Families are boosted by rise in nursery hours
Families in Barrhead and Neilston have benefitted from an increase in free childcare, council bosses claim.
Since August, children meeting set criteria have been able to access more than double the amount of time at an East Renfrewshire Council nursery than was previously available.
Local authorities currently provide 600 free hours a year for all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-yearolds.
As part of changes being introduced by the Scottish Government, this will increase to 1,140 hours by August 2020, which is a rise to 30 hours per week, matching the amount of time children spend each week in primary school.
The council’s phased approach to increasing provision has the aim of meeting the new target prior to the 2020 deadline, as well as instantly providing some children and families with increased free early learning and childcare.
Councillor Paul O’Kane, convener for Education and Equalities, said: “The council’s expansion plan was thought out carefully to ensure that we were able to implement a model which still delivered the quality early years experience we expect for our young people.
“By implementing the expansion in this phased approach it is clearly already delivering for many families across the area.
“It has also allowed us to test new staffing models and introduce lunches to reflect the fact that many children are now able to access full day nursery provision through their increased entitlement.”
The first phase of the council’s rollout was to make increased hours available at four facilities, including Arthurlie Family Centre in Barrhead.
As the council moves to the next stage of the expansion plan, it is planned to introduce partnerships with childminders from August, offering parents the opportunity to access their free entitlement through a more blended approach.
The council is also in partnership with 13 early learning and childcare providers, and work is ongoing to increase the number of funded partners available, which includes childminders and private and voluntary nurseries.
The final phase of the plan, which will play a significant part in supporting the council in delivering the increased provision, will be the creation of five new nurseries by August 2020.
Other existing nurseries will also be developed as part of the expansion plan, with a further £3.3m being invested to create a new 60 place nursery class extension at Cross Arthurlie Primary, Barrhead.
For more detail about the council’s rollout of increased free childcare provision, go to the council’s website at www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk