Voices of childminders to be heard at a national level at Scottish Parliamentary Reception
Funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) in Scotland is changing. To support the change and ensure that childminding remains a viable option for the future delivery of ELC, the Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) is delivering a nationwide campaign in partnership with their members.
“66% of our membership which is over 3,000 childminders in Scotland have signed mandates asking us to lobby on their behalf to protect their future,” said Maggie Simpson, Chief Executive, SCMA. “In response we are delivering a high profile national campaign and part of this is taking their voices to Parliament in recognition of the services they provide. Their professional childminding services may cease to exist unless childminders are included as partner providers to deliver funded Early Learning and Childcare.”
Concerns for the future of childminders surfaced in the latest ELC report, commissioned by SCMA, on the current use of childminding services in Scotland to deliver funded ELC to eligible two year olds. While over 94% achieve the highest regulated grades, the report highlights that local authorities have only registered just over 10% of childminders in Scotland (approximately 582) as ELC partner providers and a hugely disappointing 2.1% (approximately 114) of those partners are actually delivering ELC with eligible two year olds. Only four childminders are delivering funded ELC to three and four year olds.
“These figures are unacceptable for childminders in Scotland and we need to urge all concerned to do something about it,” added Maggie Simpson. “We are therefore delighted that Fulton MacGregor MSP is sponsoring our Parliamentary Reception, aptly named Protecting Professional Childminding in Scotland and that we are taking the voices of our membership to Parliament to ensure they are heard on a national level. We need to work together to improve the recognition of childminders nationwide and within the ELC workforce so that they are recognised more widely as a vital and valuable part of the ELC workforce and their professional services are protected for the future.”