Plans to ease the financial strain on parents by offering them more free childcare have been hailed as “transformational.”

Hundreds of families across Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire are set to benefit from the Scottish Government’s decision to nearly double the amount of free childcare entitlement to 1,140 hours from August 2020.

Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, said the move is expected to save parents around £350 per child, per month.

He also welcomed the Scottish Government’s pledge to provide baby boxes to all expectant mums, as well as providing 100 per cent business rates relief for all nursery premises.

Mr Arthur said: “This expansion of childcare and early learning will help transform young people’s lives in Renfrewshire South.

“We know some parents continue to struggle with childcare costs to allow them to work – and this expansion will change that.

“Delivering 30 hours a week of free childcare for every three and four-year-old in Scotland, as well as eligible two-year-olds, will give children across Renfrewshire South the very best start in life and play a vital role in our efforts to make Scotland the best place in the world to grow up.

“The fact this announcement comes hot on the heels of the recently-launched Scottish baby box and the decision to remove nursery premises from business rates altogether proves the SNP’s commitment to our young people in Renfrewshire South.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has pledged that spending on childcare across Scotland will double to £840 million a year by 2021-22.

She said: “Our expansion of nursery education is truly transformational.

“Currently, we deliver around 16 hours of early education and childcare a week but some parents still struggle to find and fund the childcare they need to allow them to work. We are going to change that.

“By 2020, we will deliver 30 hours a week for every three and four-year-old and eligible two-year-olds. It will give children the best start in life. It will free parents to find work.

The baby box scheme, which was launched in August, aims to provide all newborns with the essentials needed to help them get the best start in life.

Inspired by Finnish baby boxes, the Scottish version includes around 40 items.

The roll-out in Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire followed pilot projects in Orkney and Clackmannanshire which started in January.