Holyrood election: Labour pledges extra summer childcare provision to working families after SNP 'failures'
Scottish Labour’s proposed childcare expansion will only be available for working parents
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar will promise to cut summer childcare costs for working families by providing an extra two weeks of fully-funded holiday clubs for primary-aged children.
If he becomes the next first minister, Mr Sarwar has vowed to work with local councils to ensure every primary school aged child, from age five to 11, can access two weeks of funded holiday clubs covering the school day.
The party believes its flagship policy will build on the holiday provision local authorities already run and help families with one of the biggest pressures they face outside term time. Labour has also stressed that the policy would ensure children have more opportunities to learn, play and socialise over the summer.
In Scotland, 16 per cent of households say they find it difficult or very difficult to afford childcare, while 16 per cent say they spend 10 per cent or more of their monthly income on it.
During the school holidays, only 57 per cent of households say all childcare is free or funded.
At SNP conference last month, John Swinney vowed to establish “a brand-new childcare system that fits around families” with a £500 million price-tag.
Mr Swinney’s pledge would provide year-round childcare for every child from nine months to 12 years of age, with a promise that “every single family in Scotland will get help” towards the costs.
The SNP’s plans to allocate funding to support childcare will be based on incomes, while Labour’s initial proposals appear to be targeted at families in work.
Scottish Labour has not yet established how much its policy will cost or when it will be delivered.
It is understood that this policy will form part of Labour’s wider childcare strategy to reduce costs, improve flexibility, support childminders and give parents more choice and control over the childcare that works for their family.
Mr Sarwar, who will set out his policy today, will claim Labour’s offer is the result of years of SNP broken promises on childcare.
In the SNP’s 2021 Holyrood manifesto, the party pledged to “build a wraparound childcare system providing care before and after school all year round where the least well-off families will pay nothing”.
Mr Sarwar said: “Scotland needs change after 20 years of SNP government and parents need a break from John Swinney’s failures draining their hard earned cash.
“For too many working parents, the summer holidays are not a break. They are a source of stress, worry and extra cost.
“The SNP has made promise after promise on childcare, but too many families are still left to patch things together and pay the price.”
He added: “I’m standing to fix the mess, get the basics right, and build a better future for Scotland.
“A Scottish Labour government will provide two weeks of fully funded holiday clubs for primary school aged children, helping parents with costs and making sure children have somewhere safe, supportive and fun to go over the summer.
“This is practical help for working families and part of our plan to build a childcare system that gives parents more choice and works around the reality of family life.”
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