The Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) annual Conference was held on 16 May 2026. In a powerful opening address Graeme McAlister, Chief Executive of SCMA, provided a stark warning about the increasing number of local authorities departing from and acting independently of national guidance and agreement on how parents can access their statutory entitlement of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) for their children from the Scottish Government and:
- the “horrific” impact which this is having on families and that such policy changes “risk pushing families into child poverty” at a time when others are working to reduce this;
- the disproportionate equalities impact these changes are having upon women and partner providers (childminders and private, voluntary and independent nurseries);
- children being viewed at a policy level just as numbers, without regard to their needs or parental preference;
- while the financial pressures being experienced by local authorities are recognised, departing from the guidance independently is undermining parental choice and the founding principles of ELC (Funding Follows the Child and Provider Neutrality); and
- it is understood that the Scottish Government remains committed to maintaining parental choice and discussions between the Scottish Government and COSLA have been going on for two years, but childminders and other providers are not seeing any progress, are losing confidence, need to see more urgency, accountability and leadership from national and local bodies and for it to become a priority for the incoming Scottish Government and COSLA to find a constructive way forward.
Read a summary of Graeme’s presentation '
More Than Numbers' HERE, including extracts and important key points.