An Audit Scotland report published today (Thursday 1 June) outlines some of the challenges faced by the childcare sector - including childminding - following the introduction of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) 1140 hours provision.
The findings of
Early Learning and Childcare: Progress on delivery of the 1,140 hours expansion, echo the stark realities for the childminding workforce regarding the affect that the implementation of ELC policy, and where SCMA has been calling for urgent action.
Graeme McAlister, Chief Executive of SCMA, said: “
We are supportive of ELC policy, and in particular the aims to close the attainment gap and to support families with funded childcare. However, this latest report further underlines that the implementation of ELC policy at a national and local level has been problematic.
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SCMA has previously reported the devastating effect this has had on the childminding workforce in Scotland - with the loss of over 11,000 childminding places for children and families - and the opportunities which present to turn this around. The need for urgent targeted childminding-specific action is intensifying.”
Many parents choose childminding because of the flexibility it provides in a home-from-home, nurturing environment – if a childminder is a partner provider with their local authority, many parents should also be able to use their 1140 hours either in whole or in a blended form with a nursery.
SCMA Support and Influence
SCMA has been piloting a childminder recruitment pilot in remote and rural areas, and now within some urban areas too. The first phase of the campaign kicked off in March 2022, and from this, over 60 new childminders have completed or applied for registration with the Care Inspectorate to establish new businesses throughout these key, target areas.
The pilot is important because it is helping to successfully recruiting childminders in areas others have not been able to. With shortages of childminders all around Scotland well documented, demand outstrips supply - this is an important opportunity to establish more childminding businesses which provide a rewarding, flexible career option and boost the overall childminding workforce.
Recruitment Campaign to Boost Childminding Workforce
Although another phase of our
childminder recruitment campaign is about to begin in specific target areas, with recruitment advertising appearing across social media – the campaign needs to be scaled-up and extended nationally in urban, rural and mixed local authority areas.
SCMA has also undertaken extensive work to identify the issues affecting retention which must be addressed, most notably the significant increase in paperwork and duplicative quality assurance which has developed under ELC expansion needs to be tackled urgently to alleviate the pressures for childminders, and to help encourage new sustainable businesses throughout the country.
Please be reassured that SCMA is always proactively and positively working with key stakeholders to ensure that childminding is represented in discussions at the highest level. Most recently,
Graeme McAlister was invited to the Scottish Parliament’s Social Justice and Social Security Committee’s Inquiry.
Graeme spoke about how the growth of the childminding workforce is essential to ensure there is capacity to deliver the commitments outlined in the Programme for the Government, which includes tackling the issues that are adversely affecting retention in the childminding workforce.
More Information
READ | Audit Scotland’s ‘Early Learning and Childcare: Progress on delivery of the 1140 hours expansion’ report in full.
WATCH | Video detailing the key facts from the Audit Scotland report.
WATCH | Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, talks about the report.