DOUBTS over Nicola Sturgeon's plans to prioritise flexibility and choice for parents as part of a "childcare revolution" have been raised by her own poverty advisor.

Naomi Eisenstadt, speaking just days after the First Minister unveiled radical proposals to allow parents to cash in expanded free hours at a nursery or childminder of their choice, said that evidence showed that an inflexible, stable, teacher-led environment in early years was the best approach in countering the long-term impacts of poverty.

The expert also said it was a "shame" that a large-scale expansion of free childcare for under-fives was taking place while the issue of out-of-school childcare for older children was being ignored.

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In what she has described as her Government's most important infrastructure investment over the next five years, Ms Sturgeon has revealed ambitious plans to double free childcare to 30 hours a week for three and four-year-olds, as well as vulnerable two-year-olds.

In the major announcement of her closing address at the SNP conference, she revealed that "funding will follow the child" allowing parents to choose a childminder or nursery that "best suits their needs" before asking a council to fund care or purchasing it directly through a "childcare account".

The SNP leader added that "choice and flexibility" were being prioritised under the approach.

However, Ms Eisenstadt, speaking at a cross-party event focusing on poverty organised by Scottish Labour, said while a flexible approach may help parents into work and counter the impact of poverty in the short-term, it involved a "trade-off" that was not necessarily the best approach for the child.

She said: "So, we have a choice, and unfortunately it is a choice, between ameliorating the impact of poverty on poor children or fewer poor children now. Fewer poor children now is decent employment, for decent employment you need childcare that’s accessible and affordable.

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"To ameliorate the impact of poverty you need really high quality childcare that isn’t flexible. The best way children get the best outcomes from early childhood education is five half days. It isn’t two long days, it isn’t five afternoons from four to six. It’s five half days. Our evidence is very clear on that.

"Two long days can be a very good route into employment, particularly for lone parents. But that trade-off is a choice, and it’s a policy choice between ameliorating the impact which you do by having really high-quality early education, or fewer poor children now by having childcare that is affordable and flexible. That’s a tension in terms of what we’re trying to achieve."

Other charity and third sector representatives later complained of a lack of focus on out-of-school childcare, restricting the employment opportunities of parents during holiday periods and meaning those already living in poverty see costs increase when their children are off school.

Ms Eisenstadt said: "I think it's a shame that we're expanding free childcare for under-fives and not doing anything about out-of-school childcare because I think the big problem is out-of-school childcare and, interestingly enough, particularly for lone parents, the spike in employment comes when children enter school."

The poverty advisor, who was hired by Ms Sturgeon last year and reappointed following the SNP's election victory, called on politicians to be bold in moves to tackle "incredible" levels of inequality.

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She added: "What most politicians and political parties are unwilling to accept is that if you reduce that inequality, you have to bring some of the top down. That can be unpopular and difficult and scary, but I do believe that. More equal countries have better public services, are willing to pay more taxes, and they’re willing to pay more taxes because they trust the politicians to spend their money on good public services."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Equality is part of the aspiration and ambition we have for Scotland. We want Scotland to be a fair and just country, in which all can participate, flourish and benefit. No one should be treated unfairly, suffer injustices or be denied opportunities because of their race or ethnicity, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or religion.

"Provision of free childcare will be our most transformative infrastructure project delivering parents and carers with access to a high quality, flexible system integrated with out of school care, that helps them into, or stay in, work, training or further study.

"We are launching a national parent consultation on how to do things differently. It proposes radical new approaches prioritising choice and flexibility and we are proposing that parents can choose a nursery or child-minder that best suits their needs and - as long as the provider meets agreed standards – ask the local authority to fund it.

"As suggested by the Children in Scotland’s Childcare Commission, we will also propose that parents can opt to receive funding in a childcare account and then use it to purchase a suitable place directly. Flexibility is key because this is what parents and carers have asked for.

"As announced by the First Minister, this is a Childcare revolution and quality, choice, flexibility will be the watchwords of a policy to transform the working lives of families and the life chances of our children."