Aberdeen City Council has today (9 May 2025) launched a consultation to gather the views of parents/carers and future parents/carers on funded Early Learning and Childcare provision across the city.
By taking part in the consultation parents/carers and future parents/carers can help shape the Council’s Early Learning and Childcare offering for all three and four-year olds and eligible two-year olds.
The Council has been able to offer 84% of all on-time applicants their first choice in an Aberdeen City Council setting for August 2025 admissions.
Councillor Martin Greig, the Convener of the Education and Children’s Services Committee, said: “Aberdeen City Council is committed to offering high quality Early Learning and Childcare, which encourages learning and development through play, exploring and having fun, to all three and four-year-old children and eligible two-year olds in the city.
“Engaging with parents and carers and monitoring supply and demand on a regular basis helps the Council to meet the needs of families in Aberdeen.”
Councillor Jessica Mennie, the Vice-Convener of the Education and Children’s Services Committee, said: “Early Learning and Childcare can make a significant contribution to a child’s development, which is why the Council is committed to offering all children the best start in life, to enable them to grow into healthy, happy and confident adults who in turn achieve great things.”
Since August 2021, all three and four-year-old children and eligible two-year-olds have been entitled to 1,140 funded hours of high quality Early Learning and Childcare per year at a local authority Early Learning and Childcare nursery setting, and private nurseries, playgroups and childminders who work in partnership with Aberdeen City Council.
There are currently over 4,500 children receiving a funded Early Learning and Childcare place in Aberdeen.
This consultation seeks the views of parents and carers, and future parents and carers, across the city, in order for the Council to:
- Continue to review the impact of the implementation of the expansion of Early Learning and Childcare;
- Inform the development of its Early Learning and Childcare Delivery Plan, which is published every two years and sets out the strategic direction for the delivery of Early Learning and Childcare in the city, responding to local need and reflecting the diversity of communities in Aberdeen;
- Meet its statutory consultation duties under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.
The consultation is open until 11.59pm on Friday 30 May 2025. The survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete and can be accessed by clicking on the below link: Early Learning & Childcare Parent & Carer Consultation 2025 | Commonplace