With just six months until the expansion of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) funded hours for families across Scotland, Maree Todd, Minister for Children and Young People, visited a professional childminder in Stirling today, (Wednesday, 19th February), to highlight the importance of childminders in the delivery of ELC funded hours, and support the valuable role of childminding in the lives of children and families in Scotland.
The Minister’s visit to Caroline Stuart’s childminding setting in Stirling helped shine a light on the childcare options available to parents and families in advance of August 2020 – when families in Scotland will be able to access almost double the current funded hours from 600 to 1140 hours per year for all three and four-year olds and some two-year olds*.
There are currently around 4800 professional childminders in Scotland, providing childcare for almost 33,000 children – childminders are vital to help deliver Early Learning and Childcare funded hours for families in Scotland.
If a childminder wants to deliver funded ELC hours they are required to becoming a ‘partner provider’ with their local authority. Scotland’s local authorities are phasing in ELC at different rates but some families, such as those in the Stirling Council area, are already able to access their ELC funded hours with partner provider childminders should they choose to do so.
Caroline Stuart, (47), from Stirling, has been childminding for 12 years and was the first to become a ‘partner provider’ with her local authority in January 2018. Caroline can provide Early Learning and Childcare funded hours for families, either in full, or as a mix with other childcare provision, such as nursery. A member of the Scottish Childminding Association, she childminds for five children during term time including Gracey, (3), and Gabriel, (11 months).
Their mum, Stacey Collier-West, is currently using all of her family’s ELC entitlement with Caroline.
Stacey said: “I chose childminding because I thought a setting with smaller numbers of children would suit Gracey and Gabriel better than a nursery. They have the opportunity to take part in real-life learning activities and mix with children of different ages. Gracey appreciates having input into choosing the activities she does every day and loves that she goes to the childminder with her wee brother! This flexible, high-quality childcare setting which Caroline provides has given us peace of mind - it’s clear they are both happy and thriving.”
Maree Todd, Minister for Children and Young People, said: “We want to ensure our children can access the unique, nurturing childcare in a home-from-home environment, full of creative play, outdoor activities and learning that childminders offer. That is why we are working to help parents and carers make informed decisions about where to access their child’s funded early learning and childcare (ELC).
“Childminders have a vital role to play in the expansion of funded ELC, offering high quality, flexible options tailored to each child and their family’s needs, as well as a space for creativity and learning through play. My own children were cared for by a childminder and the service provided for our family was exceptional.”
The expansion of ELC means that families are entitled to around 30 hours a week funded childcare, if used during school term-time, or around 22 hours a week if using it year-round. It can be accessed via nurseries, childminders, or playgroups – or a mix of these.
Scottish Childminding Association Chief Executive, Graeme McAlister, said: “Professional childminding is a very high-quality childcare option. It’s consistently one of the highest rated forms of childcare in Scotland by provider type, with 92% of childminders achieving ‘good’ or above across all quality ratings during inspection.
“I was delighted that the Minister visited Caroline and the children in her setting today as it helps to shine a light on the vital role which professional childminders have in providing flexible childminding solutions for children and families across Scotland.”
Families are entitled to funded ELC that meets their needs. Depending on the local authority area, some families may not yet be able to access their funded hours via their chosen childminder. In this case, SCMA would advise families to contact their local authority councillor and/or MSP to express their parental preference. The Scottish Government has also recently undertaken to remind Local Authorities that if parents or carers request to use their funded hours with a childminder, and the childminder meets the National Standard and is willing to enter into a contract, they must be able to do so. Visit the SCMA website for further information.
Read more about funded ELC