Our engagement work alternative: Developing a framework for early learning and childcare
Education Scotland’s HM Inspectors have been working with the Care Inspectorate to develop a joint framework for the early learning and childcare sectors.
Hearing the views of stakeholders is at the heart of this project and we established a stakeholder group to support this work.
In January 2025, we published the new framework ‘Quality improvement framework for the early learning and childcare sectors’.
Both organisations are continuing to work together and with stakeholders to pilot the use of the new framework and its quality indicators in some settings.
We will work closely with our stakeholders during this pilot phase and listen carefully to your views as we develop approaches to inspection.
These pages are dedicated to the development of the framework, and the involvement of stakeholders in this process. We will also share details of upcoming opportunities where you can find out more about this project and to share your views.
In 2022, Professor Ken Muir’s report, Putting Learners at the Centre: Towards a Future Vision for Scottish Education, was published and set out a vision for the future of Scottish education. One of the recommendations from Professor Muir was for Education Scotland’s inspectorate to work more closely with the Care Inspectorate, developing a unified inspection framework that will ease the burden on early learning and childcare (ELC) practitioners and centres.
In response, Education Scotland’s HM inspectors and the Care Inspectorate worked together to begin planning the joint framework. An external reference group was established to guide and support both organisations throughout the process, ensuring that it met the needs of the sector.
To engage directly with those working in the sector, we held both face-to-face and online discussions. A draft of the new framework was shared with the sector and a consultation period allowed for valuable feedback to be gathered. A team of co-opted professionals was identified to work with Education Scotland’s HM Inspectors and the Care Inspectorate to help shape the final framework.
We also held a series of webinars to communicate the plans with the sector, with over 2,600 attendees joining the sessions. The final quality improvement framework for early learning and childcare sectors is now available for centres to familiarise themselves with the detail. However, the new framework will not be implemented in inspections until September 2025, giving time for the sector to become familiar with the new framework.
A stakeholder group was established to support the work to develop a quality improvement framework for early learning and childcare sectors.
Members of this group helped determine what was needed from the framework both now and in the future, to achieve the best outcomes for the children of Scotland by:
- sharing of ideas, skills and knowledge in respect of the development of the framework;
- giving their insights as sector experts into the development of the shared framework;
- highlighting barriers and identifying solutions to current practice; and
- reviewing drafts of the quality illustrations and provide comments/suggested edits within agreed timescales.
During the lifetime of the group, membership has included representation from the following bodies:
- Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA)
- National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA)
- Scottish Out of School Care Network (SOSCAN)
- Early Years Scotland
- Care and Learning Alliance (CALA)
- Association of Directors of Education Scotland (ADES)
- Children’s Parliament
- Children’s Commissioner
- National Parents Forum for Scotland
- The Promise
- CONNECT
Throughout the development of the quality improvement framework for early learning and childcare sectors, we have engaged with stakeholders to gather their views.
Working with the Care Inspectorate, we undertook an online consultation to gather feedback on a draft version of the framework. We also met face-to-face with stakeholders and arranged webinars to share developments and listen to a range of views.
The feedback from stakeholders helped us shape the new framework. Here are some of the changes we made following our engagement work.
You said:
- Reduce duplication
- Sector specific
- Clarity
- Consistency of language/terminology
- Reduce length of framework
- Challenge questions
- Links to national resources
We did:
- Streamlined the number of QIs from 28 to 11
- Reduced duplication of content
- Sector specific content
- Clarity on who is looking at what
- Interactive but also printable
- Add challenge questions
- Add links to resources
We have started the pilot phase of the new framework and its quality indicators. This will allow us to develop new approaches to inspection using the framework.
We will continue to use our existing frameworks and approaches for inspection while the new approaches are developed, until implementation in September 2025.
In the meantime, early learning and childcare settings can explore the new framework and get familiar with its content and structure. A frequently asked questions (FAQs) document has also been published to accompany the framework.
Throughout this pilot phase we will continue to work closely with our stakeholders and to listen carefully to your views.
We will continue to update this page with information about the pilot phase.
In advance of the new framework being implemented in September 2025, we will continue to provide opportunities for you to hear more about the framework and to ask questions.
Please continue to visit this page for details of upcoming information sessions.
If you have any questions about this project please get in touch with us.
