SCMA is delighted that we have been awarded emergency funding from the Wellbeing Fund to support childcare provision for vulnerable children at this critical time.
To enable SCMA to match families with local childminding settings with capacity and availability, we are once again wanting to gather information from you to enable an accurate overview of the number of settings that are able to support this critical childcare provision for vulnerable children.
All childminders should be receiving an email from SCMA to highlight this survey, and we would encourage everyone to take part to help us form a clear picture of childminding services across Scotland that are currently open and have capacity to accommodate placements.
We are aware that the Care Inspectorate undertakes daily surveys to monitor the impact of coronavirus on the provision of critical childcare around Scotland, and you may have also recently been asked to complete a survey on behalf of the Scottish Government.
However, this survey is different to these and will give SCMA a clear overview of childminding capacity in terms of your capacity for accepting vulnerable children and families to access your childminding service.
We recognise that we are also asking for a quick response from you, and we hope you will appreciate the need to do so – namely to enable the provision of critical childcare as quickly as possible for those who need it.
We cannot guarantee in which areas and locations we will be asked to support vulnerable children at this stage, as it depends on the referrals that we receive. When we receive referrals, we will match up the information provided in terms of which childminders are open or are willing to re-open to support vulnerable children, and what spaces are available.
It should also be noted there may be a requirement to collect/drop-off children and there will be criteria which have to be met by childminders delivering placements (further information will be provided in due course).
It is our priority at SCMA to continue to help support all of our members through this difficult time and to continue to provide a strong network of support for vulnerable children and families.