Parents help reshape future of early years provision in North Ayrshire
Posted on 6 Mar 2024
Early learning and childcare (ELC) provided by North Ayrshire Council is changing from August 2024.
A range of new delivery models and attendance patterns will be available for parents and carers to access their child’s ELC entitlement.
These changes will provide greater access to preferred delivery models and attendance patterns to ensure parents and carers can access their full entitlement to 1140 hours of free early learning and childcare in North Ayrshire.
Parents and carers will continue to have the choice to blend this ELC entitlement with any local authority or partner provider meeting the National Standards.
This refresh of North Ayrshire Council’s ELC provision takes into consideration local uptake data with extensive engagement with parents, carers, and staff in North Ayrshire early learning establishments used to inform the redesign.
Remodelled services will enable the Council to continue to deliver high quality early years education.
Councillor Shaun Macaulay, Cabinet Member for Education and Young People, said: “The introduction of 1140 hours of free early learning and childcare in 2020 has made an enormous difference to the lives of many families.
“While the uptake of 1140 hours has been positive, declining birth rates in North Ayrshire and the rest of Scotland will impact the level of uptake, so we have to look at the best way forward to ensure children continue to get the very best in early years education.
“I would like to thank parents, carers and staff who took the time to participate in the consultation – they have helped provide us with a greater understanding of how the service can be delivered to the benefit of our children.”
Staff in North Ayrshire Council’s ELC establishment will be working with parents, carers and staff to manage changes in ELC models from August 2024. Further information will also be made available on North Ayrshire Council’s website to explain the changes.
The proposed changes will offer three different models of early learning and childcare to parents and carers:
- 8am – 6pm over 48 weeks per year. Children can attend 5 x am or pm each week or 2.5 days per week
- 8am – 6pm over term time (38 weeks). Children can attend one full day and either four morning or four afternoon sessions per week
- 9am – 3pm over term-time (38 weeks). Children attend six hours each day