SCMA is championing a ‘blended childcare’ approach to the expansion of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) to meet the needs of families and ensure the best start in life for children.
Childminders already provide a blended childcare approach - and almost without realising it. However, at the moment only part of the child’s day is funded through ELC and unfortunately this usually applies to their local authority nursery place.
As blended childcare champions, childminders offer their minded children different experiences, whilst always being the consistent presence in the child’s daily life and making sure they feel secure and nurtured.
Options for parents should increase and childminding is perfectly placed to help now!
More of a blended approach to funded ELC from local authorities would offer more flexibility for parents. A child could stay part time at nursery or playgroup and then the rest of the day with a childminder, or have more hours with the childminder at the beginning to help them settle into a nursery setting at the age of four. Decisions should be made as to what is in the best interests of the child and not what is easier for the local authority.
Statistics from the Care Inspectorate clearly show that childminding services are exceeding other daycare services in terms of the quality of care and support. Childminders are professional childcare workers, who provide a high quality, flexible and unique childcare service for families across Scotland.
If more local authorities adopted a blended childcare to their implementation of funded ELC, children would benefit from more quality time spent in one setting and fewer transitions.
Local authorities must recognise that ‘blended childcare’ is not another term for ‘wrap-around care’. Having a seamless childcare day would benefit the overall wellbeing of each child; enabling them to play, learn, socialise and form quality relationships.
Within a childminding setting, a child’s wellbeing benefits from everyday learning and real-life experiences. When parents choose their ELC provider, they should have a clear choice of which service best suit their needs – but as we know, in most areas this is not happening.
We need your help! Play your part and challenge your local authority – do they understand what the term ‘blended childcare’ really means? Explain that blended childcare is not the same as ‘wrap-around care’.
We need action to make things happen!
Write to your local authority and the local councillors who represent you and your area. We need more local authorities to change their perspective of what high quality, flexible childcare is and what will benefit children and their parents.
Login to the Membership Dashboard and download our ‘Early Learning and Childcare Letter Template’ and send it your local councillors.
Parents also have an important role to play. Some will have already been consulted about their preferences for funded ELC, but may not have been offered a childminding place. SCMA is being told that parents don’t want to use childminding places and we know this not true - now is the time for them to make their voices heard.
Direct parents to our ELC website, and ask them to write to their local councillors. Parents must have a say in how their funded ELC hours are delivered, and we must make this clear to parents and ensure they understand that they have a choice.
Download and share our ELC Leaflet for Parents