Equality of early years access must be a priority for the next government, Alliance warns following new Ofsted/ONS data

Commenting, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said:

“We're clear that all children, regardless of their background, should be able to access high-quality care and education.

“It's incredibly concerning, therefore, to see such a significant disparity between families living in less affluent areas - and with lower disposable incomes - and their wealthier counterparts when it comes to the availability of early years places.

“With the majority of government schemes currently focused on supporting working families, unless we see an urgent shift in early years policy focus, there is a real danger of a whole generation of children from more disadvantaged backgrounds being left behind – despite the wealth of research showing that they are the children likely to benefit the most from access to a quality early education.

“It's vital, therefore, that whoever forms the next government, ensuring that all families have equal access to affordable, quality care and education – regardless of where they live or how much disposable income they have – is made a policy priority. If politicians are truly serious about closing the attainment gap, there is no better place to start than in the early years."