ELC expansion update
When will the expansion to 1140 hours (or 30 hours a week) take place?
The ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic means that unfortunately the Scottish and local authorities can no longer guarantee that the expanded funded ELC hours will be available everywhere from August 2020. At the moment, local authorities and other providers are busy meeting the critical childcare needs of keyworkers, and all other provision has closed for public safety reasons. Lots of important planned work to prepare for August (like recruitment and building projects) cannot go ahead at the moment.
The full expansion to 1140 hours will still take place, but at a later date.
The good news is that a lot of local authorities already have capacity to deliver some expanded places, both in their own nurseries and family centres and through contracts with local private and third sector nurseries, playgroups and childminders. That’s likely to still be the case when the public health advice changes and ELC settings are able to reopen for everyone.
If your child should be attending ELC in August 2020, you’ll be wondering what this means for you. Local authorities are working hard to assess what places will be available and to update parents as soon as possible. The decisions they make will be informed by the national public health advice on how we best respond to COVID-19.
Related articles
Other articles about childcare:
- The square peg and round hole story of Early Learning and Childcare
- Food, Families, Futures
- An introduction to CHANGE: Childcare and Nurture Glasgow East
- Childcare for two-year-olds
- Childcare blog
- A registered childminder makes the ideal option for free childcare hours
- Help to pay for childcare costs is changing
- Childcare and employers