Insights gathered to date indicate that families find it difficult to navigate the childcare system. In response we have been considering what a digital service to simplify that process might look like.

In the Programme for Government we committed to begin work to phase in an expanded national offer for more families with two-year-olds, focusing on those who will benefit most. We already offer 1140 hours of high quality, funded early learning and childcare to around a quarter of families with two year olds who experience the most disadvantage.

We now have the highest number of two year olds ever accessing the existing funded 1140 offer and following years of work with the UK Government we now have new data sharing agreements in place which mean that, for the first time, local authorities are able to access much better information to allow them to identify and contact eligible families.

We will continue to work closely with local authorities and providers to maximise uptake of the existing offer as we develop plans to phase in the expansion.

Over the next year we will also work with local authorities and our partners in the sector to develop plans to expand access to around 40% of families in Scotland over time.

Further detail, including on the additional investment required to deliver the childcare expansion over this Parliament, will be set out at the Scottish Budget for 2024-25 later this year.

Latest Official Statistics covering the 2021-22 academic year show that there were 170 full-time first degree entrants aged 18 and under from the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland entering university from the Mid Scotland and Fife region. This number rises to 415 if you look at all aged entrants.

In Programme for Government we committed to providing the necessary funding to enable childcare workers delivering funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) in the Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) sector to be paid at least £12 per hour from April 2024. That includes childminders.

A communication issued to the sector on 6 September setting out more details on the commitment. This confirmed that the Scottish Government will work with COSLA and local authorities to support the implementation of this commitment and will set out further details in the coming months.

It is anticipated that payment to support delivery of this commitment will be provided through the sustainable rate setting process, as is currently the case for the ELC real Living Wage commitment.

The details of the Cabinet Sub-Committee are currently being determined.

The Care Inspectorate publishes annual statistics on the numbers of childminders operating across Scotland. The most recent data, for 2021, were published in September 2022 and are set out in the following table.

The details of the Cabinet Sub-Committee are currently being determined. As set out in the recent Programme for Government, the Sub-Committee will direct and support the cross-portfolio change required to improve outcomes for Scotland’s care experienced children, young people, adults, and families. The Cabinet Sub-Committee’s early tasks will include exploring the role that both prevention and philanthropy might play in delivering better outcomes.

The first meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee for the Promise will take place when the membership and remit have been confirmed.

The Scottish government collects and publishes data on school exclusions every other year. The most recent exclusion statistics for looked after children by setting can be found in the 2020-21 Education Outcomes for Looked After Children Report. The results from 2019 onwards are provided in the following table.

A table showing the number of social and affordable completions by local authority area can be accessed using the following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/affordable-housing-supply-programme-completions-updates/

The homes provided through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme comprise homes for social rent, for mid-market rent and for low cost home ownership. These homes take various forms including; new build homes, rehabilitation projects, conversions and off-the-shelf purchases of both new and second hand homes.