The Scottish Greens have urged the SNP to match their universal free childcare pledge, saying the governing party's current proposals are "lacking in detail". In a letter to First Minister John Swinney, Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay called for a joint effort to deliver the biggest expansion of free childcare in a generation.
The Greens are offering all families in Scotland 1,140 hours of funded childcare from the week after a child turns two, to be delivered as soon as possible after the election. Ms Mackay criticised the SNP's plans, which offer tapered childcare from nine months to the end of primary school based on family income, with the lowest-income households receiving care for free.
"We all agree that Scotland's childcare system is not good enough," Ms Mackay said. "It is expensive, inflexible and forces too many parents to make really difficult choices about when to go back to work." She urged Mr Swinney to match the Greens' ambition and work together to ensure no family falls through the cracks of a means-tested system.
The Greens have also pledged investment in staffing and nursery facilities, aiming to provide 570 hours of fully funded childcare for all families with children aged six months to two years by the end of the parliamentary session. Ms Mackay emphasised that every vote for the Scottish Greens on May 7th is a vote to deliver better childcare.
Responding, SNP candidate Jenny Gilruth highlighted the party's record of providing 1,140 hours of free early learning and childcare, worth around £6,000 per year. She said a re-elected SNP government would extend childcare for every child from nine months to the end of primary school, available 52 weeks per year, with families benefiting by between £1,400 and over £11,000 depending on need.
