Council announces redesign of Early Years provision

At Cabinet on Tuesday 18 February, Councillors approved a redesign of South Ayrshire Council's Early Years provision.

Changes made to Early Years registration will allow parents and carers to choose from updated options for their child's pattern of attendance.

Families whose children attend Early Years Centres two full days and one half-day a week will now be able to choose these days flexibly.

Four Early Years Centres - Annbank, Space Place, Kincaidston, and Doonfoot - have low numbers of children attending for the full year.  These centres will therefore move to a term-time service provision from 20 August 2025. We will work with those families affected by the change to find an alternative provision.

Councillor William Grant, Education Portfolio Holder for South Ayrshire Council said: "South Ayrshire Council is dedicated to improving its provision of Early Years services. This includes providing a range of flexible attendance options tailored to better suit families' needs.

"Working with the families who may be affected by the reduction in operating hours across four Early Years Centres is of the utmost importance to the Council. We're taking an individual approach to ensure that a suitable alternative is available for every child."

Early Years Registration for August 2025 will open on 3 March. Information is available online here - Register for Early Learning and Childcare - South Ayrshire Council