Responses to the National Day Nurseries Association’s (NDNA) annual survey reveal that just 51 per cent of the 221 nurseries that responded are either very likely or likely to offer the extended free hours, which are being rolled out by 2020, and a quarter are very unlikely or unlikely to.
The survey was carried out in January and February, receiving responses from 221 nurseries, 23 per cent of the total number of private and third sector nurseries in Scotland.
The majority had negative feelings about the 1,140 hours mainly driven by fears that funding rates will fall short of delivery costs.
Mandatory additional charges to parents to cover shortfalls, settling session times and exemption from business rates were cited as the most popular measures to enable sustainable delivery of the extended entitlement.
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