Early learning and childcare - parents' views and use: survey findings 2022

Findings from a survey undertaken to explore use of, and views on, early learning and childcare (ELC) services among parents and other primary carers of children in Scotland who have not yet started school.


Appendix B: Data Tables

Tables referenced in the report are provided in this Annex. A full set of indexed tables setting out all the breakdowns presented within this report is provided in the Excel Supporting data tables file.

Sample - Profile of respondents (unweighted)

Table A1: Profile of survey respondents (unweighted)

Survey respondents

Gender of parent*

Result 1

Man

6%

Woman

93%

Other

0%

Prefer not to say

1%

Age of parent respondent*

Under 25

3%

25-29

13%

30-34

30%

35-39

33%

40-44

17%

45+

4%

Notes: * base all respondents: 8181 for gender, 7938 for age

Table A2: Profile of survey respondents (unweighted)

Survey respondents

Number of earners in household*

No earners in household

9%

Single earner household

23%

Double earner household

68%

Household type*

Single parent

16%

Two parents

82%

Other

1%

PNTS

1%

Children's age*

Under 1

11%

1

14%

2

19%

3

33%

4

41%

5

13%

Parents with children who have additional support needs**

No

86%

Yes

14%

Types of additional special needs

Autistic spectrum disorder

4%

English as an additional language

1%

Family circumstances (including bereavement and young carers)

1%

Hearing or visual impairment, or deafblind

1%

Language, speech and communication difficulties

7%

Learning difficulties or dyslexia

1%

Looked after by the local authority

1%

Physical or motor impairment, physical or mental health difficulty

1%

Social, emotional or behavioural difficulty

4%

Other

2%

* Base all respondents: 8181 ** Base all eligible for funded ELC: 7043

Table A3: Profile of survey respondents (unweighted)

Employment Status*

Full-time employment

33%

Part-time employment

40%

Self-employed

6%

Unemployed and looking for work

4%

Student

3%

Retired

<1%

Other

4%

Prefer not to say

2%

Household Income*

Less than £16,000

15%

£16,000 to £29,000

17%

£30,000 to £44,999

18%

£45,000 to £59,999

15%

£60,000 and over

23%

Prefer not to say

11%

Table A4: Profile of survey respondents (unweighted)

Survey respondents

Urban/Rural*

Large urban areas

28%

Other urban areas

33%

Accessible small towns

11%

Remote small towns

4%

Accessible rural

14%

Remote rural

7%

No postcode / unrecognised

4%

Ethnicity*

White

94%

Mixed or multiple ethnic groups

1%

Asian, Scottish Asian or British Asian

2%

African, Scottish African or British African

1%

Caribbean or Black

<1%

Other ethnic group

<1%

Prefer not to say

2%

English as an additional language*

Yes

18%

No

80%

Prefer not to say

1%

Physical or mental health condition*

Yes

15%

No

80%

Don't know

1%

Prefer not to say

4%

Notes: * base all respondents: 8181

Profile of the sample

Profile of survey the respondents

The profile of the survey respondents was reviewed to establish the extent to which the core analysis sub-groups (age, working status, income, household type, etc.) were inter-related. This suggests the sample contained two broad groupings each with a number of common characteristics:

  • first, younger, lower income parents, who tend to be a single parent households, disproportionately not working, and disproportionately living in the most deprived areas
  • second, older parents, earning towards the higher income brackets, with two parent households, more likely to have two working parents, and less likely to live in deprived areas
Table A5: Profile of survey respondents: all and those aged under 25 and aged 30-34

All

Aged under 25

Aged 30-34

Household type

Single parent

17%

58%

16%

Two parent

83%

42%

84%

Base

8007

237

2305

Employment status

0 parents in work

9%

37%

9%

1 parent in work

24%

46%

23%

2 parents in work

67%

16%

68%

Base

8007

237

2305

Income

Less than £16,000

16%

53%

16%

£16,000-£29,999

17%

28%

18%

£30,000-£45,999

18%

8%

21%

£45,000-£59,000

15%

2%

17%

£60,000+

23%

0%

19%

Base

8181

245

2344

Deprivation

Most deprived

18%

42%

20%

Other

82%

58%

80%

Base

7552

224

2176

Age:

  • 58% of under 25s are a single parent households, compared to only 10% of those aged 35-39 years old
  • 53% of under 25s earn less than £16,000, in contrast this is 10% for the older parents and 16% for the sample as a whole
  • the under 25s then make up the largest proportion of the most deprived compared to the older parents taking up the least (42% vs 13%)
Table A6: Age

Age

All

Under 25s

25-29

30-34

35-39

Household type

Single parent

17%

58%

33%

16%

10%

Two parents

83%

42%

67%

84%

90%

Base

8007

237

1043

2305

2593

Employment status

0 parents in work

9%

37%

19%

9%

5%

1 parent in work

24%

46%

32%

23%

20%

2 parents in work

67%

16%

49%

68%

75%

Base

8007

237

1043

2305

2593

Income

Less than £16,000

16%

53%

30%

16%

10%

£16,000-£29,999

17%

28%

25%

18%

14%

£30,000-£44,999

18%

8%

18%

21%

18%

£45,000-£59,999

15%

2%

10%

17%

16%

£60,000+

23%

0%

6%

19%

32%

Base

8181

245

1068

2344

2616

Deprivation (SIMD)

Most deprived

18%

42%

32%

20%

13%

Other

82%

58%

68%

80%

87%

Base

7552

224

984

2176

2447

Working status:

  • only 1% of under 25s households have two parents in work compared to 37% of those aged 35-39 years old
  • 32% of the top earners have two parents in work, compared to 4% of the lowest earners
  • 49% of the most deprived have no parents working while only 11% have two parents in work
Table A7: Working Status

Working status

All

0 parents in work

1 parent in work

2 parents in work

Age

Under 25s

3%

13%

6%

1%

25-29

14%

27%

18%

10%

30-34

29%

29%

28%

30%

35-39

33%

17%

28%

37%

40-44

17%

10%

16%

19%

45+

4%

4%

4%

3%

Base

7938

706

1823

5282

Household type

Single parent

17%

76%

42%

0%

Two parents

83%

24%

58%

100%

Base

8007

723

1864

5420

Income

Less than £16,000

16%

69%

27%

4%

£16,000-£29,999

17%

14%

28%

13%

£30,000-£44,999

18%

2%

17%

20%

£45,000-£59,999

15%

0%

8%

20%

£60,000+

23%

-

9%

32%

Base

8181

723

1864

5420

Deprivation (SIMD)

Most deprived

18%

49%

27%

11%

Other

82%

51%

73%

89%

Base

7552

669

1728

5019

Households type:

  • of those in a two parent household, there are only 2% of under 25s compared to 36% of those aged 35-39 year old
  • only 3% of two parent households have no parents in work, unlike 42% of single parent households
  • only 1% of highest earners are single parent households compared to 28% for two parent households, with the overall sample sitting at 23%
  • 42% of single parent households are in the most deprived category compared with 13% of two parent households
Table A8: Household type

Household type

All

Single parent

Two parents

Age

Under 25s

3%

11%

2%

25-29

14%

26%

11%

30-34

29%

28%

30%

35-39

33%

20%

36%

40-44

17%

12%

19%

45+

4%

3%

4%

Base

7938

1293

6518

Employment status

0 parents in work

9%

42%

3%

1 parent in work

24%

58%

16%

2 parents in work

67%

81%

Base

8007

1319

6688

Income

Less than £16,000

16%

59%

7%

£16,000-£29,999

17%

22%

15%

£30,000-£44,999

18%

7%

20%

£45,000-£59,999

15%

2%

18%

£60,000+

23%

1%

28%

Base

8181

1319

6688

Deprivation (SIMD)

Most deprived

18%

42%

13%

Other

82%

58%

87%

Base

7552

1220

6196

Additional support needs:

  • parent aged under 25 years were much less likely to have a child with ASN than parents aged 35-39 years (4% vs 29%)
  • parents with a child with ASN are less likely to both be in work compared with other parents (50% compared with 68%)
  • possibly linked to this, parents of a child with ASN are more likely to be on a low income (for example 23% earn less than %16K compared to 15% of other parents, whereas 14% earn more than £60,000 compared to 24% of other parents)
Table A9: Additional Support Needs

ASN

All

No

Yes

Age

Under 25s

3%

3%

4%

25-29

14%

13%

15%

30-34

29%

28%

30%

35-39

33%

34%

29%

40-44

17%

18%

17%

45+

4%

4%

5%

Base

7938

5871

974

Household type

Single parent

17%

17%

24%

Two parents

83%

83%

76%

Base

8007

5921

973

Employment status

0 parents in work

9%

9%

19%

1 parent in work

24%

23%

31%

2 parents in work

67%

68%

50%

Base

8007

5921

973

Income

Less than £16,000

16%

15%

23%

£16,000-£29,999

17%

16%

22%

£30,000-£44,999

18%

18%

15%

£45,000-£59,999

15%

15%

11%

£60,000+

23%

24%

14%

Base

8181

6035

1008

Deprivation (SIMD)

Most deprived

18%

17%

26%

Other

82%

83%

74%

Base

7552

5612

922

Income:

  • there is a large disparity of parents earning between £30,000-£44,999, they are more likely to be aged 35-39 years old than under 25 (33% vs 1%)
  • single parents comprise most (64%) of those earning less than £16,000, but just 7% of those earning between £30,000-£44,999, whereas 93% of those earning between £30,000-£44,999 are two parents
  • of those who are most deprived areas, 42% of those earning less than £16,000 live in deprived areas
Table A10: Income

Income

All

Less than £16,000

£16,000-£29,999

£30,000-£44,999

Age

Under 25s

3%

11%

5%

1%

25-29

14%

25%

21%

14%

30-34

29%

30%

31%

35%

35-39

33%

21%

27%

33%

40-44

17%

10%

13%

15%

45+

4%

3%

3%

3%

Base

7938

1243

1327

1441

Household type

Single parent

17%

64%

23%

7%

Two parents

83%

36%

77%

93%

Base

8007

1224

1324

1454

Employment status

0 parents in work

9%

42%

8%

1%

1 parent in work

24%

41%

40%

23%

2 parents in work

67%

17%

52%

76%

Base

8007

1224

1324

1454

Deprivation (SIMD)

Most deprived

18%

42%

27%

15%

Other

82%

58%

73%

85%

Base

7552

1174

1266

1375

Profile of childcare: use by parents of children aged three to five

Q:SQ3 – Which of the following types of childcare and early learning to you use for your children? Bases 3-5s 6,875

Table A11: ELC use (3-5s), by no. of parents in work, income, age of parent, and English as an additional language

FELC

Paid-for

Regular informal

Occasional informal

Number of parents in work

None

94%

3%

3%

4%

One

95%

14%

14%

8%

Two

94%

28%

32%

11%

Income

Less than £16,000

95%

7%

10%

6%

£16,000-£29,999

93%

17%

18%

8%

£30,000-£44,999

94%

19%

26%

11%

£45,000-£59,999

94%

26%

36%

12%

£60,000+

96%

39%

34%

8%

Age of parent

Under 25

94%

6%

8%

7%

25-29

94%

14%

16%

9%

30-34

95%

18%

26%

9%

35-39

95%

26%

28%

10%

English as a second language

Yes

91%

21%

13%

7%

No

95%

22%

28%

10%

Omnibus tables

An omnibus survey of parents with children in Scotland was also undertaken to inform the main survey design. It used a cut-down version of the draft questionnaire and was used to inform the study design and provide context for the analysis. Key tables from the omnibus are provided below.

Table A12: Omnibus data

Number of children aged under 6

Omnibus respondents

Under 1

32

19%

1 year old

29

17%

2 years old

43

26%

3 years old

46

28%

4 years old

53

32%

5 years old

20

12%

Base

162

Use of funded ELC (all children aged 3-5 years)

My child is currently attending funded early learning and childcare (or starts in the next few weeks)

82

79%

My child is not currently attending funded early learning and childcare, but has done so since August 2021

3

3%

My child does not currently attend funded early learning and childcare, and has not done so since August 2021

11

11%

Don't know

8

8%

Base

104

Types of funded ELC used (children who use FELC aged 3-5)

Local authority nursery class

45

53%

Private nursery

33

39%

Playgroup (i.e. where child attends without parent/ carer)

8

9%

Community/ voluntary nursery

4

5%

Family centre (i.e. where child attends without parent/ carer)

3

4%

Childminder

3

4%

Other

1

1%

Base

85

Main reasons for using funded ELC (children who use FELC aged 3-5)

It will be/ was good for my child's social, emotional and/ or behavioural development

61

72%

It will be/ was good for my child's learning

57

67%

It will help/ helped build my child's independence/confidence

55

65%

To work or look for work

46

54%

It will be/ was good for my ability to help my child's learning and development at home

31

36%

To reduce the burden on grandparents/ because informal care not available

31

36%

To have more time for household tasks such as cooking, DIY, etc

22

26%

To have more time to look after myself (ourselves): to rest, de-stress, exercise, socialise, etc.

21

25%

To increase the no. of hours that I/ my partner work

17

20%

To study or improve work-related skills

9

11%

To have more time to look after other children

9

11%

Other

1

1%

Don't know

3

4%

Base

85

How many hours of funded ELC used per week (children who use FELC aged 3-5)

Term-time

School holidays

None

1

1%

35

41%

1-5

6

7%

3

4%

6-10

3

4%

2

2%

11-15

8

9%

4

5%

16-20

19

22%

10

12%

21-25

16

19%

11

13%

26-30

17

20%

6

7%

More than 30

13

15%

8

9%

Don't know

2

2%

6

7%

Base

85

85

Types of childcare used (all with preschool children)

Childcare or early learning that I pay for myself

59

35%

Informal childcare (e.g. grandparent, other relative, friend) on an occasional or irregular basis

58

35%

Informal childcare (e.g. grandparent, other relative, friend) on a regular or frequent basis

53

32%

Other

2

1%

None of these

40

24%

Don't know

9

5%

Base

162

How to access background or source data

The data collected for this social research publication:

☐ are available in more detail through Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics

☐ are available via an alternative route

☒ may be made available on request, subject to consideration of legal and ethical factors. Please contact socialresearch@gov.scot for further information.

☐ cannot be made available by Scottish Government for further analysis as Scottish Government is not the data controller.

Contact

Email: socialresearch@gov.scot

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