Early Learning, Childcare and Brokerage Services: Early Learning and Childcare - Childminders

Description

The Council has a statutory duty to make pre-school education available for eligible children under the Standards in Scotland's Schools Act 2000. The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and Statutory Guidance set out the increased entitlement to 600 hours, including the provision for eligible children and places a duty on the Council to offer increased flexibility to parents as to where and how their child can access their Early Learning and Childcare entitlement. Scottish Government has made a commitment to extend the entitlement to all eligible children to 1140 hours for Early Learning and Childcare by 2020/21 as set out in 'A Blueprint for 2020; Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland' (2016). The Funding Follows the Child approach places choice in parents' and carers' hands allowing them to access their child's funded entitlement, therefore the Council have set up a Flexibile Framework for the provision of early learning and childcare services under the Light Touch Rules contained within the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Lot 2 of this Flexible Framework sets out the minimum standards required from the childminders setting. All providers who apply and meet the national standards, legislation, the Council's procedural requirements as set out in the Invitation to Tender and accept the rates and contract terms set out by the Council shall be able to deliver funded provision through the Flexible Framework. Additional information: Providers approved with a place on the Flexible Framework do not need to re-apply when the framework re-opens on an annual basis. Further details of the ELC and national standards can be found here: https://www/gov.scot/policies/early-education-and-care/