EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Greens say they want to close a loophole that denies three year olds free childcare hours.
Calls have been made to reform the free childcare system.(Image: Getty)
Hundreds of parents would access free childcare under calls to close a loophole in the upcoming Scottish Budget. All three and four year olds are entitled to 1,140 hours a year of childcare after a decision by the SNP Government.
But a quirk of the system means the free hours do not kick in for three year olds until the term actually begins. A three year old born in March has to wait until August to unlock their free hours, a 22 week wait that can cost families thousands of pounds.
SNP Finance Secretary Shona Robison will unveil her draft Budget on January 13th and the Greens are pushing for an end to the anomaly. Party co-leader Gillian Mackay said: “Right now, simply because of where and when children are born, families are being caught by this hidden childcare cost.
“With more and more Councils only offering funded hours from the term after a child turns three, parents are shelling out thousands of pounds to plug the gap. The 1140 funded hours that parents were promised for 3 and 4 year olds need to be truly free at three for every child in Scotland.
“The Scottish Government could fix this overnight. That’s why we’re demanding that next year’s Scottish Budget properly funds Councils to provide funded hours from the Monday after a child turns three.
“This is a simple fix that will save young families money, support local services, and start to offer a better deal for parents across the country.”
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The mum of one added: “As my wee one grows up and I return to work in Parliament, the reality of life as a working mum is becoming even clearer. For too many families, Scotland’s childcare offer just isn’t working for them.
“It’s too inflexible, too expensive, and your options are too often down to a postcode lottery. We need more funded hours, serious investment in our early years workforce, and a commitment to flexible provision that means the needs of all children – from babies through to pre-schoolers.
The Greens’ top priority for the pre-election Budget is an extension of free buses to everyone under thirty.
Free bus travel for under 22s was agreed between the Greens and the SNP when they briefly shared power. They want the policy rolled out at a cost of £105m.
With First Minister John Swinney leading a minority Government, he needs the backing of another party for his Budget to pass, either through explicit support or an abstention.
The pro-independence Greens are seen as the SNP’s most likely budget partner, although the Lib Dems have also done deals in the past.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Scotland remains the only part of the UK to offer 1,140 hours a year of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) to all three- and four-year-olds regardless of their parents’ working status, and for those most in need eligibility begins from the age of two, which is around a quarter of children. If families paid for this offer themselves it would cost them around £6,000 per eligible child per year.
“Responsibility for delivering the 1,140 hours of funded ELC sits with councils, who have a statutory duty and the flexibility to ensure that local provision meets families’ needs. Decisions on the Scottish Budget will be laid out on 13 January.”