Scottish Executive Board of the Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) met on Saturday 15 August 2020. During our Board meeting we discussed the very significant financial impact that COVID-19 is continuing to have on childminding and the wider childcare sector, and the need for all childcare providers to receive financial assistance at this challenging time.
We also discussed the very significant level of concern which has arisen amongst childminders following the launch of the Scottish Government’s Transitional Support Fund for other childcare providers.
Following our meeting, the Board has sent an open letter to Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Children and Young People, and John Swinney, Deputy First Minister, MSP, which has been published by SCMA today (Tuesday, 18 August) via the link below.
This letter urges the Scottish Government to take urgent action to redress this current situation by allocating financial support to childminding at a level which is appropriate to the serious risks to financial viability within childminding and that this financial support reflects the larger-scale funding which has been allocated to other providers.
The letter highlights that this could involve widening the eligibility for applications to the Transitional Support Fund to include childminders and increasing the size of this fund to support this OR if this cannot be delivered through the Transitional Support Fund, another funding route to provide financial support to childminders is identified. The letter also urges the Scottish Government to apologise to childminders for its handling of this situation and the offence and distress caused.
Please be assured that SCMA continues to represent the views and concerns of childminders at the very highest levels and discussions with Scottish Government about further funding for childminders are ongoing. We hope to be able to share further news on this as soon as possible.
Read a full copy of the Scottish Executive Board’s letter to Scottish Government
The Scottish Executive Board contains representatives from all around Scotland; from Orkney to Aberdeen, Inverclyde, Dumfries, Stirling, Edinburgh and Fife and have many years of experience in childminding. For more information on SCMA’s Scottish Executive Board, please
click here.