Tier 4 information for ELC provision – update from Scottish Government

The Scottish Government has provided the following statement:

“All areas in mainland Scotland are to move into Level 4 of the Strategic Framework from 26 December 2021. 

Schools and nurseries will remain open (reopening according to their planned timetable), but only to vulnerable children and the children of ‘key workers’, this is in order to restrict the number of contacts as a precautionary measure to ensure sufficient time to assess the impacts of the festive period on community transmission in light of a new strain of the virus has emerged, prior to the full reopening of the sector.

Out of school care settings can also continue to operate, but as for nurseries, only for children in the priority groups. The aim is to return to the normal operation of services from 18 January.

This does not entail a return to critical childcare, or the operation of local Childcare Hubs, but rather the continued operation of settings with reduced numbers of children. Childcare accessed by eligible families would either be the regularly funded entitlement or require to be paid for by those families.

Supplementary guidance is being developed for publication later today, which will set out definitions for the categories of Keyworkers and Vulnerable Children. 

The guidance will also set out arrangements for staff and children who are clinically vulnerable, and provide as much information as we can about financial support available”

For updated guidance and signposting to relevant information that you may find useful,  visit the following:

CALA Practitioner Hub – Click here

CALA Parent Portal – Click here