Childminder closures could hamper further expansion of funded care, MSPs told

Humza Yousaf’s plans to expand early learning and childcare (ELC) further in Scotland could be hampered by the closure of childminding businesses, MSPs have heard.

The previous administration increased funded childcare to 1,140 hours per year for three and four-year-olds as well as eligible two-year-olds.

With the final rollout taking place last year, private providers have seen a drop in staff for a variety of reasons, according to the Scottish Childminding Association.

A paper published last year showed local authorities had been slow to integrate childminders into the ELC provision, and there were disparities across different council areas in how many were approved to provide the 1,140 hours.

Speaking before the Social Justice and Social Security Committee as it launched its inquiry into child poverty and parental employment, the body’s chief executive Graeme McAlister said: “As an organisation, we’re really supportive of ELC policy, particularly the attempt to close the attainment gap and deliver funded childcare to families.

“However, we have some very serious concerns about the manner in which the expansion was implemented – there have been a series of unintended consequences.”

Mr McAlister said there had been a drop of 34% in the childminding workforce, while almost 2,000 childminding businesses have closed, meaning more than 11,000 places have been lost.

As part of an annual audit of childminding services undertaken by the group at the request of the Scottish Government, projections suggest the trend of decline could double by July 2026 “unless we take urgent action”.

In the Programme for Government last year, Nicola Sturgeon pledged to develop an “evidence base” to inform childcare expansion to one and two-year-olds.

In his run for Bute House, First Minister Humza Yousaf went further, pledging to provide 22 hours of free ELC to one and two-year-olds, shy of the 30-hour average offered to those in receipt of 1,140 hours – but Mr McAlister raised doubts.

He said: “(The workforce issue) has really serious implications for children, families, communities, parental choice, but also for the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government commitments to extend the ELC down to one-year-olds and develop a new system of school-age childcare.

“The reality is that if providers continue to go under at the current rate, we may not have the providers to deliver those policy ambitions.”