Scotland increases free childcare
The number of hours of free childcare for three- and four-year-olds in Scotland is to rise, the Scottish government has announced.
A clause in the government’s new Children and Young People Bill will increase the free entitlement by more than 100 hours to 600 a year.
Looked-after two-year-olds and those with a kinship care order will also be eligible for the allowance.
The announcement followed a pledge made in March last year by First Minister Alex Salmond to include a legal guarantee of 600 hours of free nursery education in the bill.
At the time, Salmond said Scotland would offer “the best package of free nursery education on offer anywhere in the UK”.
Anand Shukla, chief executive of the Daycare Trust and Family and Parenting Institute, credited the initiative to a campaign run by the Daycare Trust and Children in Scotland in February 2012.
The organisations’ Scottish Childcare Lottery report found some local authorities in Scotland were charging twice as much as others for daycare, and that only a fifth of councils had sufficient childcare places to meet local demand.
Salmond’s pledge followed two Scottish parliament debates prompted by the research.
“We are delighted to see the introduction of this bill, which has the potential to make a great difference,” said Shukla.
“It’s important that this is a real entitlement that it is structured to meet parents’ needs. We need it to be available and flexible.”
Shukla noted that the increase would raise Scotland’s childcare offer above that offered in England and Wales.
“This is slightly more than the 575 hours available in England and Wales,” he said.
“Scotland has now set the benchmark for free early years provision and we would like to see governments in England and Wales follow suit as quickly as possible.”
The Children and Young People Bill, which was published yesterday, also includes measures to provide every child and young person from birth with a named person to safeguard and support their wellbeing.
An extra £10m was also announced for third sector organisations working with children, young people and families.
But Jackie Brock, chief executive of the charity Children in Scotland, said the bill needed to go further.
“There are significant gaps in supporting improvement for all vulnerable pre-school children and children with additional support needs,” said Brock.
“Children in Scotland believe a more effective framework for children’s rights is needed and we will be calling for improvements to the bill in these areas.”
Source: CYPNow
