Graeme McAlister, Chief Executive of SCMA, said: "This is a deeply distressing case and what happened was completely unacceptable. The thoughts of SCMA and our members remain with the children and families affected.
"We believe the circumstances are extremely rare, far removed from the high standards of care and professionalism demonstrated by childminders across Scotland every day. SCMA has offered to work with the Care Inspectorate, Scottish Government and others to fully understand what happened and act upon any lessons learned.
"SCMA has advised Ministers that the response must be proportionate, informed and evidence based. Childminding is already heavily regulated, and the priority should be the consistent and effective application of existing regulations and safeguards to ensure that the safety of children always comes first."
Additional Information
Every childminder in Scotland must be registered with and regularly inspected by the Care Inspectorate, which is responsible for registration, inspection and enforcement.
SCMA is a professional membership organisation representing 87% of the childminding workforce. Membership is voluntary, not mandatory, and our role is to support childminders with learning, guidance and best practice, and to champion high standards across the profession. SCMA is also a national Third Sector organisation and delivers a number of local services and national projects.
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