The most disavanteged families in the UK are failing to access
childcare even when it is offered free.
A report Families Experiencing Multiple Disadvantage: Their views
on childcare provision commissioned by the Department of
Children, Schools and Families, found that just 60% of pre-school
children living in the poorest families received some form of
childcare. This compares to 81% of children from the most
affluent backgrounds. The report explores the reasons for the
low take up.