PARENTS in some of the most disadvantaged areas of York could benefit from an increased number of child care places under plans to be considered this week.

City of York Council's executive will be asked on Friday to back proposals from the York Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership to increase the number of affordable places and drive up quality.

Foxwood, Westfield, Bootham, and Clifton have all been identified as wards with pockets of deprivation where the development of affordable child care will be made a priority over the coming year.

The plan also includes a commitment to providing access to child care for lone parents entering employment.

Places will also be created in areas that have little or no provision at present, particularly in the more rural parts of the city.

The council's executive member for education, Coun Janet Looker, said: "This is good news for all parents with young children and is a tribute to the work of the Early Years service and the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) in the city."

The places will be created by the Early Years Service and EYDCP working with a variety of government initiatives such as Shared Foundation for Children, Sure Start and the Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative.

In North Yorkshire, standards of nursery provision are set to be boosted after a team of specialists was taken on by the county council at a cost of £350,000.

The 11-strong team includes seven early education consultants.

Provision is currently made for every four-year-old while every three-year-old child is offered a place for two terms out of three. In the next year the council is expecting to be given enough money by the Government so all three-year-olds can have a place for three terms.

Bernadette Jones, head of education policy and development, said: "These consultants will be able to offer support with the early education curriculum and children with special needs in the public, private and voluntary nurseries, thereby helping to raise standards across the board."

Updated: 08:15 Monday, February 17, 2003