Nursery World - A third of Scottish nursery children already using extra funded hours

Thousands of children in Scotland are already using additional childcare hours, just under a year away from full roll out, according to the Scottish Government.

Nicola Sturgeon and Maree Todd visiting Sauchie Nursery in Alloa

New figures based on responses from all 32 local authorities in Scotland, show that one third of three- and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds are already accessing more than the minimum 600 hours to which they are currently entitled.

However, while the figures found that the national position was in line with or ahead of forecast overall, the report also acknowledged there was ‘significant variability’ at local level.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have called for a breakdown of figures at local level (see below).

The figures also found that:

First minister Nicola Sturgeon and children’s minister Maree Todd celebrated the findings with a visit to Sauchie Nursery in Alloa (below) where they met new recruits to the sector and children receiving 1,140 hours of childcare.

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