Scottish Study of Early Learning and Childcare: Phase 1 Report - updated 2021

This document describes an overview of the Scottish Study of Early Learning and Childcare Phase 1 Report, which assesses the Early Learning and Childcare Expansion Programme in Scotland. The programme's objectives are to foster child development, facilitate parental employment or study, and bolster family resilience by offering funded childcare to eligible two-year-olds. The evaluation employed surveys, keyworker reports, and observations to gather initial data on child and parent outcomes, as well as the quality of childcare environments. Key findings indicate that while most children are developing typically, some, particularly boys and those from deprived areas, face greater challenges. A third of parents reported working, with variations based on socioeconomic status, and childcare affordability was linked to increased work hours for parents. The study underscores the benefits of Early Learning and Childcare for families and the importance of quality in childcare settings, with full results expected in 2024. Additionally, the document mentions the terms of reuse under the Open Government Licence and clarifies that it represents the researcher's views, not necessarily those of the Scottish Government. **This summary was written by an AI model and therefore should not be considered a definitive summary of the report. If you are aware of inaccuracies, please email evaluation.registry@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.**

Description

• Lead department: The Scottish Government (The Scottish Government)
• Evaluation stage: A complete evaluation report
• Other departments: No other departments listed
• Evaluation types: Impact evaluation; Process evaluation
• Impact methods: Theory-based methods
• Theory-based methods: Other
• Process methods: Qualitative observational studies; Surveys and polling
• Grant information: This intervention is not distributing funding via a grant
• Government Major Project information: This intervention is not a major project
• Policies: No policies provided

Event Dates

• Event Name: Publication of final results
• Event date: August 2019

Evaluation Costs

• Cost: Not provided

Evaluation sharing

• Link(s) to published report(s): Yes
• Links to evaluation plans: No link provided
• Links to published evaluations (DEBUGGING): No final report link found.
• Findings: Not provided
• Permission to share confirmed: Yes