Early education and care

This report presents findings from qualitative research conducted with a range of children, young people and parents in vulnerable or seldom heard groups, carried out to explore their lived experiences during and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statutory guidance to education authorities to support them in exercising their functions in relation to the delivery of early learning and childcare from 1 August 2021.

The early learning and childcare (ELC) national induction resource has been developed to support individuals in their induction to delivering ELC – whether that is funded ELC or ELC that families purchase themselves - setting out how individuals can expect employers to support them in their new role.

More children receiving 1,140 funded hours.

SQA and Education Scotland to be reformed.

Financial support for school costs and healthy foods.  

A national “summer of play” to provide access to activities.

Supplementary chapter 10 should be used alongside the main Out to Play document to support the delivery of outdoor experiences in Out of School Care settings.

Guidance and advice for childminding settings on how to access outdoor spaces to create safe, nurturing and high quality outdoor learning experiences.

Supplementary guidance (section 11) should be used alongside the main Out to Play document to support the delivery of outdoor experiences for children in early learning and childcare (ELC) with additional support needs.

This review of global evidence aimed to understand the extent to which nature-based early learning and childcare (ELC) influences young children’s physical, cognitive, and social and emotional development

Non-statutory guidance to support the continued safe operation of ELC settings.

Non-statutory guidance to support childminding settings to operate safely.

52,000 applications approved.

This Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) was undertaken to assess the impact of the coronavirus restrictions in January and February 2021 on early learning and childcare (ELC) businesses.

This Equalities Impact Assessment (EQIA) was carried out to assess the impact of the restrictions to the provision of early learning and childcare in January and February 2021.

Payments will support business sustainability.

Phased return for some pupils.

Children's rights and wellbeing impact assessment (CRWIA) on children's rights and wellbeing relating to the entitlement to funded ELC in a deferred year.

Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) relating to the automatic entitlement to funded ELC where a family decide to defer their child's entry to P1.

Equality impact assessment (EQIA) to consider the impacts on families with a protected characteristic where a further year of funded ELC is offered as parents have decided to defer their child's entry to P1 for a year.

Summary of Scottish and UK evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on the wellbeing of children and young people.

Thousands have applied for the new payment for children aged under six

Support for new parents.

New £1 million children’s winter clothing fund.

Local authorities to pilot extra funded childcare from 2021.

Joint Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) plan for funded early learning and childcare places for all children who defer their primary one start.

Report shows positive impact of Best Start Grant payments.

New date for flagship policy announced.

Further support announced for childcare sector.

Summary of Scottish and UK evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on the wellbeing of children and young people.

Summary of Scottish and UK evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on the wellbeing of children and young people.

Summary of Scottish and UK evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on the wellbeing of children and young people.

This is the summary report of the 2019 consultation on the draft framework for Out of School Care in Scotland. It will inform the final Framework and provide evidence for future development of School Age Childcare policy.

This induction resource provides new ELC employees with all the relevant information they need on what to expect in their first few months in post, including the most up-to-date resources and best practice.

This Children's Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) sets out the consideration which has been given to children’s rights and wellbeing for the latest COVID-19 restrictions on social gatherings to enable children and young people to live their lives as normally as possible, to reduce the impact on their health and wider wellbeing.

New fund to help education recovery from COVID-19.

Forecasts suggest around 24,000 additional children will qualify

Transitional Support Fund opens to help protect from COVID-19.

Extra £2m to mitigate the impact of  COVID-19.

Interim guidance on requirements on early learning and childcare settings and local authorities from August 2020. This guidance was updated in March 2021.

A first for social security in Scotland.

Transitional Support Fund announced.

Joint letter from COSLA and Minister for Children and Young People Maree Todd MSP to Directors of Education, early learning and childcare (ELC) local authority leads.

Guidance published for nurseries and other settings.

Guidance for education authorities and teachers published for next academic year.

Funding for Virtual Nature School.

Safe return planned through mix of school and home learning.

Hubs to remain open over the spring break.

Local authorities’ August 2020 deadline to deliver 1140 funded hours will be removed.

Criteria provided to local authorities to determine local need.

Exams will not go ahead, teaching, learning and support can continue with local flexibility.

Education Secretary to make statement to Parliament tomorrow.

Latest STEM Bursary Scheme opens for applications on Monday 16 March.

Tackling poverty through family learning.

Inspiring people of all ages to upskill and tackle the global climate emergency.

Early learning and childcare expansion on track with six months to go.

Guidance and advice for early learning and childcare settings and practitioners on how to access outdoor spaces to create safe, nurturing and inspiring outdoor learning experiences.

Putting wellbeing at the centre of Budget.

Our response to the Scottish Childminding Association’s 2019 ELC Audit.

New online module launched to support staff development.

Applications will be taken in advance for Scottish Child Payment to help with expected high demand.

Framework to enable maternity services to access useful tools, resources and information to implement continuity of carer and local delivery of care, and track progress.

Families can now enrol children for funded places for August.

Parents and new-borns across Scotland benefitting.

This consultation sets out updated Statutory Guidance to education authorities to support them in exercising their functions in relation to the delivery of early learning and childcare from 1 August 2020.

Increase in number of children receiving additional funded hours.

A summary of the Fairer Scotland Duty assessment carried out for the early learning and childcare (ELC) expansion.

Plans for the creation of new benefit outlined.

Thousands of children already benefiting from additional hours.

New online learning resource to be launched.      

This ten year strategy sits within the context of our other policies and strategies to improve the learning outcomes for children and young people with complex additional support needs living in Scotland.

Eligible families to start receiving new benefit next year.

This draft framework for consultation sets out a vision for out of school care, considers the current picture, and asks questions about the benefits and challenges of accessing out of school care.

Details the views of parents/carers of five to 13 year old children regarding out of school care, including term-time and holiday care.

Families getting more support under new system.

This equality impact assessment (EQIA) was undertaken to consider barriers faced by those with protected characteristics to taking up employment in the early learning and childcare (ELC) sector and how we can use the opportunity of the expansion to increase the diversity of the ELC workforce.

Business and regulatory impact assessment (BRIA) which looks at the expansion of early learning and childcare from 660 hours per year to 1140 hours per year for eligible two year olds.

Equality impact assessment (EQIA) to consider the impacts on families with a protected characteristic of increasing the statutory entitlement to 1140 hours of funded ELC and of modifying the current session lengths.

Potential impacts of early learning and childcare expansion policy on the outcomes of children with protected characteristics.

Children's rights and wellbeing impact assessment (CRWIA) on childrens rights and wellbeing relating to the early learning and childcare expansion to 1140 hours by August 2020 for all eligible 2 year olds.

Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) relating to the expansion of early learning and childcare for 1140 hours per year for all 3 and 4 year olds, and eligible 2 year olds by August 2020.

Potential impacts of early learning and childcare expansion policy on the outcomes of children with protected characteristics.

Equality impact assessment (EQIA) to consider the impacts on families with a protected characteristic of increasing the statutory entitlement to 1140 hours of funded ELC and of modifying the current session lengths.

Children’s rights and wellbeing impact assessment (CRWIA) to consider the impacts that increasing the statutory entitlement to 1140 hours of funded ELC and modifying the current session lengths will have on children eligible for ELC in Scotland.

Fund will deliver accessible and affordable childcare to support families on low incomes.

This joint report from the Association of Directors of Education, the National Parent Forum and the Scottish Government outlines the progress that has been made in the fields of parental involvement, parental engagement, family learning and learning at home.

New awards recognise Early Learning and Childcare success.

Report publishes during Breastfeeding Awareness Week.

Full Best Start Grant package now available.

Pregnancy and baby benefit will not jeopardise immigration status.

New initiative will boost quality of childcare.  

Social Security Secretary welcomes interest in new benefit.

Work to do but plans in place to deliver benefits system.

More than 9,700 families receive Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby payment.

£250 benefit starts Monday and will be fourth new social security benefit.

Funding to improve the lives of children and young people.

Guidance to education authorities on their duty to provide education in a mainstream setting unless certain exceptions apply.

New edition of NHS Scotland’s guide to pregnancy, labour and birth.

Roadshow visitors increase 31% in the last year.

Major new Scottish Government scheme delivers healthy food, outdoor play & living wage in childcare.

National Records of Scotland reveals most popular names for 2018. 

National and Official (Experimental - Data under development) Statistics Publications for Scotland.

Progress made so far on supporting allied health professions children and young people (AHP CYP) community and direction for 2018-2020.

New fund for pilot projects.

New engagement plan to improve links between home and school.

Sets out a vision for parental involvement and engagement from pre-birth to age 18 and takes account of national and international evidence base and Scottish education system expertise. Provides a national vision but allows for local and community innovation and flexibility.

Box will be placed into childhood exhibition.

A year since the first delivery.

Figures showing parents’ and carers’ current use, future potential use, views and experiences of early learning and childcare.

Information on parents’ and carers’ current use, future potential use, views and experiences of early learning and childcare.

Incidents to be recorded.

Parents set to benefit from new trial.

New campaign focusing on career changers.

Funding package agreed in partnership with COSLA.

This consultation asks questions on whether the draft Best Start Grant regulations will help to improve children’s wellbeing and life chances.

More than 30,000 Baby Boxes now received.

More than £860k to increase outdoor learning in the early years.

Increases to fuel roll-out of funded childcare.

First baby boxes of the new year delivered.

DFM launches festive puzzles.

100% of parents satisfied with Baby Box and contents.

Investing in the NHS, protecting low earners, backing Scotland’s economy.

First Minister to appoint Maree Todd.

High quality childcare improves children’s development.

Family Nurse Partnership to be extended.

Huge expansion of free early learning and childcare.

Childsmile programme expands.

All Scottish schools encouraged to take part.

High number of parents already registered to receive a Baby Box.

Formal opening for visitor centre.

Trial Aberdeen childcare scheme underway.

New guide to improve childcare settings.

Outline of actions regarding the expansion of early learning and childcare.

Minister confirms quality and choice at heart of new funding model for ELC expansion.

FM announces fund to improve access to free ELC entitlement.

8,000 childcare staff to earn the living wage.

The Plan meets the evolving needs of Children and Young People in providing an equitable and sustainable model that reflects the early years agenda and the integration of health and social care services

An independent review of the skills and qualifications essential for the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) and Out of School Care (OSC) workforces in Scotland.