PARENTS might not be happy with the nursery provision available to them even if they did receive their first choice when applying for placements, a senior Dunfermline councillor has warned.

Helen Law has argued that nursery hours at some West Fife facilities are just not suitable for parents or children.

Fife Council have stated that the majority of children have been allocated a nursery place with almost 95 per cent having been given either their first or second choices.

However, Cllr Law said that some of her constituents had simply accepted places they were not happy with out of fear of being left with nothing.

"I get the impression that if someone has accepted their child's place that Fife Council will put a tick in a box thinking that people are happy," she said.

"But I know that a lot of folks are just accepting places even though they aren't happy in case they are left with nothing.

"Children going to nursery between the hours of 9am-3pm is the most popular option because that's when people work. But in Oakley, the two options are from 8am until around lunchtime and 1-6 pm.

"I would imagine getting a child to nursery for 8 am is difficult, what do you do with their siblings who don't go to school until 9?

"And 6 pm is very late for a three-year-old to still be at nursery – it's almost their bedtime."

Fife Council have stressed that the allocation process is not yet complete, as there will be movement across nurseries as parents accept or refuse a place.

Cllr Law added: "Obviously, the problem here is that there aren't enough spaces so they need to do two sessions in Oakley.

"Realistically, they could have added more using modular accommodation.

"One of the things you have to do is not just look at what's happening just now but what's coming.

"I will not underplay that this is difficult but I do feel the writing was on the wall."

Meanwhile, SNP MSP Annabelle Ewing has urged Fife Council to press 'pause' on the allocation of nursery places and called for the deadline to respond to be extended yet again.

Labour politician Alex Rowley has called for a review of the whole system too.

Ms Ewing said: "I am reiterating my call for the pause button to be pressed so that the implementation of this policy can be reviewed.

“An extension would allow Fife Council to address the significant and genuine parent concerns that exist and ensure that the rollout of the extended hours gets it right for every child.

“There are still parents who have had no substantive clarification of the queries they have raised about the allocation they have been given. Nor have I received a substantive response to my letters sent on behalf of a number of very anxious constituents.”

Jacqueline Price, education manager, said: "Nursery places have been allocated in Fife in line with the council-agreed policy, and in the best way possible given additional challenging circumstances at this time.

"We understand it is difficult for families who did not get their preferred choice and we can provide reassurance that individual concerns will be responded to as quickly as we can, in accordance with our policy and through the Early Years team."

Parents with questions about nursery placements can email earlyyears.manager@fife.gov.uk.