24th June 2026
A massive 'thank you' to all the parents and carers who took part in Connect's recent survey on Out of School Childcare. You can read the survey report here.
The survey findings show that almost half of those who took part in the survey say that the childcare offer in their area is not meeting their needs.
Some 42 percent of parents said that they were not able to access childcare to meet their families’ needs all or some of the time. This problem was compounded in rural areas where fewer than 20 percent of parents said their childcare needs were being met.
Connect’s Executive Director, Gavin Yates, said:
‘This research clearly shows a really difficult situation for many of Scotland’s families. Almost half surveyed are not feeling their needs are being fully met and in rural areas that leaps to only one in five. This is simply not good enough and causes endless worry for mums and dads, particularly during the school holidays.
‘We recognise that there has been some national focus on childcare in recent years, but progress on school-aged childcare has not been fast enough. This has a detrimental economic impact on both families and on the Scottish economy. Work is cited as the main reason for our respondents’ use of childcare; for those parents who are unable to access the childcare they need, or who are entirely dependent on help from families and friends, much more must be done and at a faster pace.
‘Our parents are clear. Supporting families properly means equity of access to childcare, affordability, further research into, and a mapping of, existing provision to ensure families’ needs are met plus a revised national action plan (with a wraparound approach to childcare for parents who need this).
‘We also need to better understand informal childcare and its impact on care-givers. Finally, it is also crucial that parents’ views and experiences are sought and that these form the basis of national and local childcare delivery plans.’
Key Findings
From over 200 responses from parents and carers in 24 local authorities, a significant proportion of respondents (42%) are not able to access childcare to meet their families’ needs all or some of the time. Whilst nearly half (41%) reported their childcare did meet their needs most of the time or somewhat, a clear picture of an urban-rural divide emerges, with only 19% of rural respondents saying their needs were met, as opposed to 54% of urban respondents.
Other Findings
- Affordability, location and convenience are key factors in making childcare choices
- Availability and cost were identified as the main barriers to using childcare
- Work was given as the main reason for needing childcare
- Only 7% of respondents said they have the opportunity to influence provision in their area.
Calls for change and improvement
- Equity of access to childcare across the country
- National policy focus on ‘wraparound care’ for those who need it
- Recognition of the role of informal childcare with more research into it and its impacts on care-givers and families
- Review of the Scottish Government’s School Aged Childcare Delivery Framework and faster progress with delivery of childcare
- National policy focus on affordability and quality assurance
- Regular local consultation to assess families’ needs, mapping of childcare provision and reporting on this
- Equity of access to activities (ensuring affordability) at local level.