As East Dunbartonshire Council gets ready to offer local families additional hours of free early learning and childcare, childminders across the area are being invited to get involved.
Like other Scottish Councils, East Dunbartonshire is preparing to provide 1140 hours of free early learning and childcare to all three and four year olds by 2020. It is currently 600 hours.
To achieve this increase, and offer families as much flexibility as possible, a ‘blended model’ approach is being adopted and will be piloted in Early Learning and Childcare Centres in Auchinairn, Hillhead and Lennoxtown from August 2018 to June 2019.
Local childminders are being invited to be a part of the pilot meaning that families will have more choice on how they receive their free hours.
To be part of the pilot, childminders must be based in East Dunbartonshire and have a current Care Inspectorate inspection result at Grade 4 ‘Good’ or above. They are being asked to complete an online survey if they are interested in working with the Council during the pilot.
Councillor Jim Goodall, Convener of the Education Committee said, “We are aware of the high quality services that local childminders offer to parents and carers. This expansion to the hours we offer is an opportunity for us to blend our services with theirs giving families even more choice of accessible, affordable and flexible early learning and childcare.
“Last May we consulted with childminders on how they thought we could deliver this increase to hours and we have used what they told us to help plan and shape the future of our services. We would like to invite them once again to be a part of our plans by completing a survey and letting us know how they could be involved. We will hold an information evening where we can work together and learn from each other to ensure that the provision offered to local families is the best it can be.”
Childminders are invited to come along to an information event to find out more about the Council’s plans and how they can contribute:
Date:
Thursday 14 June 2018
Time:
6.30 – 7.30pm
Venue:
Auchinairn Community & Early Years Centre, Beech Road, Bishopbriggs, G64 1NE
Any childminder who is interested in being part of the pilot, should complete the online form by Tuesday 12 June 2018 to give notice of interest. It is on the
Early Learning & Childcare page of the Council’s website.