Highland Council is pushing ahead with plans to reshape childcare across the region, with councillors updated on progress at a meeting on Wednesday 25 February 2026.
The work focuses on delivering flexible, high quality early learning and childcare that genuinely fits the needs of remote and rural Highland communities.
At the heart of the project is a rethink of how the statutory 1140 funded hours sit alongside wider childcare needs.
That includes provision for babies, extended hours, holiday cover and school age childcare across a vast and varied geography.
The backdrop is not simple.
School rolls are declining in some areas, parents expect more flexibility than ever before, budgets are tight and regulatory scrutiny from the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland continues to increase.
Against that pressure, childcare is also seen as a frontline tool in tackling poverty.
The Highland Poverty and Equality Commission has identified it as a key theme in reducing child poverty and improving opportunity.
The council’s wider Delivery Plan has highlighted the development of a Single Care Model as a priority.
In practical terms, that could mean allowing staff trained in both child and adult care to move more easily between services, giving small communities greater resilience and flexibility.
In parts of Highland, pilots are already testing whether this more joined up approach can work on the ground.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise has also flagged childcare as critical infrastructure for the region’s economic future.
Its Rural Childcare Evidence Report, submitted to Scottish Ministers in May 2025, set out the scale of the challenge in rural areas and pointed to innovative models that could help address gaps.
A formal response to that report is still awaited.
Councillor John Finlayson, Chair of Highland Council’s Education Committee, said:
“By developing a Single Care Model we are recognising and responding to the unique circumstances of rural and island communities.
“The council is engaging with our communities to map demand, identify the barriers and propose practical change.
“Making the case for greater flexibility across services can assist in the recruitment and retention of staff and support our efforts for a more sustainable model which meets the expectations of modern-day Highland communities.”
Alongside the project update, councillors also heard progress on the Early Years Strategy, which aims to strengthen leadership, improve quality and build workforce skills.
For families in Highland, the issue is not abstract.
It is about whether parents can work, whether children can access consistent care and whether communities can remain viable.
In remote and island areas, childcare is not simply a service.
It is part of keeping the lights on.
