Nearly £2 million is to be spent plugging a gap in free education places for the district’s two-year-olds.

In April it emerged that a major shortfall in places at nurseries and child-minders across Bradford could hamper a national Government drive to give free lessons to more disadvantaged children.

Now Bradford Council’s executive is planning to spend £1.9 million on creating up to 927 new places, across 22 different providers, by September 2014.

The providers will include schools, children’s centres and nurseries across the district and all the childcare will be provided by registered and fully-trained staff. The £1.9m of funding is made up of £1,766,000 from the Department for Education, with the Council providing the remainder.

Councillor Ralph Berry, portfolio holder for children’s services, said: “We know how valuable early education can be in giving young children a head start in life.

“This investment forms part of a long-term but crucial step towards improving educational outcomes for young people across the district, but we need to make sure that we use resources carefully and focus on areas where we know there is a real need.”

The new Government programme will see targeted places for two-year-olds increase in September 2013 and again in September 2014.

Currently, some disadvantaged two-year-olds can get ten to 15 hours of free education, along with the 15 hours of free lessons offered to all children aged three and four.

The education, funded by the local authority, can be provided at state-run or private nurseries, child-minders or daycare.

From September, this offer will be extended to all two-year-olds in care or those from families eligible for free school meals.

And in September 2014, it is likely to be extended again to take in two-year-olds with special educational needs or disabilities, as well as those from low-income working families.

This will leave Bradford with England’s fifth-highest level of eligible children, according to a report by Bradford Council’s Children’s Services.

Parents can find out about childcare provision in their area by contacting the Council’s families information service on (01274) 437503.