Changes to our crèche services

We are announcing changes to our crèche services which will support the delivery of the Scottish Government’s expansion of early learning and childcare provision.

Working in partnership with Fife Council, the trust will support Education and Children’s Services so that Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre, Duloch Leisure Centre and Carnegie Leisure Centre will offer early learning and childcare places, offering a wider choice to the local community.

The move comes at a time when demand for our crèche services at centres has been in decline and will mean that the crèche at Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre, Glenrothes will close.

Wendy Watson, chief operating officer, said: “Demand for our crèche services has been steadily decreasing over a number of years – despite our efforts to promote the service; it was no longer commercially viable for the trust at a time when budget savings are a priority in order to deliver sustainable services for all our customers.

“However, we are very pleased to be announcing the transfer of our facilities to Fife Council’s Education and Children’s Services directorate as they are ideally suited to be used to deliver early learning and childcare thereby helping deliver the Scottish Government’s target of offering increased, free entitlement of early years childcare by 2020.”

Councillor Fay Sinclair, Convener of the Education and Children’s Services Committee, said: “We have a mounting body of evidence that shows investment in Early Years plays a very important part in closing the gap and stopping the cycle of deprivation. By increasing the number of locations where we offer early learning and childcare places gives parents flexibility and access to high quality care for their children, in their local area, in a way that best suits their family.”

Our current crèche service will close on Friday, 29th June 2018 and further information and timescales on delivery of Fife Council childcare from trust facilities will be announced on our website.