Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) – parents' views and use: research findings 2025

Footnotes

1 Throughout this report the term “parents” should be understood to refer to carers also.

2 More information on the eligibility criteria for funding is available at: Funded early learning and childcare - mygov.scot

3 Participant demographics can be found in Appendix A.

4 A list of intermediaries can be found in the full methodology in Appendix A.

5 The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation is a tool for identifying geographical areas with relatively high levels of deprivation. For more information, see: Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2020 - gov.scot

6 These figures include 40 parents who later in the survey said under ‘reasons for not using funded ELC’ that their child aged 3-5 had started school. Removing these from these figures increases the proportion using funded ELC to 96% and does not alter the other figures.

7 Generally, children under two are not entitled to funded ELC, although local authorities can exercise their discretion.

8 Early learning and childcare (ELC) - Summary statistics for schools in Scotland 2024 - gov.scot

9 Scottish Study of Early Learning and Childcare: phase 4 report - gov.scot

10 Less than 1% of children aged under two were estimated to be registered for funded ELC in 2024, see Summary statistics for schools in Scotland 2024 - gov.scot

11 The number of hours spent per week may not be comparable with the equivalent 2022 findings due to changes to the questionnaire in 2025 to ask this of every child and then derive an average.

12 Full data can be found in Supplementary Tables B13a-B13d and B16a-B16d

13 Parents could only answer this in relation to one of their children therefore if they have more than one child who was at the time using funded ELC they were asked this for one of their 3-5-year-olds. The question was also applicable for those using funded ELC for eligible 2-year-olds.

14 Factors that were chosen by 10% or less of respondents are not included in Figure 4.1. The full results can be found in Supplementary Tables C11a-c.

15 The option of ‘Other’ is not displayed in Figure 4.2. The statements in Figure 4.2 have also been shortened – please see Supplementary Tables C3a-C4c for the full results.

16 Only 36 respondents with a two-year-old were not using funded ELC. This data is not discussed in the report but can be found in Supplementary Tables C10a-c.

17 Parents who selected ‘Other’ as a reason for not using funded ELC for their three- to five-year-old were excluded from these figures. This included respondents who stated that their child had already started school and has answered these questions despite their child not being eligible for funded ELC and also included those who stated that their child will be shortly starting funded ELC.

18 There is some variation by LA in three-year-old eligibility criteria: some LAs use 'term after 3rd birthday' or 'month after 3rd birthday', while others use 'at 3rd birthday'.

19 Please note the base sizes for this subgroup ranged from 85-111 which is relatively low and should be viewed with caution.

20 Please note the base sizes for this subgroup ranged from 53-74 which is relatively low and should be viewed with caution.

21 It should be noted that these figures are not directly comparable because in 2025 the amounts spent on childcare was collected for each child and then averaged whereas in 2022 respondents were asked to total this across age groups.

22 Funding Follows the Child and the National Standard for Early Learning and Childcare Providers: Operating Guidance - gov.scot

23 The National Standard Operating Guidance states that ‘settings delivering the funded entitlement must ensure that access to the funded hours are free at the point of access to the child and that parents are not required to purchase additional hours beyond the funded ELC entitlement in order to access their child’s funded early learning and childcare entitlement’.

24 This was a new question for 2025. It was intended to focus on wider childcare rather than just funded ELC.

25 In Figure 6.1 options where less than 5% answered are not shown.

26 Response options that less than 10% of respondents chose, have not been included in Figure 7.1. The full results can be found in Supplementary Tables E6a-c.

27 The Care Inspectorate publishes guidance on expected staff-to-child ratios for children’s daycare services: Guidance on adult to child ratios in early learning and childcare settings

28 Answer options of ‘Other (please specify)’ and ‘Don’t know’ are not shown in Figure 8.2. Please see Supplementary Tables G4a-GBb. for the full results.

29 The Care Inspectorate publishes guidance on expected staff-to-child ratios for children’s daycare services: Guidance on adult to child ratios in early learning and childcare settings

30 Bars in Figure 9.1 do not add up to 100% as the chart does not include the non-applicable responses which accounted for 2% for each statement (except 19% for the second to last statement).

31 Although these questions were intended for parents of children aged under three years who are not eligible for funded ELC, some parents who answered these may also have been unsure if their child is eligible or have not heard of funded ELC. This was also the approach taken in 2022.

32 Reasons where less than 5% of parents answered are not shown in Figure 11.2.

33 Throughout the report ‘parents’ is used to refer to both parents and carers.

34 Participant demographics can be found in Appendix A.

35 This is the number of valid responses used for analysis. Where someone completed the survey twice, or dropped out of the survey before completing the section on Additional Support Needs, responses were removed.

36 Eligible providers included all daycare providers of childcare from the most up-to-date Care Inspectorate records (MDSF) excluding crèches and services identified as exclusively out-of-school or after-school clubs.

37 The timing of the 2025 survey was intended to mirror the timing of the 2022 survey to maximise comparability. In the 2017-18 parent research, the survey took place in late August to the end of September. Scottish Government changed the timing in 2022 as it was considered better for the survey to take place towards the end of the academic year when the highest proportion of children are in funded ELC.

38 Some children may travel from accessible rural areas into larger settlements in order to access childcare, but on the whole data from another recent survey (the Scottish Study of Early Learning and Childcare, Phase 5, May-June 2024) show that this is fairly minimal.

39 This is an estimate of the sample size that would be required to achieve the same precision if it was a simple random sample.

40 For non-probability surveys it is not feasible to assess the statistical significance of any differences. Apparent differences between sub-groups have been reported where the difference in percentage points was sufficient in respect of the base sizes of the sub-groups. Base sizes have been referred to throughout and can be seen in the Supplementary Tables as these are particularly important for interpreting apparent differences.

41 All children aged three and four years old are entitled to 1140 hours of funded ELC in Scotland. Some two-year-olds are also eligible for funded ELC in Scotland. To be eligible for funded ELC at two years olds, the child must either be care experienced or have a parent who is or live in a household in receipt of certain state benefits. Children under the age of two are not entitled to receive funded ELC. Due to these differing entitlements to ELC by age, it is important we look at the use of funded ELC and other childcare within these age groups.

42 Supporting documents - Summary statistics for schools in Scotland 2024 - gov.scot

43 Urban Rural Classification 2020 Scottish Government