Following approval of the 2025/26 Scottish Budget Bill and Ministerial agreement on delivery plans, we are pleased to share an update on the new Bright Start Breakfasts fund with ADES. This email summarises key information on the fund, delivery timescales and next steps.
Overview of Bright Start Breakfasts
The Scottish Government is investing £3 million to expand access to breakfast clubs for thousands of primary school children across Scotland, providing access to a healthy and nutritious breakfast for children and enabling early drop off for working parents.
Breakfast clubs are used by many families to provide support at the start of the school day, with a range of models and service providers used in delivery. Building on this provision, Bright Start Breakfasts will increase access to breakfast clubs across Scotland for primary school children and their families and is focused on supporting those families who need it most.
This funding will enable existing breakfast clubs to expand their provision or support the establishment of new breakfast clubs where there is need. It will support families who need it most, including those on lowest incomes and those most at risk of living in poverty. It will provide access without regard to their ability to pay – including provision of free or subsidised low-cost service.
The Fund will contribute to the Scottish Government’s national mission to end child poverty as well as commitments to tackle food insecurity and build a system of school age childcare that meets the needs of children and families.
We will work in partnership with an external Fund Manager, who will deliver the fund and oversee end-to-end processes. The Fund Manager will be appointed in April.
Delivery and Associated timelines
The fund is expected to launch in mid-May 2025 for applications. It will be open to a range of applicants including schools, Local Authorities, third sector organisations, registered childcare providers, activity providers, and others not legally exempt from bidding to the fund. We will communicate clear guidance for applicants ahead of the fund opening.
Given the short lead time, the Fund Manager will play a key role in building interest and raising awareness of the fund and the application process ahead of its launch. Information will be made available to support drafting of applications, however we will work with the Fund Manager to ensure the application process is proportionate to the time available to apply.
To ensure applicants are notified of the outcome of their application ahead of the school summer holidays, the fund will only be open for a few weeks. A final timeline will be shared when the Fund Manager is appointed.
The aim is that breakfast club delivery through the fund would begin from the start of the academic year in August 2025, and funding will be made available to support delivery across the full academic year until end June 2026.
We are aware that these timelines are challenging and welcome support from stakeholders across the sector to share this message within their networks to raise awareness of Bright Start Breakfasts.
We will be back in touch with a further update after the Fund Manager has been appointed, including providing further information on proposed evaluation activities.
In the meantime, any queries on Bright Start Breakfasts can be directed to [email protected] and one of the team will reply as soon as possible.
Kind regards,
Christine
Christine Gilmore
Team Leader – Breakfast and Food Policy
Programme Management and Local Government Relations Unit
School Age Childcare Division
Directorate for Children and Families | Scottish Government