Question reference: S5W-17480
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 25 June 2018
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Current status: Answered by Maree Todd on 30 July 2018
Question
To ask the Scottish Government to what extent the funding that it allocates to local authorities for the expansion of childcare takes account of additional delivery costs in rural areas.
Answer
The Scottish Government and COSLA Leaders agreed on a multi-year revenue and capital funding package to deliver the expansion in funded Early Learning and Childcare entitlement to 1140 hours by 2020.
As set out in the funding allocation letter that issued to local authorities on 1 May 2018, this funding reflected local authority estimates of the full costs of delivery within their area as set out in their March 2018 finance templates (less adjustments which were agreed with COSLA Leaders to ensure consistency in the source of population projections and in the application of agreed capital funding principles to proposed new build projects).
Local authority finance templates reflected local variations in service delivery costs, including factors such as rurality, deprivation, and estimated trends in the number of children with additional support needs.
Local authorities have already received additional funding in 2017-18 and 2018-19 to support capacity building required for the expansion to 1140 hours by 2020. The methodology for allocating this funding, the pre-school education Grant Aided Expenditure distribution methodology, has been agreed by local authorities and Scottish Government and includes an adjustment for rurality.