WIREDGOV

Parents and carers will benefit from a new childcare offer aimed at bringing down the cost of living, tackling child poverty and boosting family incomes, First Minister John Swinney has said.

As part of the newly-published Programme for Government, the Scottish Government is transforming its childcare offer to ensure greater childcare support is available to families with children from nine months old through to the end of primary school.

Consultation on the new approach will take place next year, with delivery phased in over time. This will begin with a £44 million annual investment in breakfast clubs in primary schools across Scotland from August 2027, followed by the introduction of after-school and holiday childcare for primary school children from August 2029.

The First Minister also announced the first recipients of the new £15 million Childcare Support Fund, which is expected to help those organisations support an estimated 4,800 low-income families with the cost of childcare at times when they most need it.

Speaking ahead of a visit with Education Secretary Màiri McAllan to Fintry Mains Childcare and Community Hub in Dundee, one of the organisations benefiting from the funding, the First Minister said:

"High-quality childcare plays an important role in helping children thrive, easing cost of living pressures and creating opportunities for parents and carers to work, train and study.

"Too many families still face barriers to accessing the childcare they need. By transforming the support available to families from nine months through to the end of primary school we will help more parents and carers into employment, boost household incomes and give children the best possible start in life.

"Alongside our long-term plans to transform childcare, the £15 million Childcare Support Fund announced today will provide practical support to families who need it most.

"This forms part of our wider Programme for Government, which is focused on making tangible improvements to people's lives by creating jobs, raising living standards and growing Scotland's economy to help eradicate child poverty."

Susan McGhee, Chief Executive of Flexible Childcare Services Scotland which runs Fintry Mains Childcare, said:

"Receiving a grant from the Scottish Government's Childcare Support Fund will allow us to support even more families across Scotland. We already deliver flexible childcare to over 1,000 parents a year and, according to our research, those families are more than £2 million better off thanks to our book-by-the-hour model.

“We look forward to working alongside Midlothian Sure Start and Renfrewshire Out of School Network to ensure families can access affordable, flexible all-age childcare within their communities.”

Chloe Sinclair, whose three-year-old daughter Lola attends Fintry Mains Childcare, said:

“I heard good things about Flexible Childcare Services Scotland from other parents. The flexibility has really helped me and my partner as we work shifts and need to know our three-year-old daughter Lola is cared for. Being able to book what we need is ideal for our jobs and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.”

Background

The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government is available to read online.

It is estimated that policies set out in the Scottish Government's Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan, including the Childcare Support Fund, will keep around 100,000 children out of relative poverty this year. The plan is available online.

The second round of the Childcare Support Fund is expected to be released next month (October 2026).

First recipients of the Childcare Support Fund

Grant Value

Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector – Provides intensive, referral-based childcare support across Glasgow, helping priority families overcome childcare barriers so they can enter, sustain or progress in work, study and training. 

£1,000,000

Flexible Childcare Services Scotland SCIO – Delivers flexible childcare across six local authority areas, supporting families in insecure or low-paid work to take up opportunities, increase hours and reduce employment barriers caused by childcare costs. 

£878,367

Early Years Scotland – Acts as a national childcare broker, connecting low-income families to childcare that fills specific gaps in provision, including bridging periods, additional hours and support for children not covered by existing entitlements. 

£1,000,000

The Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments - known as Craighalbert – Provides specialist childcare for children with complex disabilities and additional support needs, enabling parents to work or study at points of transition while children receive tailored care and developmental support. 

£615,326

Scottish Childminding Association – Funds flexible childminding placements with registered childminders, giving families personalised childcare and informal support that enables parents to seek work, remain employed or access training. 

£302,948

The Indigo Childcare Group – Offers free childcare places, including a mobile crèche for parents attending employability programmes, with additional support for families experiencing crisis situations or caring for children with additional needs. 

£412,045

Scottish Out Of School Care Network – Provides short-term financial support for school-age childcare, protecting families from losing childcare during periods of financial hardship and helping parents stay in work, study or training. 

£1,000,000

Family and Community Development West Lothian – Combines flexible after-school and holiday childcare with support to help parents access employment and education.

£421,310

Inspiring Scotland – Provides rapid-response childcare funding through community networks, helping families manage emergencies, attend interviews and sustain income while longer-term childcare arrangements are put in place. 

£300,064

Perceptive Action C.I.C – Offers breakfast, after-school and holiday childcare across the Borders and Midlothian, supporting families through key transition periods while helping them access longer-term childcare and financial support. 

£263,070

The Lennox Partnership – Removes childcare costs as a barrier to employability programmes, enabling parents to participate in structured pathways into work, skills development and learning opportunities. 

£947,250

Third Sector Hebrides – Improves access to childcare across the Western Isles by coordinating support through local childcare providers, helping families access provision that is often difficult to secure in island communities. 

£277,500

St Roch's Childcare Services – Provides flexible childcare alongside one-to-one family support, helping parents access employment, education and wider services while building confidence and family wellbeing. 

£286,405

Care and Learning Alliance – Supports families in rural Highland and Island communities by helping them find and access childcare, while addressing additional challenges such as transport costs, limited provision and rural poverty. 

£498,521

Total

£8,202,806