SCMA has published another major report on funded ELC and the childminding workforce. This is our annual overview of local authority progress in involving childminders in the delivery of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC). It also includes the latest detailed analysis and projections on the childminding workforce in Scotland. 

The main findings show that the number of childminders involved in delivering funded ELC has increased in both age categories. However, disparities continue to exist between the number of childminders approved by local authorities to deliver funded ELC and those actually delivering.

Throughout ELC expansion childminders have consistently reported that these disparities are caused by local authorities approving childminders to deliver funded hours, but then not promoting their services equitably alongside their own nursery provision as an option to parents for receiving their statutory entitlement of funded hours. This is also reflected in our recurrent childminder survey findings.

Alongside this, it is appropriate to acknowledge the Scottish Government’s support for childminding and SCMA’s work, through earlier pilots and currently through the ongoing three-year Programme for Scotland’s Childminding Future (PSCF) which has created the opportunity for 30 local authorities to engage in partnership working to support childminder recruitment and retention this year. 

However, it is also appropriate to caution that any lessening of this support for childminding at this critical stage could undermine the progress made and the potential which we are starting to see.

Read more about our Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Audit 2025 HERE