- Report shows impact of investment
More parents have been able to start work or progress their
careers thanks to an initiative to expand access to school-age
childcare, according to a new report.
Eight childcare providers across Scotland received a share of
almost £600,000 from the Scottish Government to help 650
children from low-income families access school-age childcare.
The funding helped to make school-age childcare more accessible,
affordable and flexible for parents and carers from low-income
families, or those most at risk of experiencing poverty.
The Access to Childcare Fund Phase 2 Evaluation report also
highlights the positive impact the projects had on the health and
wellbeing of the children and parents. It found the projects
increased opportunities for children to develop social skills and
strengthen relationships with both adults and peers, especially
for those with additional support needs.
Children and Young People Minister said:
“As we mark Challenge Poverty Week this report highlights the
impact our support continues to make for children, young people
and their families who are most in need, and how childcare
providers can be key in supporting these families.
“Improving access to childcare not only brings wide ranging
benefits for the children, it also helps parents to get back into
work, engage in training or progress their careers. Quality
childcare provision is both an anti-poverty and a pro-growth
measure.
“This report follows our commitment in the Programme for
Government to expand our childcare offering, and sets out the
difference that funded school-age childcare can make to support
families to enter and sustain employment.”
Currently, all three and four-year-olds and eligible
two-year-olds are able to take up 1,140 hours of funded early
learning and childcare in Scotland. Work is underway with local
authorities and other partners to phase in an expanded national
provision for families with two-year-olds, as well as targeted
early delivery of all-age childcare for low income families.
Background
The full report was carried out
independently by Ipsos Scotland.
The funded childcare providers are:
- Hame Fae Hame
- St Mirin’s Out of School Care
- The Indigo Childcare Group
- SHIP (Support, Help and Integration in Perthshire)
- SupERkids
- Clyde Gateway
- Stepping Stones for Families
- The Wee Childcare Company
In addition to the Access to Childcare Fund, the Scottish
Government continued to fund two pilot projects with the Scottish
Childminder Association (SCMA) and Ayr United Football
Association (AUFA) between 2022-23, which are included in this
report.
The Scottish Childminder Association aimed to develop their
Community Childminding model to deliver childminding placements
that supported parents and carers to transition towards
employment. AUFA provided an after-school and holiday programme
in the most deprived part of South Ayrshire.
