My child is under 5

Most families with children under the age of five will use a number of different types of childcare to meet their needs and will access various types of care as their child grows. Find basic details of the most common types of care for children under five.

From August 2020, all 3-5 year olds will be entitled to 1140 hours per year of funded (free) early learning and childcare (ELC) in Scotland.

From August 2020, eligible two year olds across Scotland will be entitled to 1140 hours per year of funded (free) early learning and childcare in a number of local authority and funded provider nurseries where provision is available.

Families can access help with the costs of childcare in a variety of ways, through the tax credits system, vouchers provided by employers and the recently introduced tax free childcare accounts.