Nursery hours will double for children in Inverclyde under a £6 million expansion plan

Council education chiefs say they are on track to deliver the Scottish Government policy of dramatically increasing free early learning and childcare.

Currently all youngsters aged three and four, as well as two year olds whose parents are on benefits or a low income, are entitled to 600 hours provision a year.

From 2020 this will go up to 1,140 hours annually - worth £4,500 per child.

Inverclyde Council will spend £6m on the roll-out.

Councillor Jim Clocherty, convener of education and communities, said: "This massive investment will make sure that every parent, child and carer in Inverclyde has easy access to high quality, early learning and childcare.

"There is a huge body of evidence which shows that this kind of positive start sets children up for life. "It equips them with a level of confidence and skills that they will carry with them throughout their education. "High quality early learning is also vital for combating the damaging effects of poverty and closing the gap between how well children from poorer families do at school, compared to those from better off families.

"This childcare is worth £4,500 and will help parents and carers to overcome the barriers many of them face in getting back to work, training or studying. "It's anticipated that the expansion plan will also help to create new jobs and support existing ones."

The council has started recruiting private nurseries to help provide the extra hours and has also launched a massive refurbishment programme at its own facilities.

Work is planned or underway to create classrooms, extend existing ones and improve outside spaces at 12 Inverclyde sites.

Refurbishment work will take place at Blairmore Nursery, St Joseph's and St Francis' primaries, Craigmarloch School and Gourock YAC.

New nursery facilities will be built at Larkfield Children's Centre and Rainbow Family Centre, where there will also be outdoor improvements carried out as well as at Blairmore Nursery, Binnie Street Children's Centre, Gibshill Children's Centre and Kilmacolm and Wemyss Bay primaries.

The £6m is being provided by the government.