Evaluation report: Evaluating Cross‑Boundary Childcare Provision in Scotland: Insights from an Edinburgh Case Study
Published: 2 April 2026
2 April 2026: A new Evaluation Report based on research by the Centre for Public Policy and commissioned by Pregnant Then Screwed, assesses the impact of a policy decision by City of Edinburgh Council to restrict access to childcare provision for ‘cross‑boundary families’, offering learnings for future policy development and implementation.
2 April 2026: A new Evaluation Report based on research by the Centre for Public Policy and commissioned by Pregnant Then Screwed, assesses the impact of a policy decision by City of Edinburgh Council to restrict access to childcare provision for ‘cross‑boundary families’, offering learnings for future policy development and implementation.
Read the report: Evaluation report: Evaluating Cross‑Boundary Childcare Provision in Scotland: Insights from an Edinburgh Case Study
The Evaluation Report is the result of research undertaken by the University of Glasgow’s Centre for Public Policy, commissioned by Pregnant Then Screwed, and it provides a snapshot of the early effects of a policy decision by City of Edinburgh Council to restrict access to childcare provision for cross‑boundary families.
Authors:
- Dr Claire MacRae, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, Centre for Public Policy, University of Glasgow
- Dr Hannah Salamon, Research Associate, Centre for Public Policy, University of Glasgow
- Dr Dan Fisher, Research Associate, Centre for Public Policy, University of Glasgow
About this report
This research was undertaken by the University of Glasgow’s Centre for Public Policy, commissioned by Pregnant Then Screwed. It assesses the impact of the City of Edinburgh Council’s (CEC) policy decision to restrict access to private, voluntary and independent childcare provision for cross‑boundary families - families who want to access their funded childcare entitlement with a provider located in a different local authority area from where they live.
It provides a snapshot of the early effects of this policy change on parental access, affordability, choice, and the overall sustainability of the local Early Learning Childcare (ELC) system.
The evaluation looks at the effects of this policy change on parental access, affordability, and choice, in accessing childcare provision. It identifies the challenges arising from the policy’s implementation, including impacts on childcare costs, parental employment opportunities, and patterns of childcare use for parents outside of Edinburgh.
The findings aim to support future policy development and effective local implementation.
Download and read the report
Read the report: Evaluation report: Evaluating Cross‑Boundary Childcare Provision in Scotland: Insights from an Edinburgh Case Study
First published: 2 April 2026
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Download and read the report
Read the report:
Evaluation report: Evaluating Cross‑Boundary Childcare Provision in Scotland: Insights from an Edinburgh Case Study