The First Minister has confirmed that from today (Monday 17 May), most areas of Scotland* will go down to level 2 and will therefore see a relaxation of a number of rules, including being able to mix with other households indoors. A number of you have been in touch to ask whether this means that visits will be able to re-commence. We have been in contact with Scottish Government and have been advised that, for the time being, childminders must keep working within current childminding guidance and as such, visits are not permitted. To be clear this applies to all childcare provider settings.

As we continue to #CheerforChildminding and celebrate the fantastic work of childminders across Scotland, we caught up with SCMA member Katrina Skelton, who has been childminding in the Scottish Borders for over 20 years. Read on to find out why she loves her job so much, and hear from one of her parents who explains why Katrina’s service has become a lifeline for so many families in her local community.

To celebrate the launch of our new three-year strategy earlier this week, and to help you #CheerforChildminding whilst out and about in your community - we would like to offer SCMA members the chance to get their hands on a new #TeamSCMA t-shirt.

SCMA has today (11 May 2021) launched a new, national three-year strategy aimed at changing public perceptions of childminding and fundamentally re-defining how it is viewed by parents, policy makers, other childcare providers and the wider public.

Childminding Week 2021 is here! Proudly hosted by SCMA, Childminding Week is an annual awareness event to celebrate the fantastic, high quality work of childminders throughout Scotland.

Update for childminders regarding fees and self-isolation (5 May 2021)

The Scottish Government has launched a survey for registered childminding services in order to understand the factors affecting your current financial sustainability including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on your services.