Current status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the finding of the Family Fund Trust's The Cost of Caring 2025 report that only 6% of parent carers with unpaid caring responsibilities in Scotland are able to work as much as they would like, (a) what action it will take to ensure that affordability of childcare is not a barrier to parent carers of disabled children securing and sustaining paid work, (b) how it intends to ensure that high quality, affordable Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) is available for families of disabled children, including children with complex additional support needs, (c) how it plans to ensure that the ELC workforce are equipped with the skills, support and resources they need to practice with confidence when caring for disabled children, (d) what work has been undertaken to ensure that local authorities are identifying children with complex additional support needs including intensive health needs at an early stage, so that they can plan for ELC provision that meets the needs of those children, and (e) what work is planned to ensure that the expansion of childcare is fully costed and funded so that the needs of disabled children and their families are met.
Under the Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2004, education authorities are responsible for identifying and meeting the additional support needs of children in early learning and childcare (ELC) settings. In line with the National Standard, local authorities and settings are expected to work together to support children with additional support needs to access their funded ELC entitlement. Settings must provide appropriate support, including reasonable adjustments, to ensure that children’s disabilities or additional support needs do not present a barrier to participation.
The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) has recently reviewed the National Occupational Standards for Early Learning and Childcare. This work is informing the redevelopment of qualifications and learning resources to help ensure that the workforce has the knowledge and skills required to support children with diverse and additional support needs.
As we take forward our approach to childcare expansion, we will continue to build on evidence and experience to ensure that the needs of children with additional support needs, and their families, are understood and reflected in future delivery.