Nurseries funding support for outdoor play and learning

On 22 December 2020, the Scottish Government announced a new £1m Outdoor Clothing Fund, aimed at providers of funded early learning and childcare.

Guidance advises nurseries and other Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) settings to maximise the time that children spend outdoors to reduce the risks of COVID-19 transmission. It is also known that outdoor learning and fun can help to improve children’s wellbeing and resilience, as well as their physical and mental health. To ensure that more young children will be able to enjoy the benefits of outdoor activities, the fund will enable childcare providers to purchase outdoor winter clothing for those who need it most in their settings.

The fund will be open to any setting delivering universal funded ELC that is registered with the Scottish Care Inspectorate. Inspiring Scotland has been appointed as administrators of the fund, which will open on 15 January 2021.

You can register your interest in this funding now using this form. Once you have registered, you will receive the online application forms and links to other supporting information, guidance and criteria on the 15 January.

Our EQ Healthcare specialists act for many childcare providers and can offer support with funding, operations or any accounting and taxation issues. We understand the issues facing the sector and can deliver specific advice based on your circumstances.

If you’d like to discuss how we can help you, please get in touch with our EQ Healthcare team via healthcare@eqaccountants.co.uk or by calling one of our offices.