The Scottish Government has published its new public health guidance, alongside the Care Inspectorate and Health Protection Scotland, to support the re-opening of childminding settings from Wednesday 3 June.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, childminders had to close their settings unless they were remaining open to provide critical childcare for key workers and vulnerable children.
As other childminding settings will begin to re-open from Wednesday 3 June, this new guidance, advises childminders to continue to prioritise spaces for critical childcare; beyond that childminders can use their discretion to allocate available spaces to other families – but there is no obligation to re-open your service.
The guidance states that there will be restrictions on numbers and capacity during the early phases of recovery, with a maximum of four families (excluding the childminder’s own) allowed to attend a childminding setting at any one time - and also within the existing limits of your registration.
In addition, the guidance includes detail on increased hygiene measures, small group working, physical distancing of adults and other changes to your practice that are required.
The guidance also includes detail about what childminders must do before re-opening (including conducting a risk assessment based on this new guidance and advising the Care Inspectorate of their change of status).
The Scottish Government has published its new public health guidance, alongside the Care Inspectorate and Health Protection Scotland, to support the re-opening of childminding settings from Wednesday 3 June.
Read the new guidance here
Please read this guidance carefully and digest the content thoroughly before considering to re-open from Wednesday 3 June.
SCMA has posted a video update on the new guidance and other related areas (including on-going financial support) and other questions which we have received from you.
Watch the latest video
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