Support grants for childminders welcomed by north-east MSP
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Funding for childminders who have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic has been welcomed by Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin.
The £1 million cash boost will consist of grants up to £1000 each and will be made eligible to childminding providers.
Work is now under way with the Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) to finalise the details of the scheme.
Grants of £500, £750 or £1,000 will be available, based on assessed need.
A new Childminding Action Plan has also been published, setting out the Scottish Government’s vision for the sector and the actions to support it that are being taken now and into the future.
Ms Martin said: “This funding is vital in supporting childminders who have been greatly impacted by the lockdowns as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
“They play an important and valued part in the childcare sector and provide care and support to children in a safe and nurturing environment.
“I would urge any childminder whose work has been impacted in the last year to apply for funding when the scheme has been finalised.”
In line with the supplementary guidance, childminding services with a registered capacity of fewer than 12 may continue to operate their setting for all children during this period.
There are no additional restrictions placed on childminding services, other than to follow the existing safe operating guidance.
The vast majority of childminders – other than those caring for 12 or more children – are not subject to the same temporary restrictions as day care of children providers and are currently able to remain open, if they chose to do so, to all children.
However, the Scottish Government said it is aware that many childminders continue to encounter challenges and that some may experience a drop in demand for their services despite being able to remain open.
That is why it has made the £1 million funding available to them.
The grants will be paid to eligible childminding providers and once the scheme has been finalised, further information on how to apply will be published.
Those childminders who currently provide childcare to 12 or more children, should be open at present only to key worker and vulnerable children.
As a result, most of these childminding services are open only for small numbers of youngsters.
Temporary financial support will be available to those services who are currently only permitted to operate for vulnerable children or those of key workers, to help mitigate the reduction in income resulting from operating below capacity and ensure these settings can remain open.
Support will be provided through grants to services that are open to deliver childcare to key worker and vulnerable children during the temporary restrictions.
The funding will be available for each four-week period the current temporary restrictions are in place. Further information is available on the temporary fund webpage
