Centres providing funded ELC

At the time of the 2025 census there were 2,558 centres providing funded ELC, not including childminders. This is a decrease of 0.7% from 2,575 centres in 2024, and a continued decrease from a high of 2,630 in 2021 (Table 1).

Table 1: Centres providing funded early learning and childcare during census week, 2017 to 2025

The number of centres providing funded ELC during census week, excluding childminders. This data is also available in Table 1 of the additional tables.

Of these 2,558 centres, 1,609 (63%) were local authority centres and 949 (37%) were partnership settings (private or voluntary run settings in partnership with the local authority to provide funded ELC). These proportions have remained broadly similar over time. However, 68% of child registrations were in local authority settings, and this proportion has been decreasing over time from a high of 76% in 2016, with a corresponding increase in the proportion of children receiving their funded ELC in partnership settings.

58 centres (2.3%) were Gaelic medium providers, meaning that they provide at least some (but not necessarily all) of their funded ELC in Gaelic. These were situated across 12 local authorities, although the majority (64%) were located in Na h’Eileanan Siar (19) and Highland (18). Almost all centres (90%) in Na h’Eileanan Siar offered at least some of their funded provision in Gaelic