The government spends billions on free early years education. The theory is that this is good for children, their parents and society. But does the evidence add up?

The government spends billions on free early years education. The theory goes that this is good for children, their parents and society as a whole. But does the evidence stack up? Despite the policy's lofty intentions, Professor Alison Wolf discovers that the results aren’t at all what anyone expected.

Contributors include:

Steven Barnett - National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University

Christine Farquharson - Institute for Fiscal Studies

Liz Roberts - Nursery World Magazine

Torsten Bell - Resolution Foundation

Lynne Burnham - Mothers at Home Matter

Neil Leitch - Early Years Alliance

Presenter: Professor Alison Wolf

Producer: Beth Sagar Fenton

Editor: Jasper Corbett

With thanks to N Family Club