School age childcare - new legal definition: consultation analysis

6. Conclusions

A range of individuals and organisations with varied and detailed knowledge and experiences participated in this consultation, sharing their views on the proposed new definition for school age childcare. This report provides a high-level summary of the consultation responses. For more details, readers are encouraged to read individual responses, where permission was given for publication, via the Scottish Government’s consultation website.

Overall, the consultation responses highlight broad support for the Scottish Government's proposals. In particular, there was a clear consensus among those answering that play should be included in the definition, a widespread view that the definition should cover primary school age children, and broad agreement that it should not include an exemption to regulation based on the number of hours a service operates for. On the latter point of the exemption, those who felt the exemption should remain held mixed views on whether the number of hours should increase, decrease or stay as they currently are.

The responses to the consultation mostly support proposed changes to the existing definition and bring up points for consideration around the details that will define SACC. Respondents frequently mentioned the importance of ensuring that any new definition reflects children's developmental needs, supports high-quality provision, and remains practical for providers operating in a range of settings, including rural and remote communities.