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Please find below an embargoed comment from the Early Years Alliance following the publication of Coram's annual Childcare Survey.

It shows that while costs have decreased for parents of children under three who are eligible for the new entitlement offers, those from disadvantaged backgrounds and with special educational needs are more likely than their peers to struggle to access provision. 

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

“While it is positive that early years places are becoming more affordable for those families who are eligible for funded places, it’s clear from today’s findings that the early years sector in England is fast becoming a two-tier system. 

“With the bulk of the early entitlement offers skewed towards working families, more and more children from disadvantaged backgrounds – who we know benefit the most from early education and care – are at risk of being frozen out of accessing affordable places.  

“Add to this the fact that children with special educational needs continue to find it more difficult than their peers to access provision, and there's no doubt that under the existing system, the children most in need of support are now the least likely to be able to access it.  

“As our own recent research has shown, the combined impact of next month’s national insurance increases, wage rises and updated charging guidance is likely to see settings limit places and raise their fees. It’s clear, therefore, that far more sector support is needed if every child is to be able to benefit from affordable provision.  

“Ultimately, we know the only way of achieving this is to adequately fund the sector, both now and in the long term. If the government is truly committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, there simply is no other option.”