Mark McDonald MSP, Minister for Childcare and Early Years, is to deliver the welcome address at the forthcoming SCMA Annual conference which is scheduled to take place at the Carnegie Conference Centre, Dunfermline on Saturday 1 October 2016.
With a theme of Shaping The Future of Childminding, the conference will take a look at the bigger role that childminding plays in the local community, asking What does the future holds for this Early Learning and Childcare service? Early Years experts Suzanne Zeedyk and Aline-Wendy Dunlop will analyse the role of the childminder and their evolving place in the early years sector and there are a variety of workshops available such as Outdoor Play, Child-Led Participation and Community Childminding that all come with certificates of attendance.
“We warmly invite all to attend the SCMA Annual Conference,” said Maggie Simpson, Chief Executive of SCMA. “We know that childminders provide so much more that ‘just childcare’ in their local community, but how often is this appreciated by the public and other childcare professionals? This is our chance to get to together to ensure that childminding keeps on gaining the respect and reputation it deserves and to help shape the future of this essential service in our communities.”
Changes in the Early Years sector mean childminding has reached a crossroads. Recently, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, recognised the importance of childminding while announcing the development of a new learning pathway for the profession, saying: “Childminders do an absolutely crucial job for parents across Scotland, ensuring that their children are properly cared for while they go out and work. They play a vital role in children’s development, which helps to reduce social inequality and close the attainment gap. They will be central to our ambitions for a massive expansion of early learning and childcare in the years to come.”
Commenting on the announcement Maggie added: “This is something SCMA has been lobbying to have for some time and it is really encouraging that another piece has been added to the jigsaw that reflects the value of childminders and the positive impact they make to each child’s wellbeing. We are now working alongside the Care Inspectorate, Scottish Government, Education Scotland and the Scottish Social Services Council to develop this quality standard and bring childminding in line with the opportunities that are already enjoyed by the rest of the early years workforce. The conference will provide the ideal setting to share this work and gain further insight into what childminders actually want us to take forward on their behalf.”
To book your place at the conference, or find out more information, please call 01786 445377. SCMA members can book online now.