WIREDGOV

New information campaign urges families to register for funded childcare.

The Scottish Government has committed almost a third of a billion pounds over the next two years to expand annual funded early learning and childcare as adverts encouraging parents and carers to register for funded nursery places started.

The newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Angela Constance confirmed the total investment of £329 million during a visit to Melville Street Nursery, in Edinburgh.

Her visit coincided with a series of advertisements across the country advising families and carers to check if their children are due to become eligible for funded childcare and where they can access more information and register. This follows an initial phase of public information in the summer.

Annual funded entitlement for three and four year olds has been expanded to 600 hours (almost 16 hours a week during term time) and is being extended to disadvantaged two year olds, reaching around 15 per cent this school year and around 27 per cent next year.

The Cabinet Secretary said:

“We want Scotland to be the best place to grow up and this significant investment underlines our commitment to expanding quality early learning and childcare provision as we aim to match the best in Europe.

“Thousands of families across the country are already benefitting from the additional hours of childcare which came into effect in August and we want to ensure everyone who is eligible, including those who can start in the new year, continues to register with their local authority.

“By providing high-quality, flexible childcare that is affordable and accessible for everyone, we can help improve outcomes for children and support parents or carers who want to return to work or study.

“We have expanded funded hours by 45% since 2007 – an increase worth up to £707 per child per year. And we have made clear our wish to go further. The First Minister has outlined our ambition to increase early learning and childcare provision by the end of the next parliament from 16 hours a week to 30 hours a week. Of course, the more powers that are delivered to the Scottish Parliament, the more we will be able to do.”

Notes To Editors

Parents and carers can find further details about eligibility for funded provision by contacting their local authority. Further information, including advice about local provision, is available on the Scottish Families website (www.scottishfamilies.gov.uk).

The public information campaign follows similar advertisements in the summer to ensure parents and carers are aware of the expanded availability of funded early learning and childcare. The two phases of the public information campaign cost around £192,000.