New legal definition for school age childcare: consultation

What is the Scottish Government’s aim?

The Scottish Government recognises that affordable and accessible childcare supports employment and the economy, and that secure and sustainable employment helps lift families out of poverty. Delivering more affordable and accessible school age childcare is critical to our priorities of eradicating child poverty, providing excellent and sustainable public services, and growing the economy.

The Scottish Government wants to expand the school age childcare sector to make it easier for parents and carers to access the childcare they need. In response to feedback from the SACC sector and evidence gathered as part of a feasibility study in 2024/25, we now plan to make changes to the way in which the sector is defined and regulated.

Regulation which is better suited to the specific needs and circumstances of the SACC sector will help services operate more sustainably. This will also lead to a review of job roles and qualifications for the SACC workforce which should make it a more attractive area for people to develop their careers.