The Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee will conclude its work this Parliament in March 2026 ahead of the next Scottish Parliament election. So the Committee has time to complete its work, it has agreed not to consider petitions submitted after 10 October.
The Committee will continue to meet but given the volume of petitions and agreed work programme it is unlikely that the Committee would be able to meaningfully progress work on petitions submitted after 10 October ahead of the election. Petitions lodged after this date will not fall when the Parliament is dissolved and will be for the successor committee to consider in the new session.
If you are seeking urgent action or policy change please contact one of your 8 MSPs or the Scottish Government directly.
Closed petition PE1970: Create an online account for parents to manage the 1140 hours of Early Learning and Childcare funding
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to reform the funding model of the 1,140 hours of Early Years Learning and Childcare to allow parents direct control of childcare funding via an online account.
Previous action taken
We have written to and continue to engage with multiple Government and opposition MSPs, as well as the First Minister, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, and the Minister for Children and Young People on multiple occasions. We have written to and maintain contact with the MSPs on the Education Children and Young People Committee, and we are members of the Cross-Party Group on Children and Young People.
Background information
An online account would allow parents to pay a standardised rate of funding, as set by the Scottish Government, directly to their choice of registered and regulated childcare providers regardless of the ownership model of that childcare. The Government funds each council an amount of money for the 1140 hours of Early Learning and Childcare to be provided in their area. Councils contract with private nurseries and childminders (partner providers) in their area.
The Scottish Government sets guidelines for councils to follow to work out how much to pay partner providers. It is then up to each council to determine the hourly rate for partner providers for each eligible child in their area.
Councils are in a tough position – they have to fund their own nurseries, as well as work out how much to pay to their partner providers. It’s logical that a council will make sure their own nurseries are properly funded and then pay whatever is remaining to the partner providers. In our view councils shouldn’t be a childcare provider as well as a funder of partner providers. Our proposal makes it simpler and fairer for families to choose where their funding goes.
This petition was considered by the Scottish Parliament
2,188 signatures