Enrolment

Early learning and childcare is education and care for young children, delivered in a caring and nurturing setting. Funded Early Learning and Children can be taken in a school nursery, a private nursery, voluntary organisations, or childminder.

2 year olds

Your child may be eligible to start early learning and childcare at the age of 2 years if you are a parent and in receipt of certain benefits.

Further information and an application can be made at: Funded early learning and childcare for 2-year-olds – Dumfries and Galloway Council.

3 and 4 year olds

All parents will receive a letter and registration form in the post for their 3-year-old at registration time. Parents will be asked to complete the registration form and return to their preferred provider enclosing a copy of their child’s birth certificate and proof of address.

Children moving to their second year of nursery will be provided with an ELC2 registration form from their provider. Parents who wish to change their provider for their child’s second year should collect a form from the provider and deliver to their new chosen provider.

Eligible children can receive up to 1140 hours a year of ELC. That works out at 30 hours per week during school term time or you can choose a provider that delivers the hours all year round.

The Council Webpage and Facebook has further information for parents about providers who deliver funded Early Learning and Childcare. For further information please visit: Funded early learning and childcare for 3 to 5-year-olds – Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Tax Free Childcare

Tax Free Childcare is an opportunity to help families with the cost of childcare and maximise their income and assist with the cost-of-living crisis. To qualify,  parents will have to be in work and each earning at least £120 a week and not more than £100,000 each per year, to be eligible to apply for help with the cost of purchased childcare, offering up to £2,000 per child per year, or £4,000 if a child is disabled. Parents can open an online account, which they can use to pay for childcare from a registered provider. For every 80 pence parents pay into these accounts, the government will add 20 pence.

Further information and an application can be made at:
Tax-Free Childcare: 10 things parents should know – GOV.UK.

To find out more about how we use your and your child’s information and how we work with partners such as your health visitor please visit Privacy statements – Dumfries and Galloway Council.