Nursery World - Scotland: Sector criticises omission of data on PVI workforce in childcare expansion report

The Scottish Government has been criticised for its low take-up of the 1,140 hour offer among two-year-olds, and for failing to give workforce data on private and voluntary providers.

More than 7 in 10 children in Scotland are accessing the 1,140- hour early learning and childcare offer

In a progress report on the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) expansion programme, published by the Improvement Service, the data shows that seven out of ten children attending ELC in Scotland are receiving the full 1,140 hours of funded childcare, an increase of seven percentage points - 65 per cent to 72 per cent - or 10,510 children, since February.

However, around 8,000 two-year-olds that are eligible for the offer are not taking it up, a rate described as 'terrible' by the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

Funded providers in the private and voluntary sectors and childminders provide 31 per cent of all funded provision, the report states.

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