New or interested potential childminders can receive financial and practical startup support, including access to interactive information sessions with experts during Careers Week.
The Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) has been operating a pilot programme to help recruit and support new childminders in areas where childcare is scarce.
The Programme for Scotland’s Childminding Future (PSCF), funded by Scottish Government and delivered by the SCMA, includes a support package of a minimum £750 start-up grant, training and one-to-one support.
Currently available in 17 local authority areas, the programme aims to grow the childminding workforce by 1,000.
Those interested in finding out more can attend free online ‘Discover Childminding sessions, during which they will be able to ask questions of an SCMA expert.
The SCMA supports childminders in getting their businesses off the ground financially, and support is available throughout their careers.
Robyn Ross, who runs Helping Hands Childcare in Dumfries and Galloway, said that childminding gave her an opportunity to fit work around caring for her own children, while also supplying her community with a much-needed resource that allows other parents to continue their own careers.
“Forming relationships with children has always been my favourite thing about working with kids and childminding has meant I have a smaller number of children in my setting so I can really get to know them.
“And because childminding is so child-led it means I can plan learning activities around what genuinely interests them. I also love that my own kids can benefit from building relationships with other children and that I can be there to watch them grow and develop.
“When I first opened, I was inundated with messages and calls from parents looking for childcare.
“Working parents are genuinely struggling and we definitely need more childminders in Dumfries and Galloway to help them.”
Through the Programme for Scotland’s Childminding Future, SCMA offers local support officers in addition to the startup grant and training opportunities.
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SCMA chief executive officer Graeme McAlister said that the nature of working as a childminder makes having a support system so important.
“There are many challenges. Most childminders are sole practitioners, and they’ve been adversely affected by an increase in paperwork and quality assurance during the expansion of funded ELC.”
Mr McAlister emphasised that the oversight childminders are subjected to (all are overseen by the Care Inspectorate) makes it a valuable source of flexible childcare for many families, but it also creates practical problems for business owners who are often their own employee.
Without help, childminders might struggle to set aside time for training or to access support groups, but part of the SCMA’s programme and ongoing work is to act as a network for new carers.
The recruitment programme has already met with success, Mr McAlister said. There have been 100 new childminding businesses added, with more going through the process of setting up.
The new programme was launched in June 2024 with the aim of adding 250 childminders in the first year.
Sophie Bilsland was the first new childminder recruited into the programme in Aberdeen, and she said that she looked into starting her own childcare business when she struggled to find care for her child after returning from maternity leave.
“Becoming a childminder provided the perfect solution for me. It gives me freedom and flexibility and I pride myself in tailoring my setting towards the needs of individual children and their families.
“I totally understand the struggle of trying to find childcare that meets real-world working hours. I firmly believe we were not meant to parent alone; there was always meant to be a village, and I encourage parents to think of me as part of that village.
“I’m so passionate about creating a nurturing environment, a home away from home that also offers a huge range of learning opportunities.”
During Careers Week, the SCMA will be hosting one-hour online sessions for prospective childminders, on Monday November 11 at 10am, Wednesday November 13 at 7pm, and Saturday November 16 at 10am.
Mr McAlister said that there have been some early positive results, but that ongoing challenges – population decline in rural areas, an aging and retiring workforce and practical difficulties – mean that the SCMA cannot ease off its recruiting efforts.
“We absolutely need to continue to drive this pace and scale for the next two years and probably beyond. This has to remain the national commitment, a national priority, even during times of immense funding pressure.”
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