Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) is the term used to describe the full range of early childhood education for children under school age in Scotland today. The term early learning and childcare is intended to emphasise that the care and education of very young children are inseparable. Babies, toddlers and young children learn all the time from their experiences.

ELC settings offer education and care to children up to school age. These include settings known as family centres, day nurseries, nursery schools and classes, childminders and playgroups. ELC settings can be operated by local authorities, private businesses, voluntary sector organisations, and in the case of childminders, self-employed individuals.

Funded entitlement

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 replaced the previous entitlement of up to 475 hours per year of funded ‘pre-school education’ for 3-5 year olds, with a more flexible increased offer of funded ELC for all 3-5 year olds and certain eligible 2 year olds. Since August 2021 families of eligible children can now access up to 1140 hours of Scottish Government funded ELC each year.

Quality is at the heart of funded early learning and childcare and Funding Follows the Child and the National Standard are key policies to support the expansion of funded hours. The Scottish Government website provides up to date information about funded early learning and childcare.

Some ELC settings allow parents to also purchase additional hours of ELC for children who have a funded entitlement, or for those who are not yet entitled to funded hours.

Key documents

The Early Years Framework (2008)

The early years framework sets out a vision for early years services in Scotland to ensure that children get ‘the best start in life’.

Realising the Ambition: Being Me (2020)

The national practice guidance for early years education in Scotland. It which covers the period from birth, through early childhood, and into primary education.

Curriculum for Excellence (CfE)

CfE builds on the solid foundations developed in the critical years pre-birth to three. Within CfE, children are entitled to a broad general education from age three until the end of S3. The early level of CfE for most children spans the period of time from age three until the end of Primary 1. It supports a smooth transition in learning between ELC and primary school.

How good is our early learning and childcare? (2016)

How good is our early learning and childcare provides a suite of quality indicators. These support staff to look inwards, to scrutinise their work and evaluate what is working well for babies, toddlers and young children, and what could be better. The framework is designed to be used to support self-evaluation for self-improvement by practitioners at all levels.

Quality improvement framework for the early learning and childcare sectors (2025)

This self-evaluation framework supports quality improvement in ELC settings. It can be used by all ELC services. This includes childminders and school age childcare providers. The Care Inspectorate and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) will use the framework for the inspection of settings from September 2025.

ELC professional learning resources

• The ELC summary of resources page provides a quick and easy way to find Education Scotland resources on a range of topics relevant to ELC.
• The SSSC hosts the National ELC Professional Learning site.