Private nurseries are urging the Scottish government to change the way its free childcare policy is delivered.
All children over three years old qualify for 1,140 hours free care per year. But campaigners say funding is unfairly distributed between private nurseries and council-run facilities.
Several have already closed this year - and there are fears that more could follow as they struggle to compete.
The Scottish government said progress had been made in addressing the issue.
The SNP's government's flagship childcare policy was intrroduced in August 2020.
Funding for the scheme is distributed by local councils, who have been accused of failing to pay fair rates to private nurseries and childminders.
The Scottish Private Nurseries Association said it had left the sector into a "critical and very vulnerable position".
Chief executive Sharon Fairley has instructed lawyers to write to the Scottish government to seek a review of the policy.
