at_age_16.pdf