Launch Event October 2024: Early education for disadvantaged children

We were delighted to launch the new research report, Early education for disadvantaged children: How local action can support take-up of the 15 hours entitlement, at a hybrid event this October.

The report highlighted the barriers that prevent children, particularly disadvantaged 2-year-olds, from accessing the 15 hour funded early education entitlement and the action taken by local authorities with higher than expected take-up. The research team outlined the comprehensive programme of research undertaken in 2023 and 2024 and discussed the national and local action needed to improve take-up, particularly in light of the increase in entitlements for working families.

We were joined by expert panellists to discuss the importance of face-to-face interactions with families in encouraging take-up, in particular the crucial role played by family-facing professionals like Health Visitors and specialist local authority Family Information Services. The event concluded with a question and discussion session with our audience of 37 in-person and 95 online attendees.

The event was chaired by Lydia Hodges, Head of Coram Family and Childcare, and speakers included:

• Ivana La Valle, Research Consultant
• Jane Lewis, Managing Director, Centre for Evidence and Implementation
• Claire Crawford, Professor of Economics, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunity
• Alison Morton, CEO, Institute of Health Visiting
• Maryam Makki, Family Information Service Manager, Reading Borough Council

You can download the slides here, and you can watch the video recording below. You can read the full report here.