To our understanding applicants can only apply for the periods given and the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) has been tapering off recently, based on the original governmental assumption that the need for financial support would gradually reduce. 

Currently, we do not believe the UK Government intends to continue either the Job Retention Scheme (furlough) or SEISS beyond the latest instalment. 

We do agree it unfair that applicants can only apply for a forward period (in this case May-September 2021) based on their reduction in turnover from April 2020 - April 2021, as this does not reflect if income is continuing to reduce and is expected to be lower than last year over the next few months. 

We have taken financial advice regarding this from Mark McDowall, McDowall Accountancy Solutions, with whom we work, who has provided the following helpful advice:

“The SEISS - 5 grant is based on your turnover figures. A self-employed business must use the turnover figures of a 12-month period that started from 1 April 2020 to 5 April 2021. This is essentially your turnover for tax year 2020-2021.

“There should be many childminders that already have that figure available to them from their annual accounts preparation and tax return submission, but if your books are still not prepared then you must work out the turnover figures.

“Please remember that you do not include previous SEISS grants, business support grants and local authority grants in working out your recorded sales.  When working out your turnover for SEISS - 5 you do not include grants in working out the eligibility. (This should not be mistaken from the inclusion of these grants in your tax return income, as they are fully taxable).

“The next stage in working out your eligibility for the grant is to use a comparative reference year which for most business will be the turnover reported in the 2019/2020 tax return. If your sales were relatively poor in this year, then the tax payer can use the figures reported from the 2018/2019 tax return.

“If the 2020/21 turnover has reduced by 30% or more compared to the turnover in the reference period, the grant will be 80% of three months average profits capped at £7,500. In other cases where the reduction in turnover is less than 30%, the grant is 30% of three months average profits capped at £2,850.”

Further useful information can be accessed on McDowall Accountancy Solutions’ Facebook page.

We are aware that many childminders have continuing concerns about their business sustainability and that their income could decrease further linked to the increasing loss of business due to families self-isolating (which is causing increasing problems for many at this time) and, in some cases, restrictive offers for blended placements after the summer. 

We are in active on-going discussion with the Scottish Government about both the impact of self-isolation and other restrictions on childminders and the need for more financial support linked to self-isolation and business sustainability and/or a relaxation of restrictions. 

Based on the current Childminder Services Guidance from the Scottish Government and Health Protection Scotland, you should arrange for the child to go home and ensure they are in a well-ventilated area, away from the other children, whilst being appropriately supervised until they are picked up. 

The child should then isolate within their household and book a test (where age appropriate) and follow the Test and Protect guidance. Read more about the guidance for households with possible COVID-19 infection.

The operating guidance for childminding services does not suggest a need for you to close your setting if this happens or inform the parents using your service. However, your local Health Protection Team will give you further guidance, and this may vary in different areas, depending on the prevalence and transmission rate in your area.

Please ensure that you also inform the Care Inspectorate of any confirmed or suspected outbreak of an infectious disease via Care Inspectorate eForms.  

If you or a member of your household has symptoms of COVID-19, you must cease to operate the service and follow the Health Protection Scotland guidance for households with possible COVID-19 infection.

You should also contact the NHS to arrange to be tested at 0800 028 2816 or nhsinform.scot. You can find more information on the COVID-19 Test and Protect webpage.

Childminders must also notify the Care Inspectorate in the event of any confirmed or suspected outbreak of COVID-19, notifications are available through eForms. The childminding service can only resume once the period of isolation is over.

In the first instance, please refer to the Childminder Services Guidance, which provides up to date advice in relation to COVID-19, and you can read more about Test and Protect here. Contact NHS Inform by phoning 0800 028 2816 or nhsinform.scot regarding Test and Protect arrangements and to advise on self-isolation.

If you have any additional concerns, contact your local Health Protection Team who can assess the situation and offer advice regarding your setting. Find details of your local Health Protection team here.

Childminders must also notify the Care Inspectorate of any confirmed or suspected outbreak of an infectious disease via Care Inspectorate eForms and may also require to inform the local authority.

Childminders should follow the wider public health guidance about meeting other indoors and outdoors, depending on your local area’s current restriction Level (0-4). Check your local authority level

It’s also important to remember that two-metre physical distancing should be maintained between childminders, but children under 12 do not count towards the total number of people or households in a gathering and do not need to maintain physical distance from others.
 
Other things to consider, as per the current social distancing guidelines: 

• minimise the number of meetings you have with people from other households each day
• stay at least two-metres away from anyone who is not part of your household (unless in a public venue that is operating one-metre distancing with additional measures being in place to avoid transmission)
• maintain hand and cough hygiene
• avoid touching hard surfaces with your hands
• wash your hands when you arrive, when you leave, when you get home and especially before eating or after touching surfaces
• do not share food or utensils

 
In terms of sharing toys and resources, this is allowed but childminders should consider the application of the Childminding Services Guidance in relation to the use of materials and toys among children, cleaning and hygiene guidance and: 

• childminders will wish to update their risk assessments to take account of these meetings, and where they’re part of a blended care model would wish to engage with the other service provider to share updated risk assessments;
• parents should be engaged with to ensure that they are content with the meetings and the additional risks that this poses, including the additional range of contacts which would be impacted should there be a need for any contact tracing to take place.

In addition, those at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 (including those who had been shielding, people aged 70 and over, people who are pregnant and people with an underlying medical condition) should strictly follow the physical distancing guidance.

Evidence shows that being outdoors is good for the overall health and wellbeing of children - and we know that outdoor environments can limit transmission of the virus.

Where childminders have access to a garden and/or outdoor space, they should try to use this space as much as possible across the day, taking the necessary precautions to protect children from the elements. This includes suitable clothing in colder months and head coverings and sunscreen in warmer weather. 

It is important to stress that there is no expectation, based on the current guidance, for childminders to spend more time outside than they usually would with their mindees. Childminding already include a good balance of outdoors play, learning and discovery which childminders are encouraged to continue.

The Childminding Services Guidance also does not include any requirement to move current play and learning opportunities outside nor require childminders to buy additional outdoors equipment. 

Current childminding practice should support adherence to the Childminding Services Guidance - which provides detail on a number of requirements including hygiene, infection control and ventilation.  

Children in your childminding setting can use a paddling pool, provided that you undertake a full risk assessment, obtain parental consent, the children are not left unattended at any time, and the item and equipment are being used in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Paddling pools are not specifically referred to in the Childminder Services Guidance; however, it does refer to playing with water, and childminders should also take account of the guidance to ensure all infection risks are minimised: “Resources such as water and playdough can be used as usual, with additional cleaning of equipment used. Water and playdough should be replaced on a daily/sessional basis.”

In addition, a specific risk assessment for paddling pool use should be undertaken to minimise any possible infection risk. For example, there is an increased opportunity for little ones to ‘piddle’ in the pool – therefore childminders should take this into consideration and possibly limit the number of children using it at the same time and/or have two pools.    

In warm weather, you may find that other types of water-based play can also be explored, such as pouring and measuring, splashing and swirling your hands in water, using spray bottles, hoses and sprinklers. These are just a few ideas to try out, again with necessary risk assessments in place.

Childminders who wish to attend ‘unregulated organised children’s activities’ such as toddler or parent/carer and baby groups, which are supervised and operating in accordance with the guidance, can do so in the same way a parent and their children would. 

The guidance for organised children’s activities does not set a universal limit on the number of adults who can attend, this is determined by the individual venue’s capacity and ability to maintain two-metre distancing between adults. 

Please ensure that you are up to date with the current guidance here.

Please note: Childminders who wish to arrange activities/meeting up with other childminders in outdoor environments and public places may do so taking account of the household meeting guidance for the Protection Level in their local authority area. Find out what COVID-19 Level your local area is in here and enter your postcode. 

Childminders will already be familiar with the on-going self-evaluation procedure with the Care Inspectorate; already having systems and paperwork in place as part of previous self-assessments and updating these regularly. This new question ‘Key Question 5’ is purely an extra element that is specific to COVID-19. 

This additional question is asking you to evaluate how you have been supporting children and families during COVID-19, by gathering information and evidence to support how you have implemented the national guidance for COVID-19, whilst ensuring positive outcomes for children and keeping them safe during this time.

The Care Inspectorate has developed a step-by-step guide to help you with this, and it is very easy to follow, where you will be able to identify and recognise your strengths and possible areas for improvement. The guide also provides a selection of ‘very good’ and ‘weak’ examples to help you when you are reflecting on your own setting and practice. 

Read the Care Inspectorate’s guide to self-evaluation during COVID-19

We would encourage childminders to read the above guide carefully, and then complete the Care Inspectorate’s Key Question 5 Self-Evaluation Tool as soon as possible. This will form part of your on-going and continual self-evaluation.

Download the Key Question 5 Self-Evaluation Tool from the Care Inspectorate

Completed self-evaluations that are requested by the Care Inspectorate will be used to assess how well the setting is managing the COVID-19 situation. Consideration will be made as to whether further scrutiny is required and support on-going improvement.  

Need more support?
The Care Inspectorate has a series of online bitesize resources on the Hub, which will support services to complete their Key Question 5 self-evaluation.  

The sessions share some pointers and reminders which will help raise knowledge on the information and detail required to ensure settings facilitate self-evaluation. Read more and access the bitesize resources  

Do I need to complete the new Key Question 5 if my setting is closed?
If your setting is closed, you don’t need to conduct self-evaluation. However, if and when you re-open your service, you will need to ensure you are assessing your setting on an on-going basis.

More information is available from the Care Inspectorate, and if you have any specific queries about this, please email information@childminding.org.

Childminders have been able to access asymptomatic PCR testing since February 2021. If you are concerned about being exposed to COVID-19, you can access an asymptomatic PCR test. 

Read more here and find out how to access PCR testing.

The First Minister has also announced an expansion of access to asymptomatic Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing for anyone in the population who wishes it and childminders can access this at home self-testing alongside the rest of the population. You can find details of how to access at home LFD testing here.

It is important to remember that the asymptomatic testing does not replace the safety measures and mitigations that you have put in place within your settings. We must all remain vigilant in continuing to follow all appropriate measures to ensure settings remain low risk environments.

If you have arranged a COVID-19 test because you (or someone in your household) is experiencing symptoms - yes, you would need to close your setting and self-isolate in line with the Childminder Service Guidance until you receive the result of your test. If it is negative, you are able to re-open your setting and continue with your childminding.

Similarly, if you have been contacted by the Test and Protect team and told to self-isolate, you would also need to close your setting. 

However, if you do not have symptoms and have arranged a COVID-19 test for your own reassurance, and you are otherwise fit and well, there is no need to close your setting or self-isolate whilst you are awaiting the result. If your result comes back positive for COVID-19, you will then need to self-isolate and follow the procedures outlined in the Childminder Service Guidance.

We have been advised by the Scottish Government that, for the time being, childminders must keep working within current Childminder Services Guidance and as such, visits are not permitted. To be clear this applies to all childcare provider settings.

The Scottish Government is aware that the current risk mitigations in childminding business may feel contradictory as restrictions ease in wider society, particularly when some household mixing indoors is now permitted and given that childminding settings are also childminders’ homes. 

However, there is still a need to be cautious when considering if and how any of the current risk mitigations for formal childcare settings can be eased, as Scotland moves through the protection levels and to avoid easing too many restrictions at once. 

We recognise that some childminders may be very keen to reintroduce visits, but we are also aware that others feel that they have worked very hard to maintain safety in their settings and are keen to avoid a sudden change. Some childminders may prefer a gradual reintroduction of visits once this is permitted, to minimise the potential impact for spreading infection, leading to self-isolation, closing a setting and loss of income. 

The Scottish Government is taking expert public health advice on whether any of the current mitigations in the guidance for the childcare sector can be eased over the coming months.

We will update you as soon as possible if there are any changes - but in the meantime, please continue to adhere to the existing Childminder Services Guidance.

When considering a new childminding arrangement, it is important and common practice for the parent and child to have one or two initial visits to your setting, in order to support the settling-in process. However, under current COVID-19 guidance you are unable to invite anyone into your home, and this would include prospective parents and their child(ren). Understandably, they will want to meet you and see your setting, so it is important to find other, safe ways of doing this. 

For example, you may wish to have a video call with the parent(s) to chat with them about your service, take them on a virtual tour of your setting and show them around as best you can. Under the current guidance, you may also consider meeting them in person, provided you meet outdoors and maintain a two-metre distance.  

For instance, going for a walk in the local park with your minded children and the new prospective parent and child.  Or, as some childminders have done, recording and sharing a story time, perhaps even sending a daily diary so that the new children and parents, can start to familiarise themselves with daytime routines and what goes on in your setting. We know childminders are very creative and you will find other ways to reassure parents their child is settling, e.g. window visits and sending regular pictures of their child in your setting.

Meeting and speaking with prospective parents and children this way, is a good way of reinforcing that you are taking the situation seriously and all necessary precautions are being taken to minimise risk and keep yourself and your minded children safe. You may find this puts your future partnership on a positive step – especially as positive relationships and trust are so important, and key to successful childminding.     

Yes, blended childcare placements are permitted.  The Childminder Services Guidance* now highlights that the previous preference for a single model of childcare has been removed in areas operating within Level 0-2. In Levels 3 and 4 single models of childcare are still preferred, but blended placements are allowed on a case-by-case basis.  

Blended Placements – Summary:  
- Level 0: all blended placements can go ahead, without restriction, provided they are supported by risk assessments. The previous preference for a single model of childcare has been removed. 

- Levels 1 and 2: blended placements need not be restricted provided that one of the settings is caring for fewer than 12 children and that individual placements do not involve more than two settings. The previous preference for a single model of childcare has been removed.
 
- In Levels 3 and 4 single models of childcare are preferred, but blended placements will continue to be allowed on a case-by-case basis.  

Please check what COVID-19 Level your local authority area is in.  

*The updated guidance can be implemented within your childminding setting from Monday 5 July; however, to allow time for making changes gradually, all settings have until Monday 19 July to begin operating within this new guidance. 

In line with current Scottish Government Guidance, anyone travelling anywhere - at home or abroad, must ensure they understand and follow the appropriate guidance for that area and we expect that travel restrictions and information on self-isolation at home and abroad will be updated regularly over the summer. 

Currently, where families have spent time in a red or amber listed country, they must self-isolate at home for 10 days before returning to your childminding setting. For further information, please refer to the Scottish Government’s guidance on international travel and managed isolation (quarantine). For foreign travel advice and information on red, amber and green list countries, you can also visit UK Government Foreign Travel Advice.  

Childminders are not enforcers. However, it’s important to remember that you have a duty of care for all the children and families using your service, as well as yourself and your own family. In the first instance, we would recommend that you speak with parents to highlight current guidance and their responsibilities, as well as your own duties and responsibilities.

You may also find it helpful to look at the recent resources developed by the Care Inspectorate and Parent Club, to help encourage safe behaviours by parents and carers. Printable A4 posters are available:

• A4 Poster: Important Steps (Full Text)
• A4 Poster: Five Important Steps
• A4 Poster: COVID-19 Symptoms

Childminders are not enforcers; however, it’s important to remember that you do have a duty of care for all the children and families using your service, as well as yourself and your own family. In the first instance, we would recommend that you speak with parents to highlight the guidance and what their responsibilities are, as well as your own duties and responsibilities.

You may find it useful to share the Staying Safe, Protecting Others guidance and our Information Sheet for Parents (which is also available as a print or online version, at the top of this page) with parents using your service, as a way of introducing and engaging a conversation. Hopefully, this will urge a change in behaviour, as well as a wider awareness of their actions and how it could impact on their childcare arrangements.

We understand that it can be tricky for childminders to balance this, as you will want to maintain a close, positive relationship with families; however, knowledge of potential non-compliance with the guidance and certainly where there has potentially be a serious breach i.e. a large gathering, this should be reported to the police in the same way any of us have the duty to do so.

In the cases of a private childminding arrangement, ultimately you can make a decision to give notice in line with your contract to cease childcare provision – although this should be a last resort, in order to try and maintain continuity of care for the child.

If you have a funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) arrangement with a family - it’s slightly different - as you have entered into a contract with the local authority, and you don’t want to be penalised for breaching it without a valid reason. In this case, you should first approach the local authority to tell them that you are considering this, and to highlight your concerns. The local authority (as the statutory funder of the provision) will need the opportunity to engage with the parent(s) and yourself to see if there is scope for resolution and/or to consider how to secure a robust alternative placement. 

It is common for colds and similar viral infections to circulate, especially as schools and other settings re-open. In many cases, children will be well enough to attend your setting; however, where they have quite a heavy cold, a parent / carer may make the decision to keep them at home to recover.

It is important to be clear about how COVID-19 symptoms differ from those of other infections that we normally see circulating at this time of year. For children with potential symptoms COVID-19 (including a new continuous cough, fever/high temperature or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste) they will need to self-isolate and seek a test through NHS Inform.

If, however, a child does not have symptoms of COVID-19 but has other cold-like symptoms, such as a runny or stuffy nose, they do not need to be tested and can continue to attend school and childcare settings, if they are otherwise well enough to do so. 

Please refer to the latest guidance from Scotland's National Clinical Director, which clarifies the difference between COVID-19 and other common infections. If you are still unsure, please contact your local Health Protection Team.

In addition, it’s important that children are dressed appropriately for outdoor play and learning – particularly if they have a cold. However, it is important to note that the common cold is a viral infection and is not caused by being outdoors. It is also worth remembering that  while there is still a strong emphasis on “maximising” the use of the outdoors, and “as much as possible” - current childminding guidance does not ask childminders move their practice outdoors, or indeed, to greatly change what they already do with their minded children in providing a balance of time indoor and outdoors.

The Scottish Government has confirmed that the current Childminding Services Guidance remains in place and will support the safe operation of childminding settings for childminders, their own families and the families using them at this time. This is under constant clinical review for currency and to take into account new developments including the new variant of the virus.  

If you or your household have been told to self-isolate, it is important to do so. The Scottish Government has introduced the ‘Self-Isolation Support Grant’ to provide those on low incomes (and meet the criteria) who need to self-isolate with a grant of £500. 

The Self-Isolation Support Grant is offered through the existing Scottish Welfare Fund, administered by local authorities in Scotland. These payments are designed to help ensure people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and their close contacts self-isolate for the required period to stop the onward spread of the virus.

The Self-Isolation Support Grant does not cover people who are self-isolating after returning to the UK from abroad, unless they have tested positive for coronavirus or have been told to stay at home and self-isolate by the Test and Protect Service. 

Read more and find out if you’re eligible and how to apply.

Childminders should undertake additional risk assessments with regard to their own safety and those of clinically vulnerable children, staff and other members of the household. 

Childminders requiring to shield should also have received a communication from the Chief Medical Officer regarding this which also acts as a Fit Note.

Children on the shielding list have been advised by the Chief Medical Officer not to attend regulated childcare services in person in Level 4 areas or during lockdown.

Parents can consult with their child’s clinical team who may advise that an individualised risk assessment could be undertaken with the childminder and arrangements put in place which may allow their child to attend.

Parents and carers have the right to choose the type of childcare that best suits their needs based on a provider neutral model.  This means that one provider type should not be promoted over another.

If childminding is not given as an option by your local authority, we would suggest the parent/carer raises this with the local council and MSP. To assist with this, SCMA has developed a template letter and a list of MSPs can be found here.

Please refer to SCMA’s Steps to Re-Opening for an overview of how to go about re-opening your childminding setting. 

Prior to reopening, you must contact the Care Inspectorate to advise of your updated operational status. 

To do this, you must complete a 'Changes to Service Delivery due to Coronavirus (COVID-19)' notification online.  This is a new notification that services must use to inform the Care Inspectorate about changes to how they operate that are specifically related to COVID-19. This is only available through eForms. If you do not update your status, the Care Inspectorate will still consider your service as closed.

The Scottish Government has published current Childminding Services Guidance, which helps to clarify the procedures that should be followed for childminding settings.

The Childminder Services Guidance includes information on:
• enhanced hand hygiene and cleaning practices
• caring for children in small groups
• minimising contact between those groups, where possible
• maximising use of outdoor spaces, where possible
• physical distancing between adults in the setting, including parents at drop-off and pick-up times.

The Care Inspectorate has developed a useful poster for childminders to use to help you keep children and families safe in their settings from the spread of COVID-19. Download the poster here.

In addition, SCMA has produced an information sheet for parents that outlines key infection control measures that childminders will be using within their settings. The aim of this is to reassure parents and set out requirements for childminders to ensure settings meet public health and social distancing guidance during COVID-19. Please us the links below to access:

Download our online information sheet
Download the print version of the information sheet

It should also be noted that all childminders must undertake a risk assessment based on the new guidance before opening and we have created a COVID-19 Risk Assessment Blank Template to assist you with this, available on the 'Resources, Guidance and Documents' section of the Membership Dashboard. 

No, childminding settings are not required to re-open at any specific time, the decision to re-open is a personal one for each childminder and their setting.  

If you choose to re-open your childminding setting, it is important to take the time you need to read and digest the Childminder Services Guidance to help you to implement measures to ensure the health and safety of everyone in your setting, and to prepare to welcome back children and families.

SCMA has developed a 'Steps to Re-Opening’ infographic that highlights the three key steps to re-opening, with some handy pointers to consider and links to further resources and support, and can read more here.

SCMA is a professional membership organisation and we have around 3800 childminder members in Scotland. We are not a governing body in the sense that we cannot mandate or enforce practice. Instead, we operate within official guidance for childcare and provide a range of support, advice and information to support childminders in their practice and business activities.

The subject of fees and what to charge parents during these exceptional times is an area on which we have received an increasing number of requests to provide advice to members recently. In parallel, we have also received some requests from parents regarding this. In aiming to do this, we fully recognise the individual nature of members’ businesses and that the final decision regarding what to charge is a personal decision. As such, our advice is only suggestive.

Graeme McAlister, Chief Executive of SCMA provided a full statement on the subject of childminder fees and charging parents in March 2020. The full statement is available on our website here.

SCMA has been working with our legal team to review our contracts and to ensure they meet the needs of our members whilst keeping in line with any legal obligations during COVID-19 and we will keep members up-to-date with any developments. 

Alongside this, SCMA met with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to discuss contracts, consumer cancellations and refunds - and you can read more here.

SCMA is very aware of the financial concerns of childminders and we are in regular contact and discussion with Scottish Government regarding what support is needed to protect childminding in Scotland.

SCMA worked with the Scottish Government to launch the Childminding Workforce Support Fund, enabling 1,015 childminders experiencing financial hardship to access small grants of £350.  The Childminding Workforce Support Fund has now closed to new applicants but there may still be other options available to you.   

The UK Government’s Self-Employment Income Support Scheme Grant Extension has been extended until May 2021. There will be more guidance from HMRC in due course. 

SCMA’s insurers are clear that you are covered, so long as you implement the appropriate steps and actions that are set out in government guidance and Health Protection Scotland guidance. This guidance is evolving all the time so you should regularly review this and ensure your systems and procedures are up to date.

As always, we would advise you to keep written records of the steps you have taken in your setting to ensure so far as is practicable, that children and any staff you have remain safe in your care. This would include adequate risk assessments and other appropriate measures put in place to avoid the spread of any infections, including COVID-19. 

SCMA has also produced an information sheet for parents that outlines key infection control measures that childminders will be using within their settings. The aim of this is to reassure parents and set out requirements for childminders to ensure settings meet public health and social distancing guidance during COVID-19. Please use the links below to access:

Download our online information sheet 
Download the print version of our information sheet 

We are also regularly monitoring the guidance and advice being issued in Scotland to ensure members are up to date with any changes.

In the event that a child or member of staff contract COVID-19 whilst at your setting, it will be important to have this documentation to evidence the steps you have taken to ensure safety and compliance with guidelines. This would be key to successfully defending any possible claim.

If you are not insured with SCMA, you need to check any requirements with your chosen insurance provider.

The COVID-19 crisis may have had a significant effect on the mental health and wellbeing of children of all ages.  Childminders continue to provide vital support to children and families – and can play a key role in offering positive support, engagement and activities to help children and young people feel safe, secure and as stable as possible during these unsettling times.  

We’ve collated weblinks to some useful resources and tools you can access to benefit children’s mental health and wellbeing within your childminding setting:

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CAMHS Resources is a great place to start when you’re thinking about mental health and wellbeing – for both you minded children and yourself. CAMHS is able to signpost you to a range of resources designed to help you and young people cope with such stress and uncertainty at this time. 

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The Natural Health Award was launched a few years ago for childminders in the Forth Valley area to encourage and recognise the health benefits of getting outside into nature at an early age, and the importance of being active and leading healthier lives. 

A new COVID-19 version of the Natural Health Award has been developed by NHS Forth Valley for all childminders and families across Scotland to use and focuses on good health and mental wellbeing in the great outdoors where at all possible.  

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Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Woodland Trust has been sharing ideas to help families keep children engaged and entertained while at home, including 'Nature Detectives' which has activities for nature-loving kids.

It's a fantastic way to discover the wildlife that's right on your doorstep too and includes a range of simple, nature-based activities that you can enjoy together at home, in your garden, or in your local wood. Read more about Nature Detectives from the Woodland Trust

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The Virtual Nature School is a service offered by the non-profit organisation called ‘Living Classrooms’ and they became virtual as a direct response to the needs of families when schools and nurseries were closed due to COVID-19. 

The aim of the Virtual Nature School is to equip early years practitioners with skills to work outdoors with young children through nature-based, inquiry-led learning – whilst providing children with fun, engaging daily activities and interaction with their peers from home. 

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The Parent Club website is a really useful resource from the Scottish Government and is also worth sharing with the parents and carers that use your childminding service. During COVID-19 they have developed a range of resources and tools to support children and you people’s mental health. 

Parent Club has also developed a new content hub on their website (parentclub.scot/startback) which includes information about the new guidelines, a wide range of Q&As and how to support children. 

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Children in Scotland has produced a new resource for teachers and practitioners to support children and young people’s understanding of their wellbeing. Their free resource ‘Improving Children and Young People’s Understanding of their Wellbeing’ aims to provide a hub for information on wellbeing, promote easy and open access to practical tools and information and complement other, existing resources and approaches.

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Salvesen Mindroom Centre has developed a ‘Back to School’ toolkit to support children and young people with learning difficulties as they transition to school.  

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Lucy's Blue Day is a resource that was highlighted to us by some of our members, which is a story about Lucy with magical hair that changes colour with her emotions. At lucysblueday.com you can access a range of videos, free resource and tips - plus a free e-book version of 'Lucy's Blue Day', which is designed to help children realise they’re not alone in the current conditions with COVID-19.

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The Mental Health Foundation has a quick guide that aims to outline the scale of the challenge that pupils and schools are facing, whilst providing practical advice and support for parents, teachers and other practitioners supporting pupils as they prepare to return to school in August. The website also contains other useful publications such as Tips for Parents and Caregivers. 

• To find out what COVID-19 tier your local area is in, please click here and enter your postcode. 
• You may also find it helpful to know what you can and cannot do in Scotland. 

Under the Scottish Government’s new Strategic Framework to support local restrictions (Levels 0-4) the intent is to keep both education and childcare open in all levels. Standing Operating Measures are in place for all levels, and childminders should refer to the Childminding Services Guidance for the measures within each tier. 

For Levels 3 and 4 additional enhanced measures may apply, subject to advice from local Directors of Public Health. Full details of the restrictions and any additional guidance will be available from the Scottish Government following the announcement, which will include the impact (if any) on childcare settings. 

In short - yes, in some circumstances, dependent on the appropriate risk assessments being in place and reducing the potential for transmission of infection. Reference should be made to both the Childminding Services Guidance and the School Age Childcare guidance. Blended placements within these documents are defined as follows:

• Blended placements in school age childcare is defined as “two or more settings, either in educational establishments, other childcare providers, or the wider community”.

• Blended placements in CSG is defined as “This relates to children attending more than one ELC setting (i.e. nursery and a childminder) and also to where childminders are involved in the provision of out of school care.”

The Childminding Services Guidance states that parents and carers should be encouraged and supported to limit the number of settings their child attends, ideally attending one setting only. However, the guidance also states that the balance of scientific advice supports the use of more settings where required to ensure high quality childcare is available to children and in support of parents’ needs.

It also goes on to include useful guidance to support this including detail regarding aiming to only use the same settings(s) consistently, hygiene measures to be considered for blended placements, confirms that childminders can undertake drop-off and pick up from nurseries and primary schools, and also includes details about record keeping to assist with Test and Protect.

While neither document explicitly sets a maximum on the number of settings, where blended placements are considered necessary to meet parents/carers’ needs for quality, flexible childcare, the guidance does seek to minimise the number of settings involved and to ensure consistency of setting(s) where possible so as to minimise movement between settings and reduce the risk of transmission of infection. 

If it is deemed that there is no alternative to this model in order for the parent to have the flexibility they require for childcare, then all settings should ensure they have carried out the appropriate risk assessment and shown how they are mitigating risk, particularly by limiting contacts for children.  Ideally risk assessments, or relevant information from them, should be shared between settings.

The childminder should ensure she/he has a conversation with the other settings to see how this can best be managed.

Childminders should follow the guidance that applies specifically to the area that you live in, regardless of where the children you care for live. For example: if you live, and your childminding setting is in a Level 3 area, you should follow the guidance associated to Level 3. 

It’s important to be familiar and access the Childminder Services Guidance, which details the operating procedures for each of the levels and how you should apply this to your setting.   

SCMA members may be aware that the union, UNITE, has established a childminding branch in Scotland. For clarity, the UNITE branch is not connected with SCMA – both are separate, independent organisations.  

Individuals can choose to join as many membership organisations as they wish and are eligible to, and where they believe there is value in doing so. Membership of SCMA or UNITE does not affect membership of the other in any way, nor does SCMA need to know if our members are also members of any other organisation. 

SCMA works constructively with a wide range of stakeholders. We received contact from UNITE and offered to meet with them; however, the organisation decided it would prefer not to meet at this time. Our offer to meet to discuss childminding remains open.   

SCMA is the only national organisation in Scotland dedicated to, and specialising in, providing childminding-specific support to childminders in all areas of childminding practice and representing the views and experiences of childminders. We will continue to do so.

The current Childminding Services Guidance provided by Scottish Government supports the safe operation of childminding settings at this time.  Supplementary guidance is also available for larger childminding settings (currently providing childcare for 12 or more children). 

The Scottish Government continues to consider childminding settings as “low risk”, based on scientific evidence and public health advice, this is due to the smaller numbers of children allowed within a childminding setting, compared to larger settings such as nurseries.    

We recognise that some childminders are understandably worried about their own safety given the current COVID-19 advice and requirements for the wider public to stay at home at this time and to avoid mixing.  SCMA understands the wider restrictions at a public level are of a precautionary nature aimed at reducing the risk of transmission of the virus within the wider community and larger childcare settings rather than any reflection on the safety within childminding settings. 

The Childminding Services Guidance provides detail about what measures are required highlights the standard protective measures which must be followed by all childminders in all levels. For those within Level 4, some additional enhanced protective measures (mainly around shielding) now apply. 

There is no requirement for childminders to remain open - this is an individual business decision. 

SCMA recognises that some childminders may feel less certain about remaining open or feel that they have to stay open to avoid letting down families, or for financial reasons. We also recognise that some childminders are understandably worried about their own safety given the requirement for the wider public to stay at home at this time and to avoid mixing.

SCMA takes the safety of childminders, your own families and the families using your settings very seriously. We also recognise the severe financial pressures continuing to be experienced by many childminding businesses. SCMA continues to participate in national recovery discussions to represent the concerns and experiences of childminding and we will continue to advocate for more financial support for childminding.

The Scottish Funding Council, who provide the guidance for Childcare Payments for colleges, has stated that payments to childcare providers should continue as usual, providing the provider is open (in line with Scottish Government guidance) and the student is attending and participating with their college programme.

Childminders (currently providing care for less than 12 children) are open to all children and families, as per the Scottish Government guidance, therefore payments should continue to be paid by the college. 

If you are having issues with a college regarding Childcare Payments, we would encourage you to get in touch with them, to clarify the position for childminders and highlight the information from the Scottish Funding Council, which states that payments should be made. You can access the relevant information from the Scottish Funding Council here. 
    
To help you with this, SCMA has produced an email template, which you can use to contact the college and support your claim. Download the email template here

The Scottish Government continues to consider childminding settings as “low risk”, based on scientific evidence and public health advice, and we understand the wider restrictions at a public level are of a precautionary nature aimed at reducing the risk of transmission of the virus within the wider community rather than any reflection on the safety within childcare settings.

The Scottish Government has confirmed that the current Childminding Services Guidance remains in place and will support the safe operation of childminding settings for childminders, their own families and the families using them at this time. This is under constant clinical review for currency and to take into account new developments including the new variant of the virus.  

SCMA is very aware of the financial concerns of childminders and we are in regular contact and discussion with Scottish Government regarding what support is needed to protect childminding in Scotland.

SCMA worked with the Scottish Government to launch the Childminding Workforce Support Fund in July 2020, with a second phase launched in October, enabling a further 1,015 childminders experiencing financial hardship to access small grants of £350.  The Childminding Workforce Support Fund has now closed to new applicants but there may still be other options available.

The Scottish Government established the Childminding Business Sustainability Fund (£3.2 million), which closed for applications in March 2021. Grants of £750 were made to the childminders who applied by April 2021.

SCMA actively promoted the Fund and how to apply on our website, social media, as well as direct emails to all childminders across Scotland to highlight the deadline for applications, to ensure that childminders did not miss out on this opportunity.  

The UK Government’s Self-Employment Income Support Scheme Grant Extension has been extended until the end of September 2021. Guidance will be provided by HMRC directly.