Scottish Government

This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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Pre-school and childcare statistics 2006

14/09/2006

Statitstics on on registered pre-school education, children's daycare and childminders in Scotland for 2006 were published today.

The main points are:

• In January 2006 there were 4,306 registered childcare and pre-school education centres and 6,051 childminders in Scotland, of whom 5,460 were active
• Of all registered childcare and pre-school education centres, 41.8 per cent were in the public sector, 22.3 per cent were in the private sector and 34.0 per cent were in the voluntary sector
• More than two thirds (68.7 per cent) of registered centres had an outdoor play area, 16.6 per cent provided family support and 8.0 per cent provided professional health care
• Approximately 30 per cent of active registered childminders had at least one childcare qualification. Nine per cent were training for qualifications
• There were 2,761 local authority or partnership pre-school education providers in Scotland. There were additional centres that provided pre-school education not in partnership with the local authority
• Approximately 97.5 per cent of children eligible for free ante-pre or pre-school education were registered with local authority or partnership pre-school education centres. Children are counted once for every pre-school centre they attend, so this figure may include some double counting
• There were 1,648 whole-time equivalent General Teaching Council of Scotland registered teachers working in local authority or partnership pre-school education centres
• Fifty centres reported providing pre-school education in Gaelic

CHILDCARE

• In January 2006 there were 4,306 registered childcare and pre-school education centres, of which 37.3 per cent were run from schools and 28.1 per cent had their own dedicated premises.
• The proportion of centres in the public and private sectors varied a great deal between local authorities. Overall, 41.8 per cent were in the public sector, but in the Orkney Islands 92.0 per cent of the 25 centres were public sector, compared to just 7.7 per cent of the 39 centres in Eilean Siar.
• There were 2,521 centres that provided a Nursery, of which 2,412 described Nursery as their main service. The majority of nurseries (1,552) were in the public sector. Of those centres that reported their main service to be a nursery, 46.5 per cent were situated in schools. 2,267 nurseries provided pre-school education.
• There were 736 centres that provided a Playgroup, of which 627 described Playgroup as their main service. The majority of playgroups (590) were in the voluntary sector. 369 playgroups provided local authority or partnership pre-school education.
• There were 1,051 centres that provided an Out of School Club, of which 762 described Out of School Club as their main service. Half of all Out of School Clubs (523) were in the voluntary sector.
• There were 293 centres that provided a Cr che service, of which 168 described Cr che as their main service. Forty per cent of all cr ches were in the voluntary sector.
• There were 125 centres that reported their main service as a Children/Family Centre and an additional 52 that provided Children/Family Centre services. The majority of Children/Family Centres (107) were in the public sector.
• There were 420 centres providing a Breakfast club of which just 2 reported that as their main service. 37.6 per cent were in the Voluntary sector, 30.2 per cent were in the pubic sector and 30.0 per cent were in the private sector.
• There were 728 centres providing a Holiday Play Scheme of which 93 described that as their main service. The majority (382) were in the Voluntary sector.
• Of all childcare centres, 16.6 per cent provided Family Support. Family support was most likely to be provided in Public Sector centres and in centres situated in the most deprived areas.
• Eight per cent of all childcare centres provided Professional Health Care. Again, this was most likely to be provided in Public Sector centres and in centres situated in the most deprived areas.
• Just less than two per cent of all childcare centres provided Gaelic Provision. This was most likely to be provided in Public Sector centres and in centres situated in rural areas.
• Over two thirds of all childcare centres provided an Outdoor Play Area.

COSTS OF SERVICES

• When considering the percentage of centres that charged or accepted donations it is important to consider that all 4 year olds, and 3 year olds from the term following their third birthday, are entitled to free pre-school provision. 94.0 per cent of nurseries and 58.9 per cent of playgroups provided pre-school education. Centres that provided free pre-school education were likely to provide further hours of either pre-school education or childcare and it is the cost of this provision that those centres reported.
• The percentage of centres that charged or accepted donations varied according to the main service type. Overall, 49.9 per cent of all centres charged parents, 16.5 per cent accepted donations and 0.9 per cent charged and accepted donations. 14.7 per cent of centres were free to parents. Free centres were more common in areas of intermediate deprivation (17.3 per cent) than in the most deprived or least deprived areas (13.5 per cent and 13.2 per cent respectively).
• Twenty percent of public sector nurseries reported that they charged parents, compared to 78.3 per cent of private sector nurseries and 65.7 per cent of voluntary sector nurseries. The median hourly all inclusive flat fee was less than 5 pence per hour for public sector nurseries, 2.90 per hour for private sector nurseries and 2.30 per hour for voluntary sector nurseries.
• Where centres charged according to the age of the child, services for younger children tended to be more expensive ( 2.90 per hour for under ones compares to 2.10 per hour for over fives).
• The median suggested donation was 10 pence per hour while the median received donation was less than 5 pence per hour.
• The median charges of childminders were 3 per hour, 18 - 21 per day or 69 - 100 per week.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDMINDERS

• There were 6,051 registered childminders in Scotland in January 2006, a slight decrease from 6,100 in 2005 and 6,165 in 2004. 90 per cent of registered childminders were active during census week.
• The majority of active childminders were females aged between 35 and 44 years old.
• Forty-six per cent of active registered childminders had been registered for at least six years, and a further 26 per cent had been registered for between two and five years.
• Approximately 30 per cent of childminders had childcare qualifications and 55 per cent had non-childcare related qualifications.

PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION

• There were 2,761 local authority or partnership pre-school education providers in Scotland, of which 50 reported providing education in Gaelic. There were a number of pre-school centres that were not in partnership with the local authority and are excluded in this publication. For this reason, figures presented here are not directly comparable to those presented in previous publications.
• Of the 12,544 staff providing pre-school education, 16.5 per cent were registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland. 56.3 per cent of pre-school centres had at least one GTC registered teacher.
• There were 2,040 students and volunteers providing pre-school education.
• There were 105,814 pre-school education registrations (for any year of pre-school education) in Scotland, including 8,392 registrations for children aged under 3 and 4,380 for children deferring entry to primary school.
• In January 2006, there were 41,671 registrations for the ante-pre-school year of pre-school education. This represents approximately 96.0 per cent of all children eligible. However it is important to consider that children may attend more than one pre-school centre, so this figure may include some double counting.
• In January 2006, there were 51,371 registrations for the pre-school year of pre-school education. This represents approximately 98.8 per cent of all children eligible. Again, this figure may include some double counting.
• The majority of all pre-school registrations (72,870) were in Education Authority ran nursery classes or schools. There were 12,603 registrations in voluntary sector pre-school education.
• In January 2006 there were 4,306 registered childcare and pre-school education centres, of which 37.3 per cent were run from schools and 28.1 per cent had their own dedicated premises.
• The proportion of centres in the public and private sectors varied a great deal between local authorities. Overall, 41.8 per cent were in the public sector, but in the Orkney Islands 92.0 per cent of the 25 centres were public sector, compared to just 7.7 per cent of the 39 centres in Eilean Siar.
• There were 2,521 centres that provided a Nursery, of which 2,412 described Nursery as their main service. The majority of nurseries (1,552) were in the public sector. Of those centres that reported their main service to be a nursery, 46.5 per cent were situated in schools. 2,267 nurseries provided pre-school education.
• There were 736 centres that provided a Playgroup, of which 627 described Playgroup as their main service. The majority of playgroups (590) were in the voluntary sector. 369 playgroups provided local authority or partnership pre-school education.
• There were 1,051 centres that provided an Out of School Club, of which 762 described Out of School Club as their main service. Half of all Out of School Clubs (523) were in the voluntary sector.
• There were 293 centres that provided a Cr che service, of which 168 described Cr che as their main service. Forty per cent of all cr ches were in the voluntary sector.
• There were 125 centres that reported their main service as a Children/Family Centre and an additional 52 that provided Children/Family Centre services. The majority of Children/Family Centres (107) were in the public sector.
• There were 420 centres providing a Breakfast club of which just 2 reported that as their main service. 37.6 per cent were in the Voluntary sector, 30.2 per cent were in the pubic sector and 30.0 per cent were in the private sector.
• There were 728 centres providing a Holiday Play Scheme of which 93 described that as their main service. The majority (382) were in the Voluntary sector.
• Of all childcare centres, 16.6 per cent provided Family Support. Family support was most likely to be provided in Public Sector centres and in centres situated in the most deprived areas.
• Eight per cent of all childcare centres provided Professional Health Care. Again, this was most likely to be provided in Public Sector centres and in centres situated in the most deprived areas.
• Just less than two per cent of all childcare centres provided Gaelic Provision. This was most likely to be provided in Public Sector centres and in centres situated in rural areas.
• Over two thirds of all childcare centres provided an Outdoor Play Area.