Some nurseries say they have cut back on learning resources and the quality of the children's food.
Read more
Early education
Sean Coughlan
Family and Education correspondent
Early years centres have a positive impact on health, a think tank says, but they face cuts and closure.
Read moreThis video has been removed for rights reasons.
Katherine Sellgren
BBC News education reporter
Improving staff qualifications and training is key to raising the quality of early years education, a study suggests.
Read morePetition hopes to save Gateshead pre-school and day care centre
More than 600 people have signed a petition to save a pre-school and day care centre for elderly people in Gateshead
It comes after the Methodist Church announced they were to give 12 weeks notice to staff at the Hardman Centre in Low Fell.
About 60 children attend the pre-school every day and more than 100 elderly people use the drop-in centre each week.
The Methodist Church says the decision to close comes with "great sadness" and is due to rising costs.
It is "unacceptable" that pupils were not toilet-trained and lacked basic skills, a councillor says.
Read moreNursery school children 'pimp' zimmer frames for older people in County Antrim.
Ali Gordon
BBC News NI
Glendhu Nursery School's principal has said she does not want pupils 'to think that behaviour is good'.
Read more
Parents who hold back children with September to December birthdays want equal access to extra nursery provision.
Read moreThe toys have been replaced toys with cardboard, tins and train tickets in an attempt to encourage play.