WORKING families are unable to access free childcare places in their chosen nurseries under a flagship initiative, according to a survey.

Under SNP legislation families are entitled to 600 hours of funded childcare for three and four-year-olds with most eligible parents registering for the scheme.

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However, a survey by the Fair Funding for Our Kids campaign revealed that the vast majority of places offered by councils are not suitable for working families because they don't cover the whole day.

And the problem is exacerbated because councils are not passing on sufficient funds to private nurseries to ensure all parents get the free places they are entitled to.

A spokeswoman for the campaign said: "Despite announcements by the Scottish Government highlighting progress, our own investigations have found there has been very little progress made in ensuring Scottish parents can access their entitlement.

"Although the promise of free childcare is welcome, this policy is failing in one of its primary aims of supporting parents into work or training and providing a

route out of unemployment and poverty.

"For parents who cannot afford the high cost of private childcare the sessions available in council nurseries are often their only available option, but this model of provision simply becomes another barrier to work because few people can find a job that fits around three hours and ten minutes of childcare per day."

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Campaigners have now called on the Scottish Government to work with local authorities to create a more flexible system of national childcare that will work for all parents.

Daniel Johnson, Scottish Labour's education spokesman, said: "This new research shows thousands of families are still missing out on childcare. The SNP government needs to spend less time patting itself on the back and more time listening to parents.

"Childcare in Scotland is becoming more affordable and less available. Despite this the SNP are planning millions of pounds of cuts to the budgets to build nurseries and deliver childcare."

However, a Scottish Government spokeswoman said childcare legislation should allow for the greater flexibility required with councils required to consult with groups of parents on patterns of childcare provision that would best meet their needs.

She added: "The majority of local authorities have had these conversations and have increased flexibility through a wider range of choice and options like half days, full days and alignment with school days. The range of options will continue to increase every year until 1,140 hours per year are introduced in 2020."

The latest survey shows almost three quarters of all free childcare places for 3-5 year olds in Scotland were offered in council run nurseries and nine out of ten of these places were for half days only. In total, 65 per cent of all nursery places in Scotland are half days only.

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The findings also show local authorities are underfunding places in private nurseries by up to £492 per child with 25 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities offering an hourly rate below the national average cost of a nursery place.

The Minister for Childcare and Early Years is meeting with representatives from Fair Funding for our Kids later this month and will be keen to discuss the range of flexible offers we are aware of, in addition to any barriers to uptake.