Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Sutton Trust report entitled A fair start: Equalising access to early education, published 19 August 2021, what assessment he has made of the effect of not being able to access 30 hours of Government funded childcare on the development of children from low-income families.

All 3 and 4 year olds, as well as some disadvantaged 2 year olds, in England are eligible for 15 hours free childcare. This provides them with high-quality early education and helps to prepare them for school.

Working parents of 3 and 4 year olds can access an additional 15 hours (‘30 hours’) free childcare, helping them with the cost of childcare and supporting parents back into work, or to work more hours if they wish to. To be eligible, parents must earn the equivalent of at least 16 hours a week at national minimum/living wage (for parents aged over 23, this is equivalent to just over £7,400 per year), and under £100,000 per year. The government currently has no plans to extend this scheme.

There is no analysis available that compares children who access 30 hours free childcare with those who do not. However, findings from the department’s longitudinal Study of Early Education and Development (SEED) suggests that by age 5, greater use of formal group childcare (average hours per week) between age 2 and the start of school was associated with some negative effects on socio-emotional well-being and development in school year 1. SEED is our best evidence source for early years education.

A range of factors affect a child's development, including their wider learning environment. This could include, for example, their home learning environment.