Question reference: S5W-35068
- Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 8 February 2021
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Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Maree Todd on 9 February 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the financial support for childminders that it announced on 21 January 2021.
Answer
The Deputy First Minister announced a £1m Childminding Business Sustainability Fund on the 21 January. Since then we have worked closely with stakeholders, including the Scottish Childminding Association and the Unite the Union Childminding Branch, to discuss the targeting of this fund to those most in need.
Further to those discussions and careful consideration of the challenge of ensuring financial support reaches those most in need as quickly as possible, the Scottish Government is extending the fund to a total of £3,228,750. This additional funding will allow a simpler fund to be established, offering a single rate of grant set at £750 for every childminder in Scotland registered with the Care Inspectorate.
Further information on the fund is set out on the Scottish Government website , we intend to be able to make the grants available to childminders in the coming weeks.