The latest report on the current state of childminding services in Scotland to deliver funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) has been published by the Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA). The factual report, originally commissioned by the Scottish Government, draws together a national picture of professional childminding services in relation to ELC and the findings reveal that potentially thousands of high-quality childminding places are not being considered as an option for parents.
Commenting on the release of the report, Maggie Simpson, Chief Executive of SCMA said: “This latest report comes at the start of another school year and follows local authorities having completed their expansion plans which should include how they will include childminding in the delivery of funded ELC.
“Some information in the report is starting to sound more hopeful and there is an increase in the number of local authorities who are beginning to engage with their childminding services. However, on analysis of the findings it remains a stark reality that there are potentially thousands of high-quality childminding places that are not being considered as an option for parents. The report also highlights that some local authorities are still not even giving childminding as an option for parents, which is my view is completely unacceptable.
“The original and still the main aim of the ELC expansion plan is to make Scotland the best place to grow up and to achieve transformational change in the way ELC is delivered. SCMA whole heartedly support this vision but hadn’t anticipated the change would be at the expense of professional childminding services or that parents are being denied childminding as an option for their funded ELC.
“Currently tens of thousands of parents choose a childminding service for their children and it is vitally important that this continues in the future.”
SCMA contacted every local authority in Scotland to obtain the data for the report and key findings include:
- There are 5,124 professional childminders in Scotland. Only 12 per cent of this workforce have been approved by local authorities to deliver funded ELC to eligible two-year olds.
- 639 childminders are approved by local authorities in Scotland to deliver funded ELC for eligible two-year olds.
- 119 childminders in Scotland are approved by local authorities in Scotland to deliver funded ELC for eligible three and four-year olds.
To read the full report on the current state of childminding services in Scotland to deliver funded Early Learning and Childcare
CLICK HERE
To read the story so far on our journey towards 2020 and the expansion of funded Early Learning and Childcare
CLICK HERE