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A2C Childcare

Access to Childminding funding

 

Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) has received funding from the Scottish Government to pilot a funded childcare service until 31st March if you have childcare in one of five local authority areas – City of Edinburgh; Dumfries and Galloway; Fife; Midlothian and North Lanarkshire.  The service provides funded childcare for school-aged children for between 12 and 16 weeks for approximately 15 to 20 hours per week.   The service is divided into two strands. 

If you are a parent who needs support with childcare costs because:

  • you are about to move from unemployment into employment
  • you are struggling to maintain a job, maybe due to reduced hours
  • you are trying to increase your working hours but additional childcare costs are a barrier
  • you are struggling with childcare costs due to being a student and may have to give up your course

If this could describe you and you live in one of the five pilot areas listed above and you fit into one of the categories below you may qualify for 12-16 weeks childcare for up to 20hrs per week:

  • Lone parents
  • Large families (3 or more children)
  • Families with a child with additional support needs
  • Minority ethnic families
  • Families where the Mother/main carer is under 25 years of age

Criteria for Childminders delivering the service:

Professional childminders deliver the service and have to meet specific criteria:

  • A minimum of a Grade 4 across all areas inspected by the Care Inspectorate.
  • An up-to-date First Aid Certificate.
  • An up-to-date Child Protection Certificate.
  • A Food Hygiene Certificate.
  • Have adequate Public Liability Insurance in place.
  • Attend training session with SCMA.

SCMA will carry out all necessary quality checks on the childminders prior to any placements being made and will have a contract with the childminder for the duration of the placement and payment for the service will be made directly to the childminders.

 

There will be a short pre-questionnaire and post questionnaire which you will be asked to complete so that the impact of service can be evaluated.

 

The form to apply is included below for applications until the 31st March 2022 deadline.

 

A2C Form (Word, 2,556 KB)