Enrol your child for early learning and childcare

All children are eligible to an ELC place after they reach 3 years old until they start school, with start dates as follows:

The Scottish Government offers funded places for some 2-year old children: If you have a 2-year old child and receive certain benefits you could be entitled to free childcare. The hours become available within the eligibility dates after you, the parent, start receiving one of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Job Seekers Allowance (Income based)
• Any income related element of Employment and Support Allowance
• Allowance (income based)
• Incapacity or Severe Disablement Allowance
• State Pension Credit
• Universal Credit with an earned income below £610 per month
• Child Tax Credit, but not in receipt of Working Tax Credit, and an income below £16,105
  Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit, and an income below £7,320;
  or the Working Tax Credit 4 week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

In addition, children aged two or over who are (or have been at any point since turning two) looked after by a local Council, the subject of a kinship care or guardianship order are eligible for a funded place.

In parts of Highland you may have a choice of different types of settings. The main thing is that you feel comfortable with the setting/s you choose and that your child will be happy there.
In Highland there are different types of early learning and childcare with parents able to choose one or a mix of service provision to suit your needs:

• Nurseries: Can be either commissioned partner providers or settings run by the Highland Council.
• Outdoor Nurseries: They focus on outdoor learning experiences where either some of the day or the full day’s activities are delivered outdoors. Can be commissioned partner providers or run by the Highland Council.
• Commissioned childminders look after children in their own home and follow the same curriculum as nurseries.

All children are entitled to a funded meal if their session is 4 or more hours. You may wish to enquire how this works in the setting/s you are interested in.
The interactive map that can be accessed from the following link will provide you with an over view of the different provision in your area.
Map of ELC settings

Yes, you can split your child’s entitled hours over more than one provider.

Please follow the Map of ELC settings or contact your your choice of setting then make direct contact and they will be able to advise you on enrolment arrangements.

Even if you change provider at any point in the year the funding will go to the new local authority setting, partner nursery or commissioned childminder. You don’t need to do anything other than register with any new provider and deregister with the previous setting. We need a month’s notice of your change of provider.

This can be an anxious time and decisions will be made as quickly as possible.

If you feel your child may need additional help in your chosen setting, talk to the setting and to your health visitor about what support your child might need.

This is just a short guide, so if you have a question it does not cover, you are welcome to get in touch. The first place to ask would be your local ELC setting by e-mail or telephone.

• North
  ELC-north@highland.gov.uk
  01955 609665
• Mid
  ELC-mid@highland.gov.uk
  01349 868496
• West
  ELC-west@highland.gov.uk
  01349 781444
• South
  ELC-south@highland.gov.uk
  01463 702740