Scottish Executive Announces Funding Boost for the Early Years

The Scottish Executive has announced that a new £8m capital fund is to be made available to Local Authorities in Scotland in 2007-08. The purpose of the fund is to improve the quality and accessibility of early years, childcare and play facilities and to provide scope for integrated service delivery.
The £8m total funding will be distributed to local authorities using the childcare strategy formula and applications must be submitted by 30th September 2007.

The fund offers opportunities to early years providers as it can be used to support capital projects and equipment in sectors where voluntary sector providers often play a key role. Local authorities will be expected to provide opportunities for voluntary sector providers and community organisations in particular to submit proposals as they can often face difficulties in accessing capital funding. Ministers have set a target of 20% of each local authority’s spending to be used in the voluntary and community sector, whilst recognising that there will be variations across the country to reflect the particular contribution that such groups make to services in each area.

It is anticipated that voluntary and community groups in particular may be able to secure match funding for projects through the Big Lottery Fund and other funding sources.

Some of the priorities that could be covered by the grant include:

1. Refurbishing or upgrading Early Years facilities to create a better environment for staff and children, and to develop closer links with parents

• Improving the care and learning environment
• Creating permanent accommodation for children where they are currently using temporary facilities
• Creating parents’ rooms and ensuring facilities are available for confidential discussions between parents and staff

2. Creating, extending or refurbishing early years facilities to deliver extended or more integrated services

• New, extended or upgraded children & family centres
• Improving facilities at nursery schools or in schools with a nursery class to allow them to provide extended services, parenting support, health services etc.
• On-site facilities for wraparound services provided by the voluntary or private sector
• Adapting or extending facilities to accommodate 0-3 year olds

3. Improving facilities for out of school care

• play and recreational equipment
• creating dedicated spaces or effective partitioning solutions for out of school care
• equipment storage solutions

4. Creating, refurbishing or upgrading play spaces, equipment and facilities for children, both within early years centres and in the wider community

• vacant and derelict land in housing areas cleared and transformed into open greenspace
• community play spaces and equipment that cater for mixed ages
• playgrounds/equipment that are challenging and designed to include natural surroundings

5. Adaptations and equipment to improve access to play, early years services and out of school care for children with additional support needs

• inclusive play, learning and recreational equipment.

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