"A lifeline in the community": Aberdeenshire parents shocked at withdrawal of out-of-school services
One mum from Inverbervie says working would be impossible without breakfast or after-school clubs.
Aberdeenshire families have expressed their shock and disappointment at the withdrawal of out-of-school service provisions in the area.
Councillors voted to end the services which include breakfast clubs and after-school clubs which many have described as a "lifeline" for some families.
One mum from Inverbervie - who wished to remain anonymous - has used the services in the area for 10 years.
She said: "Before, we did use the breakfast club - we both work eight and a half hour days - we're both working parents.
"It's just impossible to do that without the breakfast club or the after school club.
"I was gobsmacked yesterday when I joined the Teams meeting. I thought it was just a consultation - that this was the start of the consultation.
"I was quite angry yesterday I'm not going to lie."
Families left in limbo
There's currently around 350 children in Aberdeenshire that use the out-of-school services which operate for 15 out of 146 schools.
Having relied on the holiday clubs each year, she's now concerned about how the family will navigate work responsibilities during the six weeks off beginning in July.
She continued: "How can we plan for the summer because they're going to remove the service from the 6th of July so, I don't know what's going to be in place from the 7th of July onwards and that is the school holidays!
"I am quite lucky, I think my employer would let me work from home for the majority of the summer holidays.
"I am very fortunate that I would be able to do that between me and my husband - we could do that - but I know there is a lot of families that won't be in that situation - they won't be able to do that."
"Disappointing blow" for parents
Councillor Kevin Stelfox is opposed to the services being pulled - he described it as a "disappointing blow" for many families across the region.
The SNP Councillor for Mearns said: "Closing down the out of school care in Aberdeenshire is a devastating blow for families and staff right across Aberdeenshire. Families actually rely on this service in order to go to work in many cases or do other things.
"It's really leaving families high and dry to put it bluntly. There's no guarantee that private providers or third party providers will actually pick up the gaps in the service that's been left by Aberdeenshire Council."
Cllr Stelfox says he's received the largest amount of emails on just one issue in a number of months, explaining parents are worried about not having an alternative provision in place.
It's understood the local authority will be in contact with families who use the services.
At the moment, there are no immediate alternatives in place.