Early Learning, Childcare and Brokerage Services

The Council has a statutory duty to make pre-school education available for eligible children under the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000. The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and Statutory Guidance set out the increased entitlement to 1140 hours for eligible children which became a statutory duty from August 2021. The Funding Follows the Child approach places choice in parents’ and carers’ hands enabling them to access their child’s funded entitlement with a provider that best suits their needs. To provide Early Learning and Childcare and/or Brokerage Services on behalf of the Council all existing and prospective providers should register their interest through this PIN on Public Contracts (Scotland) and will then need to apply for a place on the Early Learning and Childcare and Brokerage Services Flexible Framework in Autumn 2022. All providers who apply and meet the expected standard, legislation and the Council's procedural requirements as set out in the Invitation to Tender and accept the rates and contract terms set out by the Council shall be accepted to deliver funded provision through the Flexible Framework enabling them to register children in January 2023 to commence Brokerage placements from January 2023 and funded Early Learning and Childcare placements from August 2023.