SCMA has today (Wednesday 10 December) published its annual overview of local authority progress in involving childminders in the delivery of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC). It also includes the latest detailed analysis and projections on the childminding workforce in Scotland.
Main Findings
Childminder involvement in the delivery of funded ELC
based on returns from 20 out of 32 local authorities
The number of childminders involved in delivering funded ELC has increased in both age categories:
- 229 childminders (8% of the childminding workforce) are now delivering funded hours to Eligible Two Year-Olds - an increase of 72 childminders in the last year; and
- 667 childminders (23.4%) are now delivering funded hours to Three and Four Year-Olds – an increase of 74 childminders in the last year.
However, disparities continue to exist between the number of childminders approved by local authorities to deliver funded ELC and those actually delivering:
- 31.2% of childminders (n=890) have been approved for Eligible Two Year-Olds, but only 8% (n=229) are actually delivering – presenting a missed opportunity given the lower uptake of provision in this priority age group; and
- 31.2% of childminders (n=890) have also been approved for Three and Four Year-Olds, but only 23.4% (n=667) are actually delivering.
Throughout ELC expansion childminders have consistently reported that these disparities are caused by local authorities approving childminders to deliver funded hours, but then not promoting their services equitably alongside their own nursery provision as an option to parents for receiving their statutory entitlement of funded hours. This is also reflected in our recurrent childminder survey findings.
Childminder experiences of delivering Funded ELC
based on snapshot survey - 346 responses (32% of childminders involved in funded ELC) conducted August – September 2025
- Three and four year-olds (full 1140) remains the most common delivery model (72%) for childminders delivering funded ELC, followed by Three and Fours (blended) (59%).
- 61% of childminders reported that none of the parents of funded children in their settings had been offered their funded hours with a childminder by their local authority – instead, parents had to request this. This has been a recurring finding over the last 5 years.
- Aspects of delivering funded ELC which continue to provide a poor experience for childminders: 78% believe ELC offers to parents need to be more flexible; only 31% believe there is a strong match between ELC offers and parents’ requests; only 26% believe there is a strong match between ELC offers and their business needs; and only 23% believe local authorities have been effective in promoting their childminding service equitably alongside their own nursery provision to parents as an option for receiving their funded hours.
- More positively: 81% believe delivering funded hours is important for their business sustainability; 77% believe this has increased the attractiveness and competitiveness of their business to parents; 82% are satisfied with their experience of delivering funded ELC; and 71% would recommend doing so to other childminders.
- While over 80% continue to report that delivering funded ELC has increased the level of paperwork, the likelihood of this causing childminders to stop delivering has reduced.
Additional Information
- 25 out of 30 (83%) responding local authorities now pay childminders delivering funded ELC monthly or every four weeks to support their business sustainability.
- 65 deferred children were reported in childminding settings, a small increase on last year.
- Only one local authority has reported stopping taking on new providers and stopping cross-boundary placements due to budgetary pressures (no change since 2024), but the number of local authorities who were uncertain if they may need to do similarly in future has reduced.
Workforce Trends and Projections
based on Care Inspectorate data, year to 31 July 2025
- The childminding workforce declined by 6% (with the loss of 181 childminding businesses) in the year to 31 July 2025, but the decline is slowing and is at its lowest rate of decline since 2016.
- The decline in the workforce since 2016 had been projected to reach -56% by July 2025, without intervention, but has been slowed by 8% to -48%; in human terms, 604 more childminders are in the workforce than projected following targeted action on recruitment and retention since 2022, with early small signs of recovery reported in 2023 and 2024 now becoming more pronounced.
Linked to this, it is appropriate to acknowledge the Scottish Government’s support for childminding and SCMA’s work, through earlier pilots and currently through the ongoing three-year Programme for Scotland’s Childminding Future (PSCF) which has created the opportunity for 30 local authorities to engage in partnership working to support childminder recruitment and retention this year. An update on progress with the PSCF is also included within the ELC Audit. However, it is also appropriate to caution that any lessening of this support for childminding at this critical stage could undermine the progress made and the potential which we are starting to see.
Graeme McAlister
Chief Executive, SCMA
Wednesday 10 December 2025
Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Audit 2025
ELC Audit 2025 Full Report
Appendix One | Collated Returns Full Data Set
Appendix Two | Changes in Childminder Workforce Tables