THE Department of Education has praised Gloucestershire County Council for the take-up of free early learning childcare places.

Gloucestershire is second when compared to similar councils, with 75 per cent of eligible two-year-olds taking up early education. This is well above the national average of 62 per cent.

Families on a low income could be entitled to 15 hours of free childcare a week at nurseries, childminders, schools, playgroups and children's centres.

In February 2015, the county council had 1,569 children benefiting from a free place in Gloucestershire, which is an increase of 6 per cent since October 2014.

In a letter sent this month, the Department of Education congratulated and thanked the county council for its hard work.

Cllr Paul McLain, cabinet member for children and young people and commissioning, said: "Free places are already making a massive different to hundreds of families on low incomes.  We have excellent childminders, nurseries and playgroups in our county; their commitment to providing our children with the best care is helping Gloucestershire lead the way nationally.

"We are encouraging all parents who think they could be eligible to get in touch as soon as possible to ensure they don't miss out on helping to give their kids the best possible start."

Last year, the county council had £4.98 million from government to support more 
two-year-olds into early education, £2.1million of which was allocated to create new places. These included 26 small schemes to create places for an extra 400 children and places for a further 250 children through larger projects in parts of Cheltenham and Gloucester, where the demand for places is higher. 

To find out whether a child is entitled to the funding and where places are available, parents need to call the Family Information Service on 01452 427362 or FREEPHONE 0800 542 02 02 (calls to this number from a mobile may be charged at a higher rate. They will need their National Insurance number to hand.