Davidson calls for review into extending pre-school education funding

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has called for a radical review to be launched into the prospect of extending the funding for part-time pre-school education from 12.5 hours to 15 per week, and to extend the entitlement for it to two-year-olds who are from the poorest families. Both these measures currently apply in England having been introduced by the UK coalition government.

The changes would see the total number of funded hours extend from 475 hours a year to 570 and would help hard working couples of pre-school children receive far more support than they currently do.

Ruth Davidson said:

"The current system for nursery childcare support is nowhere near extensive enough, and it is up to us as politicians to ensure that young, hardworking families receive the support they deserve. In a modern Scotland we must acknowledge that young couples want and need to work and at the same time want to bring up families.

"At the moment too many are having to choose between one or the other and that is why we must be doing more to help them. Increasing the number of hours available to all families would offer them the vital flexibility they need to tailor their work around the needs of their children – giving them an additional 95 hours a year.

"Equally, extending the service from three and four year olds to include two year olds as well will enable parents to get back to work at an earlier stage in their child's life. The extra time in the school day will also aid a child's development, enhancing and furthering their educational experience.

"These provisions are already being made available to parents south of the border, and parents in Scotland won't be content with a second class service. That is why I have ordered a review into childcare in Scotland to see if we can stop Scotland falling further behind."

Last year the UK Government took the decision to extend and expand free early education for three and four year olds from twelve and a half hours per week to fifteen hours per week.

The UK Government have been legislating through the Education Bill for the entitlement to be extended to two year olds from the poorest families, going far further than any previous Government has done. They estimate this new entitlement will reach 140,000 disadvantaged two-year olds.

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