There is a current challenge across Moray to generate sufficient childcare spaces for 0-3 years and Wrap Around Childcare for school age children which is impacting all employment sectors. RAF Lossiemouth is working hard with local stakeholders to resolve this. In the short term, all personnel assigned to LOS who need childcare are advised to register for places as soon as assignment is confirmed. The RAF Lossiemouth Childcare Centre is currently significantly oversubscribed so parents are advised to also consider registering with other providers in the region in addition to this facility.
The Scottish Government funds 1,140 hours of early learning and childcare a year for all three, four and eligible two year olds. Entitlement starts at the commencement of the school term immediately following their 3rd birthday and it continues until they reach school age. You can use these hours with a maximum of two providers up to 50 weeks a year so you have flexibility of choice so you may choose to compress the entitled hours to term time only or spread out across the year. And as the funding goes direct to the provider, the funding follows wherever your child is being looked after. You just need to register your new provider.
Moray Council have a great online guide that helps parents understand their options – Your Choices – A parents guide to early years in Moray and if you want to learn a little more or apply for early learning and childcare funding please check out Early Learning & Childcare (ELC) – Moray Council. It has all the information you need including details of all local providers and childminders. This is also a great source of advice if you want to learn more about career in early years or childcare.
RAF Lossiemouth Childcare Centre
We have our own purpose built 140 plus space childcare facility that is located just by the camp gates. Run very much in partnership with the Station, the opening hours mirror core working hours and it offers childcare, early years and wrap around childcare for primary students attending the two local schools with a walking bus.
Places are in high demand with a strict priority allocation for those who are single serving parent or dual serving parent at RAF Lossiemouth. For more information please contact telephone the RAF Lossiemouth Childcare Centre direct : 01343 810888
Harley has loved every second of her time at the RAF Lossiemouth Childcare Centre. From a boisterous one year in full time childcare to the very mature, soon to be eight year old at the before and after school club, she has thrived at every stage and the support we have had from the centre, especially when I deployed was amazing. Demand for places is really high so get your name down early on the waiting list but we have just got a £1M extension built to create new places.
Cpl Trish James RAF Photographer