School age childcare services - regulation review: feasibility study – final options appraisal

5. Exploring Options for Change

As part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to build a system of school age childcare in Scotland, it was felt necessary to examine these issues in more detail. A Regulation project was established as a key workstream within the School Age Childcare Programme. Through discussion with the Care Inspectorate, and recognising the challenges discussed above, it was agreed that the first step in understanding what change might be possible, would be to undertake a feasibility study.

A joint six month feasibility study (between August 2024 and February 2025) was set up, with a team consisting of both Scottish Government policy officials and Care Inspectorate staff. It was agreed that the study would deliver:

• A set of feasible options for what future regulation and quality assurance of school age childcare could look like
• Proposed implementation plans for each of these options, including costs and timescales.

This would be achieved through considering the following strands of work:

• Explore the viability of a distinct SACC category of registration and other options to include the activities sector, and also consider a range of provider types, such as broader family support services within an expanded system of SACC.
• Explore the flexibility within existing and future regulatory frameworks (including consideration of all age childcare, childminders and new provider types), working closely across the SACC Programme and ELC Division.
• Seek to establish appropriate levels of standards, inspection and quality benchmarks for SACC services, this would include considering issues of safeguarding and understanding the added complexities when delivering services for children with ASN.
• The impact of regulation on current and future SACC services (balancing regulatory burden and accessibility) and how proportionate they are currently.

5.1 Summary of challenges

As part of considering what feasible options might look like, the study team considered the challenges which had been raised by different stakeholders and focused on the issues which any change to regulation should aim to address.

SACC Providers

Feedback from providers has demonstrated that there is clearly a need for a review of the job roles and functions in SACC services, and the qualification requirements for the SACC workforce.

Families and SACC Providers

Feedback from both families and SACC providers has demonstrated that there needs to be greater clarity about purpose of SACC, and promotion of the importance and professionalism of SACC services.

Families, SACC Providers and Organised Activities

There have been consistent concerns raised about the lack of parity between SACC and organised children’s activities, in terms of regulation, and that this is not always clear to parents. Linked to this are questions about independent oversight and assurance of organised children’s activities.

Families

Feedback from families has stressed the need for greater choice in childcare options, and whether it would be possible to enable parents to use UK government childcare tax relief or benefits support for organised children’s activities

5.2 Evidence gathering

To gain further information, the study team has engaged with the SSSC in its role as the workforce regulator and has taken advice as to how changes might affect the SACC workforce, in particular as regards qualification requirements. In addition, a number of focus group sessions were held with SACC providers and with local authorities as well as meetings with stakeholders in some of the Scottish Government’s childcare Early Adopter Communities and SFA ‘Extra Time’ activities services. This has enabled the study team to understand the different opportunities and challenges posed by current and potential future options to stakeholders in different parts of the sector.