Early learning and childcare: statutory guidance - July 2021

Annex A: Glossary

Additional Support Needs (ASN)

A child or young person has additional support needs where, for whatever reason, they are likely to be unable, without the provision of additional support, to benefit from school education.

Attendance

This refers to the presence of children on any given day. Settings are required to record attendance.

Blended model/blended placement

The model where children are attending two or more settings, managed by different providers, who are working together to provide them with their entitlement to funded early learning and childcare. This is usually referred to as a 'blended placement' although sometimes 'split placement' is used.

COSLA

COSLA, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, is the voice of Local Government in Scotland. They provide political leadership on national issues, and work with local authorities to improve local services and strengthen local democracy.

Childminders

A childminder is defined as a person who works with children for more than 2 hours a day in their own home for reward.

Early Learning and Childcare (ELC)

Provision of a service, consisting of education and care, of a kind which is suitable in the ordinary case for children who are under school age, regard being had to the importance of interactions and other experiences which support learning and development in a caring and nurturing setting.

Eligible child

An eligible child is defined in legislation (the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and the Provision of Early Learning and Childcare (Specified Children) (Scotland) Order 2014, as amended).

This is all 3 and 4 year olds and some children aged 2, from the relevant start date. The date the child can access their funded entitlement depends on their birth date.

Education authority

A local authority in the exercise of its functions which relate to school education . Education authorities' functions to secure education for children under school age are provided for in the Education (Scotland) Act 1980.

Flexibility

Education authorities will ensure that there is flexibility and choice for parents in terms of the patterns of hours of funded early learning and childcare available across their authority area.

This flexibility also extends to access to funded early learning and childcare delivered through settings in the private, third and childminding sectors.

Funded early learning and childcare entitlement

The number of hours of early learning, as defined in section 48 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, that eligible children are entitled to and which education authorities are under a duty to make available for eligible children. This is referred to as the mandatory amount of early learning and childcare in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and is set at 1140 hours in each year for which a child is eligible.

Funded provider

A setting that meets the National Standard and offers the statutory entitlement to funded early learning and childcare to eligible children. This includes local authority settings and settings in the private, third and childminding sectors, who are delivering the statutory funded early learning and childcare entitlement.

Funding Follows the Child

This provider neutral approach will ensure that the funded early learning and childcare entitlement is delivered in high quality settings, and is underpinned by a National Standard that all settings who wish to deliver the funded early learning and childcare entitlement have to meet.

At the heart of the National Standard are a clear and consistent set of quality criteria, recognising that the early learning and childcare expansion is fundamentally about improving the early years' experience of our youngest children.

The approach will provide parents with choice as they will be able to choose any settings - regardless of whether they are in the public, private, third or childminding sectors – that meets the National Standard, has a place available, and is willing to enter into a contract with the local authority.

Information on the implementation of Funding Follows the Child and the National Standard for Early Learning and Childcare Providers, including detailed Operating Guidance for education authorities and providers, is available on the Scottish Government website.

Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC)

The national approach in Scotland to improving the wellbeing of our children and young people by offering the right help, at the right time, from the right people, to support them and their parents to work in partnership with the services that can help them. Wellbeing sits at the heart of the GIRFEC approach and reflects the need to tailor the support and help that children, young people and their families are offered to support their wellbeing. A child or young person's wellbeing is influenced by everything around them and the different experiences and need they have at different times in their lives.

Minimum framework

The minimum framework defines the method that funded early learning and childcare should be delivered. Funded early learning and childcare sessions should delivered over at least 38 weeks in any given year, and must be 10 hours or less in duration.

Pattern of attendance

This refers to the sessions that a child is registered to attend in a setting (e.g. 5 mornings a week, 48 weeks a year).

Play

Play encompasses children's behaviour which is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated. It is performed for no external goal or reward and is a fundamental and integral part of healthy development which seeks to improve play experiences for all children.

Provider

Any organisation offering early learning and childcare provision, over one or more settings, registered with the Care Inspectorate under daycare of children or childminding registrations.

Provider neutral

The approach which enables parents to choose from a variety of early learning and childcare settings that best suits the needs of their child, in line with Funding Follows the Child. It allows parents to choose from a number of different providers – regardless of whether they are in the public, private, third or childminding sectors – if the setting meets the National Standard, has a place available and is willing to enter into a contract with the local authority.

Setting

Any service offering early learning and childcare provision registered with the Care Inspectorate under daycare of children or childminding registrations.

Third sector

Third sector, includes charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups, delivers essential services. They play a vital role in supporting communities at a local level.