1140 hours - Early Learning & Childcare Consultation

Overview

Since February 2021, Perth & Kinross Council has been meeting the requirement to deliver 1140 funded hours of Early Learning and Childcare to all eligible children. Perth & Kinross Education and Children’s Services has developed 11 ELC communities with each offering a range of ELC options including local authority, partner provider and childminder settings.  These settings aim to offer high quality learning experiences and flexible hours that suit families’ needs. This Consultation seeks to gain insight around:

• Parent and carer satisfaction with the range of ELC options within their ELC community
• Potential improvements to the accessibility and flexibility of the ELC options available
• The effect of the 1140 hours expansion on families and any positive impact

Why your views matter

In October 2016, the Scottish Government published ‘A Blueprint for 2020: The Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland’ setting out the vision to expand the entitlement of funded early learning and childcare (ELC). These hours increased from 600 hours to 1140 hours per year for all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds from August 2020 with an aim to provide high quality, flexible ELC which is accessible and affordable for all families. The statutory requirement for local authorities to deliver this entitlement was postponed to August 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

With the full implementation now completed, Education and Children’s Services is seeking insight as to whether parents and carers of eligible children agree that the 1140 hours of ELC offered across the authority meets the Scottish Government’s vision laid out within their blueprint and is affordable, flexible, accessible, and high-quality in every ELC community.

The findings of the survey will be used to inform future options offered to families accessing funded Early Learning and Childcare places. It will inform the Childcare Strategy Team's work to support the development of sustainable childcare services across Perth & Kinross.

The findings will also help Education and Childrens Services understand better the benefits of the 1140 hours expansion project for parents, carers and children.

What happens next

The findings of the survey will be used to inform future options offered to families accessing funded Early Learning and Childcare places. It will inform the Childcare Strategy Team's work to support the development of sustainable childcare services across Perth & Kinross.

The findings will also help Education and Childrens Services understand better the benefits of the 1140 hours expansion project for parents, carers and children.