The Scottish Conservatives will today give their backing to Scotland's "struggling" nursery sector and back calls for all providers to be properly funded.
Deputy Leader Meghan Gallacher will make the call during a visit to a nursery in Coatbridge.
Meghan - who has a pre-school daughter herself - has long campaigned for parity when it comes to the funding providers receive.
She has given her backing to the 2020 Together campaign which was formed by private, voluntary and independent nurseries who believe they have not been treated equally and fairly in the rollout of the SNP's flagship scheme of delivering 1140 hours of free childcare.
Meghan Gallacher says this has forced many providers out of business and pushed others "to the brink" as they are not given the same rates of funding as council-run nurseries.
She added that this "disparity" must be urgently put right ahead of any expansion of free childcare and reaffirmed her party's plans to deliver 30 hours of free childcare per week to every child from nine months onwards.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher MSP said: "Nurseries across Scotland are struggling and that has been the case for far too long.
"As a mother myself, I am acutely aware of the pressures facing families when it comes to childcare costs, and the need for reliable nursery providers in their local area.
"I have repeatedly heard from private, voluntary and independent nursery providers that they are not being treated equally when it comes to the SNP's flagship free childcare scheme.
"Many of these providers have been forced out of business and others have been pushed to the brink.
"This funding disparity must end. We are fully committed to expanding free childcare further and would match the UK Government's commitment to roll out 30 hours of free childcare per week from nine months.
"However, that will not be possible if the SNP don't start engaging with private, voluntary and independent providers and listen to their concerns.
"Scotland's nursery sector should be cherished, but is being neglected by a SNP Government who have repeatedly failed to back up their warm words on childcare."