Current status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 12 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government which community has been selected in Fife for additional investment in early years childcare, as outlined in the 2023-24 Programme for Government, and whether this has yet commenced.
Fife Council have been working with the Levenmouth community since January 2024 and are now finalising their plans for their childcare ‘early adopter community’ projects in line with the First Minister’s announcement in May of £16 million investment over two years in six local authorities.
As part of the early adopter community work it is important for local authorities to be able to target communities which have an identified need for improved childcare services, and where increased delivery could support plans to tackle poverty. Fife identified Levenmouth as an area where there is a good opportunity to engage local people in co-designing high quality early learning and school age childcare services that meet local needs, with a strong focus on tackling poverty. This acknowledges the need for more accessible and affordable childcare services in the community to support employment, and builds on some existing local childcare provision and infrastructure options.
This is part of a wider package of work with the local authority and communities. This will help Scottish Government and our local partners to understand what it takes to deliver local childcare systems that support families with children from the early years to the end of primary school, and the difference this can make in eradicating child poverty.
A key focus of the Early Adopter Communities (EAC) approach is to learn more about what works to deliver childcare solutions for children and their families in targeted communities. It should be noted that for families with younger children tests of change will be more limited, given the initial focus is on gathering insight about user needs and the local childcare system for younger children.