Nurseries will be able to offer kids 1140 hours
Service will depend on social distancing and safety measures
Some children who attend Renfrewshire nurseries will be offered 1140 hours of free childcare should Cov i d - 1 9 s a fe t y measures allow.
Renfrewshire Council has confirmed that while the Scottish Government has removed the legal requirement for local authorities to offer three and four-year-olds 30 hours free childcare per week, it may in some instances be available.
The news comes as the council confirmed to the Express that some of its nurseries and partners in the private sector had the staff and resources needed to provide the additional hours as planned in August.
The Scottish Government had earlier this year removed the August deadline to allow councils to concentrate its efforts on tackling the coronavirus pandemic.
But Renfrewshire Council had already rolled out the additional hours to some centres in areas with high levels of deprivation.
It will, should social distancing and other safety measures allow, continue to provide this level of service next month.
Councillor Jim Paterson, convenor of education and children’s services, said: “We are committed to providing as many hours of early learning and childcare as we can.
“The August 2020 deadline for providing 1140 hours of early learning and childcare to all eligible children was lifted by the Scottish Government in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This applies to all councils across Scotland.
“In Renfrewshire, as a minimum, we will be able to provide the 600 hours across all of our own ELC centres and classes, which is the current legal requirement.
“Further government guidance on ELC is due to be published this month and this will assist our planning for next session.
“Critical childcare for the children of key workers will continue throughout the summer.”
The Express revealed in
March that Renfrewshire Council, like many others, would not have a number of new- build early years centres ready for the August deadline.
It was building new facilities in Houston, Dargavel in Bishopton, Lochfield in Paisley and Kirklandneuk in Renfrew.
Further extensions were planned for St Margaret’s Early L earning and
Childcare class, Kilbarchan Community Nur s e r y and a bespoke centre for Inchinnan Community Nursery at Inchinnan Primary School.
But with the construction industry at a standstill throughout lockdown, work on these projects is seriously delayed.
Councillor Paterson added: “The construction sector has been impacted by lockdown across the
UK and this will delay the delivery of our new build and refurbishment works.
“We are working hard with our contractors to define delivery dates and we will update parents and carers as soon as we have this confirmed.”
The Scottish Government said it would outline details on how early years centres and nurseries should operate at the end of the month.