While some childminders who haven’t been treated equitably may welcome a direct parent-to-provider payment system, others are very concerned this could create problems requiring the following safeguards – • inequitable local authority promotion of childminding must be addressed so that childminding is visible to all parents, as an option for receiving funded ELC; • funding provided to parents through an online account would have to be in a non-transferable form (e-payment/voucher) which could only be used to pay partner providers for funded ELC; • guaranteed by appropriate contracts; under the National Standard for ELC partner providers must demonstrate their business sustainability (including income projections); during COVID-19 when parental income was affected, many parents stopped paying childminders; accompanying contractual commitments are essential for continuity; • payments need to be at a level which support providers’ business sustainability and the Real Living...