New Childcare Plans Outlined

Parents in Fife will get the choice of three new packages for extended free childcare.

The Scottish Government's increasing paid nursery hours to 600 a year, effective from next August.

New Family Nurture Centres in Lochgelly, Inverkeithing and Cupar could also be built.

Executive Committee councillors will be asked next week to approve the following early learning and childcare options:

• The current option of five half-day sessions per week, offered throughout Fife
• Four four-hour sessions per week, with a varying number of spaces offered by at least 23 nurseries across Fife
• Two full-day sessions per week, with a varying number of spaces offered by at least 23 nurseries across Fife
• Extended hours early learning and childcare in Fife’s Family Nurture Centres

If the recommendation is agreed, these options will be offered from August 2015. Over the coming years, the number of nurseries adopting these more flexible childcare patterns is expected to grow.

Area Education Officer, Carrie Lindsay, said: “Our aim is not just to provide the required 600 hours per child per year, but to offer families a more flexible way of accessing quality early learning and childcare in Fife, giving children the best start in life and helping families adapt to the increased hours more easily.

“We hope that by giving parents and carers more flexible access to early learning and childcare we can ensure all families in all areas of Fife are supported.”

The report also recommends increasing the number of Family Nurture Centres in Fife to seven, proposing new centres in Lochgelly, Inverkeithing and Cupar.

The Family Nurture model attempts to provide parenting support to meet the needs of parents in a local area. Family Nurture Centres offer additional support to vulnerable children and families from a range of local services, including social work, healthcare and education.