A COMMITTEE of councillors has asked for more information about why some families are not taking up the free nursery places available to them.
New policy introduced by the Coalition government last year meant that disadvantaged families gained free access to nursery provision for their two year olds. In September around 5,000 children in Bradford became eligible.
Councils were advised to provide enough spaces for at least 80 per cent of eligible children, in Bradford that figure is currently 66 per cent.
The issue was discussed by the council's Children's Services Scrutiny Committee last night.
Councillor Jeanette Sunderland questioned the 80 per cent target, saying: "If we just accept that 20 per cent of families aren't going to take this up, than are we acknowledging that 20 per cent of children are going to miss out on this? I would like to know the reasons that someone chooses not to sign up to this."
The committee asked for a representative from the council's children's centres to provide a report to members on why some families were not signing up their children to these free places.
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