Purpose: Seeking parental views (current, previous & future users) on Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) provision across CnES settings.
Method: Statutory consultation (April–June 2025), 176 responses.
Focus Areas: Satisfaction, access barriers, delivery preferences, and Gaelic-medium education.
Respondent Profile
Current users: 66%
Previous users: 14%
Future users: 20%
Most responses: From Lewis and Stornoway areas.
Key Findings
- Quality of Service: 89% satisfied with ELC quality.
- Access to provision: Most used and preferred – Comhairle managed Settings (75%).
- Childminders: Limited standalone use but important in blended placements.
- Full entitlement use: 83% of current users accessed all 1,140 funded hours.
- Preferred provider access: 78% secured preferred provider; 67% got preferred days/times.
- Delivery model preference: 63% prefer school hours during term time.
- Gaelic education: 51% prefer Gaelic Medium Education (GME); 41% prefer Gaelic Learner Education (GLE).
- How to access provision: Only 46% understood how to apply for partner providers/playgroups/childminders.
Access to Services
- Ease of access: 86% found it easy.
- Barriers: Capacity issues, birth month disadvantages, information regarding the process of how to apply for ELC placement.
Use of Funded Hours
- Main reason for accessing ELC hours: School readiness (52%), employment support (31%).
- Barriers to accessing ELC hours: Ineligibility due to birthdate, lack of awareness of application process.
Satisfaction with Services
Overall satisfaction: 89% agreed or strongly agreed.
Gaelic Provision
- Preference: GME (51%), GLE (40%).
- Access: 74% secured preferred Gaelic provision.
- Promotional Information for GME: Nurseries, Early Years Dept, Parant is Pàiste, health visitors.
- Suggestions for improvement: Earlier outreach, support for non-Gaelic-speaking families.
Delivery Preferences
- School hours during term time (63%).
- 2.5 days/week year-round (24%).
- morning/afternoon sessions (4%).
- Council-run settings (70%).
Communication & Information
- How did you find out about ELC entitlement: Previous experience (37%), family/friends (23%), nurseries (16%).
- Knowledge of ELC entitlement 82% understood entitlement.
- 72% knew how to apply to council nurseries.
- Only 46% knew how to apply to partner providers/playgroups/childminders.
Conclusion
- Overall: High satisfaction, strong preference for council-managed ELC settings and term-time provision.
- Challenges: Availability, communication, and information clarity.
- Gaelic education: Strong interest and support for GME provision.
An agreed list of content will be uploaded on the Early Years Section within the Comhairle Website. This will include up to date details of all CNES ELC facilities and partner providers, including Gaidhlig/English provision, location, preferred contact details and whether the facility is open all year round or term time as well as information on how to access ELC placements.
This consultation aims to target those who have previously used ELC, those who currently use ELC and those who will use it in the future.
With the support of the Scottish Government Improvement Service, the Early Years Department have prepared an online Comhairle Early Learning and Child Consultation which will be shared with communities across the Authority on the CnES Webpage, Social Media channels and through our Early Years settings.
The link will go live on the 22nd April and close on the 13th June 2025. The Consultation aims to target those who have previously used ELC, those who currently use ELC and those who will use it in the future.
Statutory 2 year consultation process.
The Improvement service have sent the live link to the Consultation for Authority to share on its Website and Social Media Channels (see above). When the Consultation closes the Improvement Service will collate the data and return the responses in the form of a report to the EY Department by the end of June so we can analyse the data.
QR Code below to the Consultation that can also be shared on our Social Media channels but also be made available in schools, Nurseries, Parant is Paiste Groups, GP Practices etc to ensure we reach as many people as possible.
Contact Details
Lionacleit Education Centre
Lionacleit
Isle of Benbecula
United Kingdom
Equalities Monitoring
Please complete the Equalities Monitoring Form
This is used by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to provide essential statistical information about who participates in our consultations. The data is managed confidentially, is not personally attributable, and is processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act.