Meeting of the Parliament 03 June 2015
I welcome this timely debate, which comes only 10 months after the commencement of the Government’s huge commitment to 600 hours of early learning and childcare, which represents a 45 per cent increase in the number of free hours of early learning and childcare since we came to government in 2007.
The Scottish Government is committed to developing a high-quality, flexible system of early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible for all but which will, in the first instance, focus on those who are most in need. We know that high-quality early learning and childcare benefits children, especially those who are most in need, and can contribute to narrowing attainment and inequality gaps. We also know that a lack of accessible and affordable childcare is a major concern for families and a barrier to work for many parents. Our aims are to improve the outcomes for all children, especially those who are most disadvantaged, and to support parents to work, train or study, especially if they need those routes into sustainable employment and out of poverty.
The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 ensured that all three and four-year-olds are now legally entitled to 600 hours a year of funded early learning and childcare. The 2014 act also extended that entitlement to our vulnerable and disadvantaged two-year-olds. The act created, for the first time, a statutory duty on local authorities to introduce flexibility and choice based on local consultation.