South Ayrshire Council is consulting parents and carers with plans to almost double the amount of free early learning and childcare.

The consultation is being launched by the council to find out the different ways people would like to see the service delivered.

It is in response to a Scottish Government policy to raise early learning and childcare entitlement from 600 hours to 1140 hours a year by 2020 for eligible two year olds and for all three and four year olds.

The increase in early learning and childcare could be delivered during term time, or all year round, with a number of options currently being considered.

The early years consultation takes place between Monday  and June 26, with the results used to plan for the future expansion of early learning and childcare across South Ayrshire.

Councillor William Grant, South Ayrshire Council's portfolio holder for lifelong learning said the views of the public would play an important role in identifying priority areas.

He said: "South Ayrshire Council is committed to providing high quality early learning and childcare, and this new entitlement will make a real difference to parents and carers.

"To help us to plan for this major change we're asking you to share your thoughts about how we can design the new system to best meet the needs of our communities.

"We expect provision and times will vary across centres and local communities, and the more people we hear from will make it easier to plan for demand as we approach the 2020 deadline to introduce this vastly enhanced service."