Decisions influencing early learning and childcare use: understanding social policies and social contexts

Appendix B: Interview topic guide

[ASK ALL] Introduction

1. You said in your questionnaire that you have [NUMBER] children. Please can you begin by telling me their ages please:

• Ensure this includes at least one child age 3 or 4, or an eligible 2 year old (or nearly eligible, e.g. aged 1.5 if an eligible 2 or aged 2.5 for all others).
• Establish if there are other children in the family, and whether they are older or younger.

2. Who else is in the household with you and the children?

3. What does a typical day during the week look like for your family? (i.e. how do you all spend your week days?)

• Note whether there are school drop-offs and how these are made;
• Note whether any childcare is used for pre-school children (formal - check setting, or informal - check who provides this);
• Note whether any before- or after-school care/clubs is used for school aged children;
• Note whether parents/carers are in work/training/education;
• Note whether they do any unpaid work, e.g. volunteering, caring for others, etc.;
• Check if there are any key variations (e.g. part-time work/education, etc.) and what typically happens on those days.

4a. [IF NECESSARY] You said you use a nursery, is this a school/local authority run nursey or not?

4b. [IF NECESSARY] You said you use a private nursery/childminder. Is this a free/funded place or do you have to pay for this?

If respondent does use funded ELC provision, use Section A for the interview.

If respondent does not use funded ELC provision, use Section B for the interview.

If child is not yet eligible for funded ELC/respondent is still deciding, use Section C for the interview.

Section A: Ask those who use funded ELC

Awareness

5. How did you first hear about the free ELC provision?

Probe for:

• Sources of information (e.g. friends & family, health visitor, GP, social worker, mother and baby/toddler groups, schools, etc.)
• Format of information (e.g. online, newspaper, TV., with other information about child, hard copy leaflet or info, etc.)
• Do you remember seeing any information about the free ELC provision with the Best Start Grant or other information about supporting families?
• [FOR THOSE WITH A CHILD IN THEIR SECOND YEAR OF ELC] How did you hear about the extension of the free hours, from 600 to 1140 hours?

6. Based on your understanding of the free ELC provision, how does this work locally?

Probe for, and determine if this is based on perception or experience:

• Eligibility
• Use of the hours - all or nothing, able to use a portion of the time, term time only or spread over full year
• Flexibility - able split the time between more than one provider, able to vary use (start/end times, days of the week, etc)
• Check for any misunderstandings re impact on social security benefits

7. What, if anything, could be done better to improve information about the funded ELC provision? (e.g. timing of info, source, format, other)

Use of ELC and Fit with Needs

8. What are your main reasons for using the ELC provision? [ASK WITHOUT PROMPTING INITIALLY] (e.g. to allow you to work, for the child’s development, etc.)

9. How did you decide what type of childcare to use, who the provider would be, and how many days/hours you wanted/needed?

• What were the most important considerations for you?
• Did you make the decision alone and/or did anyone help you make the decision?
• Were your choices restricted in any way?
• Were you happy with the decision you made at the time? Did your decision change at any time before or after your child/children took up a place?

10. Do you currently use the full 1140 hours or not?

If yes:

• Is this enough for your needs, or do you need to top-up with either help from family/friends or pay for extra hours?
• If you need additional hours, what impact did this have on your decisions around what provider(s) and hours to use, and any other wider impacts?
• Did you have to change or reduce your work/education/training hours to fit in?

If no:

• How many hours do you use? (Probe whether these are whole days over fewer sessions or shorter days spread over the full week)
• Why do you not use the full 1140 hours?
• Are your current hours enough for your needs, or do you need to top-up with either help from family/friends or pay for extra hours?
• If you need additional hours, what impact did this have on your decisions around what provider(s) and hours to use, and any other wider impacts?
• Would you consider increasing your use of the ELC hours in the future? What would need to change for you to want to use more hours/the full 1140 hours?

11. How well do you feel the ELC you use fits with the family’s needs, and are there any issues with this? How much of an impact did this have on your decision to use/how you chose to use the ELC provision?

Probe for:

• Other family members routines, journeys, etc. (e.g. school, before/after-school care, clubs, appointments, etc.)
• Parents/carers work, training or education needs
• Social time (e.g. social activities, visits with family/friends, other mother and toddler groups, other social activities/events)
• Impact of holidays/what you do out of school term time?
• Any other needs/routines

12. Do you have family/friends nearby who could have helped/do help with childcare?

If yes:

• What things did you consider when deciding between this informal help from family/friends and using the ELC provision?
• Were you influenced in any way by friends or family when making your childcare decisions? If yes, in what way?

Work, Training or Employment

13. You said in the questionnaires that you [are/are not] in work, training or education:

Ask if in work/training/education:

• What issues did you consider when deciding to go into/back to work/training/education after having your child/ren? What was the main driver/motivating factor to look for work/training/education or to increase your hours?
  • Probe for: financial reasons, good support available to get work/training/ education, wellbeing reasons, self-esteem, normal habits, extended ELC hours, felt they should/it was expected, etc.
• Have you been able to find appropriate work/training/education that fits with your childcare arrangements and family circumstances? How easy was it to find work/training/education?
  • Probe: Have you contacted job centres? Did the job centre/ employability support service tell you about the free ELC hours? Was the job centre aware of the ELC provision and help you find something to suit those hours?
  • Probe: How well does the ELC provision and employment/training/ education work together, both in terms of policy/messaging and in reality?
• Did the provision of the 1140 funded ELC hours have any impact on your decisions about or patterns of work/training/education patterns?
  • If yes, what was this? (e.g. entered/re-entered work/training/ education, increased hours, changed hours to fit childcare, etc.)
  • If not, why not? (e.g. already full-time employed, didn’t want to increase hours, have other commitments, etc.)
• Did your work/training/education impact on your decision to use ELC? Please explain.
• How easy or difficult was it to match the 1140 ELC hours to your working/ training/educational hours? Did you find it suitable to meet your needs?
  • If yes/easy, in what way, please explain? Why was this important?
  • If no/difficult, what was the problem and how could this be improved?

Ask if not in work/training/education:

• What are the reasons for you not working, training or being in education?
  • Probe for: not able to work, other commitments/responsibilities, lack of suitable/affordable childcare, family circumstances/norms, expected impacts to income/benefits or not financially beneficial, no financial need, etc.
• Have you been looking for work/training/education that fits with your childcare arrangements and family circumstances? How easy/difficult has this been?
  • Probe: Have you contacted job centres? Did the job centre/ employability support service tell you about the free ELC hours? Was the job centre aware of the ELC provision and help you find something to suit those hours?
  • Probe: How well does the ELC provision and employment/training/ education work together, both in terms of policy/messaging and in reality?
• Has the provision of the funded ELC hours had any impact on what you think about working/training/education?
• Do you feel that by using the ELC provision there is an expectation on you to work, be in training or education?

14. Do you feel that the ELC is flexible enough to support changes in working patterns, or to move between education, training and work?

• If yes, please explain?
• If no, in what way would it not support this and how could it be changed to better accommodate such changes?
• Was this a factor in your decision to use it?

Unpaid Activities

15. Has the provision of the funded 1140 ELC hours allowed you to consider, start doing, or increased any unpaid work, or other things, like volunteering, caring for others, joining community groups, etc.?

• If yes, what has this supported, and in what way did this help?
• If no, please explain why not?

16. What other activities do you feel the ELC provision has enabled you to do?

• Probe for: respite/time to yourself; time to spend with other children; time to catch up on housework, shopping, personal business; maintain social contact with others; anything else?

Other Considerations for Using ELC

17. Are there any other factors that impacted your decision to use the ELC provision or not, or why you chose the type of provider, number or pattern of hours used?

Probe for:

• Appropriate for the child (e.g. due to age, needs, familiarity, etc.)
• Accessibility (especially rural/remote communities)
• The influence of family or friends
• Family norms (e.g. that’s what the older children did, that’s how our family has done it through the generations, etc.)
• Quality of one setting vs another
• Consideration of alternative options

Benefits and/or issues with using ELC

18. What would you say are the positive impacts orbenefits of ELC? [ASK UNPROMPTED INITIALLY]

Probe for:

• Benefits for the child? (e.g. socialisation, education, nutrition, nurtured, safe, opportunities to try activities, etc.)
• Benefits for them/the parents/carers? (e.g. financial as it allows them to work and/or reduce childcare costs? Time out for themselves/to do other things? Access to advice and support re their child’s development? Access to greater levels of peer support as a result of using ELC? Parents/carers making friends themselves? (Are there any corresponding links to mental health?)
• Benefits for other family members (e.g. siblings, older family members or those requiring care, etc.)

19. Do you think there are any negative impacts, drawbacks or issues with ELC? [ASK UNPROMPTED INITIALLY]

Probe for:

• Drawbacks/issues/challenges for the child?
• Drawbacks/issues/challenges for the parents/carers?
• Drawbacks/issues/challenges for other family members - e.g. siblings, grandparents, other family members, etc.?

20. Are there any other challenges or barriers which make it difficult to use the ELC provision that we’ve not already talked about? If appropriate, probe for:

• Any local issues due to the LA model adopted?
• Any difficulty in finding accessible/suitable provision for children with disabilities or additional support needs?
• Any difficulties in finding culturally appropriate/sensitive provision?
• Any COVID-19 related issues? (e.g. to protect those who needed to shield, concerns re child’s exposure to infection, etc.)

21. And what changes could be made to overcome these challenges or barriers?

22. How strongly did these benefits, drawbacks or barriers feature in your decision to use the ELC provision or not, or why you chose the type of provider, number or pattern of hours used?

23. Do you think you would have used the funded ELC if it was available for younger children (e.g. 1 and 2 year olds)?

• Why / Why not?
• What would the barriers be, if any?
• To what extent do you feel the setting would be appropriate/inappropriate for this age group?
• Would the benefits and drawbacks be any different for this younger age group?

Any Other Comments

24. Is there anything else about ELC provision or the decisions that you made in relation to ELC that you would like to add, that I have not given you a chance to say?

Thank and close.

Section B: Ask those who do not use funded ELC

Awareness

5. You said in the questionnaire that you [had/had not] heard of the free/funded 1140 hours of ELC provision:

Ask if they had heard of it:

• How did you first hear about the free 1140 hours of ELC provision?

Probe for:

• Sources of information (e.g. friends & family, health visitor, GP, social worker, mother and baby/toddler groups, schools, etc.)
• Format of information (e.g. online, newspaper, TV., with other information about child, hard copy leaflet or info, etc.)
• Do you remember seeing any information about the funded ELC provision with the Best Start Grant or other information about supporting families?
• What, if anything, could be done better to improve information about the funded ELC provision? (e.g. timing of info, source, format, other)

Ask if they had not heard of it:

• What would be the best way to make parents aware of it?

Probe for:

• Preferred/trusted sources?
• Preferred/accessible formats?
• Timing of information?

6. Do you know how the free ELC provision works locally?

Probe for, and determine if this is based on perception or experience:

• Eligibility
• Use of the hours - all or nothing, able to use a portion of the time, term time only or spread over full year
• Flexibility - able split the time between more than one provider, able to vary use (start/end times, days of the week, etc)
• Check for any misunderstandings re hours available or impact on social security benefits

Use of ELC and Fit with Needs

7. While you don’t use any of the funded ELC provision, do you use any other types of childcare?

If yes:

• Please outline what childcare you use?

If no:

• Do you have family/friends that help out when you do need childcare?
• What things did you consider when deciding between informal help from family/friends and using other more formal settings?

8. Why did you choose this over the ELC provision?

• How did you choose which type and providers to use (or not use), and the pattern of days/hours you wanted/needed? What factors were important?
• How well does this meet your needs?
• Were your choices (of provider or hours) restricted in any way?
• Did you make the decision alone and/or did anyone help you make the decision?
• Were you happy with the decision you made at the time? Did your decision change at any time before or after your child/children took up a place?

9. What are your main reasons for not using the free ELC provision? [ASK UNPROMPTED INITIALLY]

Probe for:

• Convenience
• Flexibility
• Family needs/routines
• Appropriate for the child (e.g. due to age, needs, familiarity, etc.)
• Influence of family or friends
• Family norms (e.g. that’s what the older children did, that’s how it was for me, etc.)
• Considerations of one setting vs another (both formal and informal settings)
• Any other factors/considerations (e.g. parents want to be with the child, possible stigma for eligible 2s, concerns over impacts to social security benefits, concern that they’d be an expectation for them to work, concerned about what they would do with their time, don’t need/want government funding, etc.)

10. Would you consider using the funded ELC provision in the future?

• If yes, under what circumstances? What would need to change for you to use it?
• If no, why not?

Work, Training or Employment

11. You said in the questionnaire that you [are/are not] in work/training/education:

If in work/training/education, and not covered above, ask:

• What issues did you consider when deciding to go into/back to work/ training/education after having your child/ren? What was the main driver/ motivating factor to look for work/training/education or to increase your hours?
  • Probe for: financial reasons, good support available to get work/training/ education, wellbeing reasons, self-esteem, normal habits, felt they should/it was expected, etc.
• Have you been able to find appropriate work/training/education that fits with your childcare arrangements and family circumstances? How easy was it to find appropriate work/training/education that fits in?
  • Probe: Have you contacted job centres? Did the job centre/ employability support service tell you about the free ELC hours? Was the job centre aware of the ELC provision and help you find something to suit those hours? How well does your working hours and current childcare match-up?
  • Probe: How well does the ELC provision and employment/training/ education work together, both in terms of messaging and in reality?
• Has your childcare arrangements impacted on the amount you can work, or has your working patterns impacted on your choices of childcare options? Please explain.
• Do you need additional informal support to meet your needs? (e.g. help from family/friends) If yes, what is the impact (positive and/or negative) of this on you, your child and those family members/friends providing the help?

If not in work/training/education, ask:

• What are the reasons for you not working, training or being in education?
  • o Probe for: not able to work, other commitments, lack of suitable/ affordable childcare, family circumstances/norms, expected impacts to income/benefits or not financially beneficial, no financial need, etc.
• Have you been looking for work/training/education that fits with your childcare arrangements and family circumstances? How easy/difficult has this been?
  • o Probe: Have you contacted job centres? Did the job centre/ employability support service tell you about the free ELC hours? Was the job centre aware of the ELC provision and able to help you look for something to suit those hours?
  • o Probe: How well does the ELC provision and employment/training/ education work together, both in terms of messaging and in reality?
• Has the provision of the free ELC hours had any impact on what you think about working/training/education?
• Would you feel that, if you used the ELC provision there would be an expectation on you to work, be in training or education?

Unpaid Activities

12. Do you do any unpaid activities, like caring for others, volunteering, joining community groups, etc.?

• If yes, what do you do and how does your childcare fit in with this?
• If no, please explain why not?

13. What other activities does your chosen childcare (including informal support from family/friends) enable you to do?

• Probe for: respite/time to yourself; time to spend with other children; time to catch up on housework, shopping, personal business; maintain social contact with others; anything else?

Positive and Negative Impacts of ELC

14. Although you don’t use it, what would you say are the positive impacts orbenefits of ELC, if any? [ASK UNPROMPTED INITIALLY]

Probe for:

• Benefits for the child? (e.g. socialisation, education, nutrition, nurtured, safe, opportunities to try activities, etc.)
• Benefits for them/the parents/carers? (e.g. financial as it allows them to work and/or reduce childcare costs? Time out for themselves/to do other things? Access to advice and support re their child’s development? Access to greater levels of peer support as a result of using ELC? Parents/carers making friends themselves? (Are there any corresponding links to mental health?)
• Benefits for other family members (e.g. siblings, older family members or those requiring care, etc.)

15. What do you think are the negative impacts ordrawbacks with ELC, if any? [ASK UNPROMPTED INITIALLY]

Probe for :

• Drawbacks/issues/challenges for the child?
• Drawbacks/issues/challenges for them/the parents/carers?
• Drawbacks/issues/challenges for other family members - e.g. siblings, grandparents, other family members, etc.?

16. What are the main challenges or barriers which make it difficult to use the ELC provision that we’ve not already talked about? And what changes would be needed to overcome these?

If appropriate, probe for:

• Any local issues due to the LA model adopted?
• Any difficulty in finding accessible/suitable provision for children with disabilities or additional support needs?
• Any difficulties in finding culturally appropriate/sensitive provision?
• Any COVID-19 related issues? (e.g. to protect those who needed to shield, concerns re child’s exposure to infection, etc.)

17. How strongly did these benefits, drawbacks or barriers feature in your decision not to use the ELC provision?

18. Do you think you would have used the funded ELC if it was available for younger children (e.g. 1 and 2 year olds)?

• Why / Why not?
• What would the barriers be, if any?
• To what extent do you feel the setting would be appropriate/inappropriate for this age group?
• Would the benefits and drawbacks be any different for this age group?

19. Is there anything else about ELC provision or the decisions that you made in relation to ELC that you would like to add, that I have not given you a chance to say?

Thank and close.

Section C: Ask those who are still deciding/kids not yet eligible

Awareness

5. You said in the questionnaire that you [had/had not] heard of the free/funded 1140 hours of ELC provision:

Ask if they had heard of it:

• How did you first hear about the free 1140 hours of ELC provision?

Probe for:

• o Sources of information (e.g. friends & family, health visitor, GP, social worker, mother and baby/toddler groups, schools, etc.)
• o Format of information (e.g. online, newspaper, TV., with other information about child, hard copy leaflet or info, etc.)
• o Do you remember seeing any information about the funded ELC provision with the Best Start Grant or other information about supporting families?
• o What, if anything, could be done better to improve information about the funded ELC provision? (e.g. timing of info, source, format, other)

Ask if they had not heard of it:

• What would be the best way to make parents aware of it?

Probe for:

• o Preferred/trusted sources?
• o Preferred/accessible formats?
• o Timing of information?

6. Do you know how the free ELC provision works locally?

Probe for, and determine if this is based on perception or experience:

• Eligibility
• Use of the hours - all or nothing, able to use a portion of the time, term time only or spread over full year
• Flexibility - able split the time between more than one provider, able to vary use (start/end times, days of the week, etc)
• Check for any misunderstandings re hours available or impact on social security benefits

Current Childcare

7. Although your child’s not old enough for the free ELC places yet, do you use any other form of childcare just now?

If yes:

• Please outline what childcare you use and why?

If no:

• Do you have family/friends that help out when you do need childcare?
• What things did you consider when deciding between informal help from family/friends and using other more formal settings?

Plans for Use of ELC and Fit with Needs

Please note: all questions from this point to the end are focused on what you plan to do in terms of childcare once your child is eligible for the ELC provision.

8. When your child becomes old enough for the ELC provision, what is your plan for childcare? How will your current arrangements change, if at all?

9. What are the main reasons for your choice in childcare provider going forward (i.e. once the child is old enough for the ELC provision)? [ASK WITHOUT PROMPTING INITIALLY]

10. How have (or will) you decided what type of childcare to use (if any), who the provider would be, and how many days/hours you want/need?

• What have been (or will) be the most important considerations for you?
• Did (or will) you make the decision alone and/or did anyone help you make the decision? Were you influenced by family/friends or others in any way?
• Do you feel your choices are restricted in any way?
• Are you happy with the decision you’ve made about your future childcare use? Is there anything that might make you change your mind?

11. Do you plan to use the full 1140 hours or not?

If yes:

• Is this enough for your needs, or will you need to top-up with either help from family/friends or pay for extra hours?
• If you will need additional hours, what impact will this have on your decisions around what provider(s) and hours to use, and any other wider impacts?
• Will you have to change or reduce your work/education/training hours to fit in?

If no:

• How many hours will you use? (Probe whether these are whole days over fewer sessions or shorter days spread over the full week)
• Why will you not use the full 1140 hours?
• Will these hours be enough for your needs, or will you need to top-up with either help from family/friends or pay for extra hours?
• If you will need additional hours, what impact will this have on your decisions around what provider(s) and hours to use, and any other wider impacts?
• Do you think you will consider increasing your use of the ELC hours in the future? What would need to change for you to want to use more hours/the full 1140 hours?

12. How well do you feel your planned childcare arrangements will fit in with the family’s needs, and are there any issues with this? How much of an impact did this have on your decision to use/not use the ELC provision?

Probe for:

• Other family members routines, journeys, etc. (e.g. school, before/after-school care, clubs, appointments, etc.)
• Parents/carers work, training or education needs
• Social time (e.g. social activities, visits with family/friends, other mother and toddler groups, other social activities/events)
• Impact of holidays/what you do out of school term time?
• Any other needs/routines

Work, Training or Employment

13. You said in the questionnaire that you [are/are not] in work, training or education:

Ask if in work/training/education:

• What issues did you consider when deciding to go into/back to work/ training/education after having your child/ren? What was the main driver/ motivating factor to look for work/training/education or to increase your hours?
  • Probe for: financial reasons, good support available to get work/ training/education, wellbeing reasons, self-esteem, normal habits, felt they should/it was expected, etc.
• Have you been able to find appropriate work/training/education that fits with your current and planned childcare arrangements and family circumstances? How easy was it to find work/training/education?
  • Probe: Have you contacted job centres? Did the job centre/ employability support service tell you about the free ELC hours? Was the job centre aware of the ELC provision and help you find something to suit those hours?
  • Probe: How well does the ELC provision and employment/training/ education work together, both in terms of messaging and in reality?
• Has the provision of the 1140 funded ELC hours had any impact on your plans for, or patterns of, work/training/education?
  • If yes, what was this? (e.g. entered/re-entered work/training/ education, increased hours, changed hours to fit childcare, etc.)
  • If not, why not? (e.g. already full-time employed, didn’t want to increase hours, have other commitments, etc.)
• Did your work/training/education impact on your decision to use ELC? Please explain.
• How easy or difficult was it to match the 1140 ELC hours to your working/ training/educational hours? Did you find it suitable to meet your needs?
  • If yes/easy, in what way, please explain? Why was this important?
  • If no/difficult, what was the problem and how could this be improved?

Ask if not in work/training/education:

• What are the reasons you not working, training or in education?
  • Probe for: not able to, other commitments/responsibilities, childcare issues, family circumstances/norms, expected impacts to income/benefits, not financially beneficial, no financial need, etc.
• Have you been/do you plan on looking for work/training/education that fits with your planned childcare arrangements once you can access the ELC provision? How easy/difficult has this been?
  • Probe: Have you contacted job centres? Did the job centre/ employability support service tell you about the free ELC hours? Was the job centre aware of the ELC provision and help you find something to suit those hours?
  • Probe: How well does the ELC provision and employment/training/ education work together, both in terms of messaging and in reality?
• Do you feel that by using the ELC provision there is an expectation on you to work, be in training or education?

14. Do you feel that the ELC is flexible enough to support changes in working patterns, or to move between education, training and work?

• If yes, please explain?
• If no, in what way would it not support this and how could it be changed to better accommodate such changes?
• Was this a factor in your decision to use it/not use it in future?

Unpaid Activities

15. Do you think you are likely to start, or increase any current levels of unpaid work, or other things, like volunteering, caring for others, joining community groups, etc. as a result of the ELC provision?

• If yes, in what way will this help?
• If no, please explain why not?

16. What other activities do you feel the ELC provision will enabled you to do?

• Probe for: respite/time to yourself; time to spend with other children; time to catch up on housework, shopping, personal business; maintain social contact with others; anything else?

Other Considerations for Using ELC

17. Are there any other factors that have impacted your thinking/decision to use the ELC provision or not, why you will choose a particular type of provider, or the number or pattern of hours you will use?

Probe for:

• Appropriate for the child (e.g. due to age, needs, familiarity, etc.)
• Accessibility (especially rural/remote communities)
• The influence of family or friends
• Family norms (e.g. that’s what the older children did, that’s how our family has done it through the generations, etc.)
• Quality of one setting vs another
• Consideration of alternative options

Benefits and/or issues with using ELC

18. What would you say are the positive impacts orbenefits of ELC? [ASK UNPROMPTED INITIALLY]

Probe for:

• Benefits for the child? (e.g. socialisation, education, nutrition, nurtured, safe, opportunities to try activities, etc.)
• Benefits for them/the parents/carers? (e.g. financial as it allows them to work and/or reduce childcare costs? Time out for themselves/to do other things? Access to advice and support re their child’s development? Access to greater levels of peer support as a result of using ELC? Parents/carers making friends themselves? (Are there any corresponding links to mental health?)
• Benefits for other family members (e.g. siblings, older family members or those requiring care, etc.)

19. Do you think there are any negative impacts, drawbacks or issues with ELC? [ASK UNPROMPTED INITIALLY]

Probe for:

• Drawbacks/issues/challenges for the child?
• Drawbacks/issues/challenges for the parents/carers?
• Drawbacks/issues/challenges for other family members - e.g. siblings, grandparents, other family members, etc.?

20. Are there any other challenges or barriers which make it difficult to use the ELC provision that we’ve not already talked about? And what changes could be made to overcome these? If appropriate, probe for:

• Any local issues due to the LA model adopted?
• Any difficulty in finding accessible/suitable provision for children with disabilities or additional support needs?
• Any difficulties in finding culturally appropriate/sensitive provision?
• Any COVID-19 related issues? (e.g. to protect those who needed to shield, concerns re child’s exposure to infection, etc.)

21. How strongly have these benefits, drawbacks or barriers featured in your thoughts/ decision on whether to use the ELC provision or not?

22. Do you think you would have used the funded ELC if it was available for younger children (e.g. 1 and 2 year olds)?

• Why / Why not?
• What would the barriers be, if any?
• To what extent do you feel the setting would be appropriate/inappropriate for this age group?
• Would the benefits and drawbacks be any different for this younger age group?

Any Other Comments

23. Is there anything else about ELC provision or the decisions that you made in relation to ELC that you would like to add, that I have not given you a chance to say?

Thank and close.

How to access background or source data

The data collected for this social research publication:

☐ are available in more detail through Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics

☐ are available via an alternative route

☐ may be made available on request, subject to consideration of legal and ethical factors. Please contact <email address> for further information.

☐ cannot be made available by Scottish Government for further analysis as Scottish Government is not the data controller.