School age childcare services - regulation review: feasibility study – final options appraisal
This options appraisal summarises findings from a joint Scottish Government and Care Inspectorate feasibility study to consider the future regulation of school age childcare services, aiming to better understand the challenges and whether regulatory change could support sustainability.
1. Introduction
High quality childcare that is flexible, accessible and affordable plays a critical role in our society. The Programme for Government, published on the 4th of September 2024, expresses a clear focus on the importance of accessible and affordable childcare services, and their role in helping to eradicate child poverty and support economic growth.
As highlighted in the Scottish Government’s Best Start, strategic early learning and school age childcare plan 2022 to 2026, childcare is vital to giving children the best possible start in life, to supporting families to thrive, and to ensuring that parents and carers can work, train or study. The School Age Childcare Delivery Framework highlighted the significant body of evidence showing that “Not being able to access flexible childcare may mean parents having to choose low-quality part-time jobs, take a role they are overqualified for or leave work altogether.”
Contact
Email: schoolagechildcare@gov.scot