Chamber and committees

The decision to introduce these restrictions was based on clinical and expert advice provided by the Scottish Government COVID-19 Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children’s Issues as to the public health risks of the new strain of the COVID-19 virus. We recognise that as a result of the latest public health guidance most private, voluntary or non for profit day care of children services are open only for small numbers of children, and we are aware that this can create financial pressures for providers.

That is why 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 to ensure these settings can remain open.

Support will be provided through grants to services that are delivering childcare to key worker and vulnerable children during the temporary restrictions.

Services that choose to close over this period will be able to draw on support from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

We have also agreed with local government that the payments for funded ELC should continue during the period of additional restrictions, even for those children who are not able to attend, to ensure that local capacity is retained ensuring sustainability for the future delivery of ELC.

We are also aware that many childminders continue to encounter challenges and that some may be experiencing a drop in demand for their services despite being able to remain open.

The Scottish Government is continuing to work with the sector to determine how best this additional support for childminders who are most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic can be delivered.