Eilidh Munro, SNP candidate for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, has welcomed new plans announced on Saturday to expand funded childcare across Scotland, covering children from nine months old through to the end of primary school.
The proposal, set out by the First Minister, would see a future SNP government introduce a year round childcare system operating 52 weeks a year, replacing the current model which is largely limited to term time provision.
At present, funded childcare is available for all three and four year olds and eligible two year olds, with 1140 hours provided each year following a previous expansion from 600 hours in 2021.
The new approach aims to give parents greater flexibility and support, particularly those balancing work and family life, while also tackling wider economic and social challenges.
Eilidh Munro has made childcare a central part of her campaign ahead of the 2026 Holyrood election, with a focus on improving access in rural and island communities.
Her proposals include support for a single care model allowing staff to work across childcare and social care roles, alongside the creation of an umbrella organisation to ease administrative pressures on childminders.
She has also called for more flexible regulatory support for rural providers and improved provision for children with additional support needs from early years through to schooling.
Speaking after the announcement, Munro said:
“It was genuinely really emotional for me hearing the news about the expansion to funded childcare.
“It’s something I’ve been pushing for consistently in my discussions about our manifesto for this election, and parents and stakeholder groups have been working hard to make the case for this for a long time.
“Research has shown that for every £1 invested in childcare, there is a £3 economic return, and so this is really worthwhile.
“It will help support those who want to go back to work to do so without such an immense financial burden, and will help tackle poverty and the gender pay gap.
“We are already supporting new parents in Scotland through measures like the Baby Boxes and targeted support payments to ensure every child in Scotland gets the best start in life.
“Unfortunately, we are not able to legislate on statutory maternity and paternity leave in Scotland, as these are reserved to the UK Government, but a proper expansion of these is long overdue.
“But in my view, the best thing we can do on this front is to make it as affordable as possible for those who want to become parents, or to expand their families, to be able to do so.
“The SNP’s new system would clearly need to be implemented in close partnership with existing childcare providers, and significant work will be required on staff recruitment, funding mechanisms, and expansion of providers.
“For the Highlands, we need to be able to adapt childcare policies to best suit our communities, with creative problem solving being vital in meeting local needs.
“But I am so pleased that parents and children are being prioritised in the SNP’s election campaign, and if we do form the new Scottish Government come May, I look forward to seeing rapid progress on this pledge’s implementation.”
The announcement places childcare firmly at the centre of the political debate ahead of the election, with parties increasingly recognising its role in supporting families, boosting the economy and addressing inequality.
For rural areas in particular, the challenge will be turning ambition into delivery, ensuring that expanded provision works not just in cities but in communities spread across the Highlands and islands.
A new childcare pledge aims to expand support across Scotland, with plans to offer year round provision from infancy through primary school while tackling affordability, inequality and rural access challenges ahead of the 2026 election.
