MORE than a hundred extra employees will be recruited by Inverclyde Council to deliver more early learning and childcare.

Education bosses are also planning to build two new pre-five centres as part of major early years education expansion plans.

The council is gearing up for ‘significant challenges’ to meet the Scottish Government’s commitment to increase entitlement to early learning and childcare from 600 hours a year to 1,140 hours for all three and four-year-olds, and some two-year-olds, by 2020.

The local authority will need approximately 111 extra childcare officers, associated managers and support staff.

Depute leader Jim Clocherty says parents and carers welcome the increase in nursery hours, and the council’s commitment for services to be more flexible and responsive to parental demand.

Mr Clocherty said: “We are very proud of the standards we already set.

“We have put quality at the top of our priority list throughout this process of planning for the expansion of hours.

“Substantial levels of investment in infrastructure will be phased from 2017/18 to ensure the required capacity is in place by 2020.”

Community halls at Park Farm in Port Glasgow, Crawfurdsburn and Grieve Road in Greenock could be converted into pre-five accommodation or demolished to make way for new facilities.

An early years centre on a disused old sports pitch in Dempster Street is also in the frame, pictured, and Wemyss Bay Community Centre could be upgraded as a joint education and community facility.

The current St Ninian’s Primary site in Staffa Street, Gourock is under consideration, too.

It will be cleared when the new school opens.
Mr Clocherty added: “We are definitely facing a challenge, but I am confident it is deliverable by 2020.

“We are well-placed in Inverclyde, thanks to our ongoing multi-million pounds investment in new and refurbished schools, and we are committed to giving our children the best start in life.

“The planning has been painstaking, with the priority being to ensure we continue to provide high quality, flexible and accessible early learning and childcare.”