Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the level of accessibility of childcare for disabled children; how many childcare settings of all types of provision provide places for disabled children; what proportion of disabled children are able to access early years provision; and how many disabled children access the free early years entitlement at (a) three and four years old and (b) two years old.

The Government is extending the entitlement criteria for two-year-old early learning. From September 2014, two-year-olds will be eligible if they have a current statement of special educational needs (SEN) or an education, health and care plan (EHCP) or if they get Disability Living Allowance. The Government is determined to ensure that all children are able to benefit from their government-funded early education, and local authorities have the necessary funding, including in the high-needs block of the dedicated schools grant, to secure this.

The Government published Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents 2012/13 in January 2014, which contains a range of information about the views of parents with disabled children about childcare. The survey contained information about access to childcare, including flexible and holiday care, the quality and affordability of this care. It is published online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/275992/SFR06-2014_Childcare_and_Early_Years_Survey_of_Parents_2012-13_final.pdf

The Government published Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey 2011, which contains information on early years providers who care for children with disabilities. This survey is published online at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childcare-and-early-years-providers-survey-2011