Doubts over universal childcare as nurseries hit ‘crisis point’

●Call for scheme to be ‘put on hold’ until staffing and funding issues are resolved

Nicola Sturgeon’s flagship policy to introduce a system of effective universal childcare in Scotland has been plunged into doubt with a stark warning that nurseries are at “crisis point” and will not be able to deliver it.

Almost half (46 per cent) of private nurseries say they are unlikely to get involved in the scheme to provide 1,140 hours – equivalent to the primary school week – which has been pledged by ministers in the next two years.

Cash shortfalls and a lack of staff are at the heart of the concerns and there are now calls for the scheme to be “put on hold” until the problems are resolved.

The First Minister has hailed the scheme for three and four-yearolds, as well as some two-year-olds, as “transformative” with hopes it would allow a generation of mothers to return to the workplace.

The Scottish Government recently pledged an extra £150 million a year to fund the scheme after concerns raised by local councils, but nursery leaders fear this will not be enough. Private nurseries already face an annual shortfall of more than £1,000 a child under the current 600 “funded” hours and worry that may never see any extra cash going to local councils.

The concerns are set out in a damning report published by the National Daycare and Nursery Association (NDNA) today.

Chief executive Purnima Tanuku said: “NDNA has uncovered the true predicament that nurseries in Scotland find themselves in and it has reached a crisis point.

“Private nurseries just don’t feel confident that sufficient funding will be passed on to providers by local authorities to make it worthwhile for them to deliver the full 1,140 hours provision. This would drastically reduce childcare choices for parents.

“These figures make grim reading, with the average nursery having to absorb £1,188 for each child during the course of a year. Many are small businesses which just can’t continue with this level of debt.

“As the Scottish Government via local authorities is their biggest customer, it needs to guarantee it can pay a fair rate which would enable all providers to continue as sustainable businesses.”

Private nurseries are expected to be at the heart of the overhaul of

logistical problems are sorted out.”

Scotland’s Auditor General has previously raised concerns over delivery of the flagship scheme over both staffing and funding levels.

Tory education spokeswoman Liz Smith said: “This is another example of the SNP making a grandstanding promise, only for delivery to fall flat on its face.

“Nicola Sturgeon deliberately got the hopes up of working parents right across Scotland. But like so much involving the SNP government, words have not turned into action.”

Labour education spokesman Iain Gray said: “We are seeing huge problems with the implementation of this flagship childcare policy.

“The policy cannot be delivered without the independent nursery sector, and here they are saying it is not going to happen. This is what happens when childcare policy is written to fit on an election leaflet, rather than to fit around the lives of Scottish families.

“There is not enough money, there are not enough staff, and there are not enough nurseries to deliver it.”