ON June 17, the House of Lords agreed an amendment to the Nursery Education and Grant Maintained Schools Bill which, if passed in the House of Commons in its next stage, will delay the implementation of Phase 2 of the Government's Nursery Voucher Initiative.

Despite this charity's reservations about the scheme - in particular, the failure to provide capital for expansion or adequate resources for training - it would relieve parents of the financial burden of providing their four-year-olds with quality pre-school education.

Though pre-schools (playgroups) keep fees low to ensure as many children as possible can benefit, there are many parents who cannot afford even low fees.

The Pre-school Learning Alliance through its Pre-school Child Appeal has supported several hundred children, countrywide, to attend pre-school over the last year and there are more requests than money available. Vouchers would at least help four-year-olds and their families.

At present the quickest way to provide the maximum number of four-year-olds with free access to early year education is to build on existing pre-schools through vouchers.

Pre-schools (playgroups) provide locally-based, accessible, quality education and care with appropriately trained staff, a maximum of 1:8 adult child ratio, and a flexible approach to meet the needs of children and parents.

Families need the support of vouchers as soon as possible. Delays will result in too many children not getting the start in life they deserve.

It would be grossly unfair to deny parents and children across the country this expected help in April, 1997.

PAT STYLES, Regional Executive Officer, Pre-school Learning Alliance, Gloucester Street, Manchester.

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