Childminding is still the most widely used form of paid day care.  It is a challenging and rewarding career and to develop the skills needed to provide quality services, childminders must have the opportunity to explore their learning and development needs, and then access training opportunities to meet these needs. 

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) is responsible for regulating the education and training of people who work in Social Services. Their role is to raise standards of practice to increase public confidence in the Sector. The SSSC publishes Codes of Practice for Social Services Workers and Employers. Childminders although not required to register with the SSSC, fall within the definition of Social Service workers and therefore must adhere to these Codes. One of the statements within these Codes is workers must “be accountable for the quality of their work and take responsibility for maintaining and improving their knowledge and skills.”

SCMA has developed a Training Framework to help childminders attain these skills. The framework provides childminders with the opportunity to become actively involved in their own development, at a pace that meets their needs. This system has benefited thousands of newly registered and established childminders, enabling them to provide quality childminding services for Scotland's children.

From the point of induction to the attainment of a recognised qualification, SCMA endeavour to present learning opportunities on the issues most pertinent to childminding.