HUNDREDS of new childcare places are to be created across the North-east after the New Opportunities Fund announced its largest grant ever for out-of-school-hours childcare.

Grampian Out of School Care network has been awarded more than £200,000 for an Aberdeen-wide programme to greatly extend childcare provision in the city.

The grant is to be used to create 244 new before-school, 185 after-school and 185 holiday places by establishing five new childcare projects and extending three existing ones.

The places will cater for children aged 3-14. Schemes will operate throughout Aberdeen and 20 individual schools will benefit.

Irene Campbell, Aberdeen City Council's out-of-school-care development officer, said: "Grampian Out of School Network is absolutely delighted to have been awarded £225,951 from the New Opportunities Fund. This will create 614 childcare places in Aberdeen, really meeting the needs of parents in the area."

The grant will contribute to the costs of employing 12 full-time and 32 part-time staff, as well as the capital cost of refurbishment and equipment for all the partners.

Local initiatives which will benefit from the funding are the Gilcomstoun out-of-school project, the MASC and St Joseph's out-of-school clubs, First Class, School's Out, the Upper Westfield project, the Smithfield project and Hazlewood out-of-school club.

Childcare in Aberdeenshire also received a boost with a grant of £29,514 to Aberdeenshire Childcare Partnership. This will help to create 50 after-school, 38 before-school and 50 holiday places for children aged 4-16 at four sites across Aberdeenshire. A number of schools will be served and the award will help employ three full-time and 10 part-time staff.

Aberdeenshire Council childcare development officer, Caroline Hay-Crawford, said: "Securing New Opportunities funding is excellent news and will enable 50 new, much-needed, out-of-school-care places to be created in Aberdeenshire."

The fund, which distributes National Lottery good-cause money to health, education and environment projects, made the announcement as part of the Reaching Communities campaign, designed to improve uptake of its resources in the area.

Board member for Scotland, David Campbell, said: "The aim of this programme is to allow children and young people to access high-quality childcare before and after school."

Used courtesy of the This is North Scotland