Access to Childcare Fund: phase 2 - evaluation report

2. Overview of ACF projects

This chapter will comment on barriers families faced in accessing SACC and introduce each of the projects, including what they intended to achieve and what approaches they used to meet the aims of the Fund.

Barriers facing families

Project leads and stakeholders highlighted five main barriers families faced when accessing SACC that they were trying to address using the ACF funding. These barriers were also reflected in discussions with parents:

• A lack of SACC in the local area. A lack of provision was particularly noted for children with ASN (additional support needs) (relating to suitable venues and activities and having trained staff in place) as well as families living in rural areas or in more deprived areas.
• Cost of SACC. This was noted as a significant barrier for families (especially with more than one child, and for children with ASN) and resulted in work or increasing hours not being viable for some parents. Upfront costs were also highlighted as a challenge for parents moving into work and waiting for a first pay check. Whilst particularly impacting target group families, cost was also considered a barrier to families who would not be classed as low income^[10] but for whom childcare costs can be difficult to afford.
• Challenges getting to and from venues. Suitable transportation was a particular barrier for children with ASN where SACC was not located within their school. There were also challenges for families living in rural areas in getting to settings using public transport or in making sure it is worthwhile travelling for the sessions.
• Lack of suitable or flexible timings. Timing of provision can be a particular challenge for parents with changing shift patterns and for those who need to collect children after 5pm.
• Stigma when accessing targeted provision. Some participants felt that there are families who would benefit from free or subsidised SACC but do not come forward because of feelings of embarrassment, particularly those living in small communities.

More generally, some projects located in more deprived areas noted the need to address barriers relating to employability, physical health and mental health which can affect families’ ability to access SACC and increase their household income.

Projects felt they had a clear understanding of the barriers facing families through working in their local community (generally over many years) and from wider staff expertise. Other ways in which projects sought to understand barriers included: feedback from families; conversations with partners; and using learning from phase 1 of the Fund. Some projects had also done previous trials of different models of SACC, outwith the Fund, to understand families’ needs. The following chapters discuss how projects sought to address and overcome these barriers.

Partnership working

Partnership working in this context refers to when local authorities, public sector and third sector organisations come together to deliver for the needs of families. The extent to which partners were involved in delivery, and how, varied by project. In some cases, partners were involved in running provision (SACC and/or family support), or in providing access to facilities. In other cases, partners roles were to refer families for support or to provide advice/support to project staff. These were generally existing partnerships and included: local authority teams (social work, education, leisure and culture, community safety); schools (headteachers, parent teacher associations); Third Sector organisations (employability, welfare, financial support); and health visitors.

Range of activities

Projects offered a range of activities and support, depending on their focus and families’ needs. For children this included:

• sports/physical activities
• outdoor activities (e.g., spending time in local park or playground)
• arts, crafts and puzzles
• cooking and baking
• music
• trips (e.g., to the beach or parks during holidays)
• wellbeing support
• food (snacks or meals depending on length of session)

For parents this included:

• employability (e.g., access to courses such as First Aid or coaching)
• wellbeing (e.g., walking groups, gym memberships, peer support, counselling)
• financial inclusion (e.g., welfare advice)
• crisis support (e.g., access to foodbank)

Overview of projects

Table 2.1 provides an overview of the range of provision delivered by the ACF projects. The projects are summarised in more detail in the following section of this chapter.

Summary of projects

Ayr United Football Academy (AUFA)

AUFA run after school and holiday provision focusing on physical activity (but offering a range of other activities) for children in the local area. The project is promoted by schools and delivered by AUFA coaches in four primary schools.

Key feature(s): organised children’s activities; place-based provision; run by local football club

What did AUFA intend to achieve?

• Children take part in activities they would not otherwise have the opportunity to do
• Respite for families
• Parents/carers have greater opportunities to be able to work, study or gain qualifications

How did AUFA seek to achieve this?

• Free places
• Placed-based provision
• Partnership working
• Offering coaching qualifications

Clyde Gateway (Supporting Families Project)

Clyde Gateway is an urban regeneration company. The project focuses on employability, skills development, and wellbeing, whilst providing childcare to help families access services. Provision is targeted at unemployed, low income families in South Lanarkshire and referrals are made by schools.

Key feature(s): Family support worker who identifies families’ needs; partnership working

What did Clyde Gateway intend to achieve?

• Increased partnership working/ collaboration
• Increased employment
• Increased educational attainment
• Improved physical health and mental health
• Increased access to after school childcare
• Improved financial inclusion

How did Clyde Gateway seek to achieve this?

• Free provision
• Tailored and holistic family support

Hame Fae Hame

Hame Fae Hame delivers wraparound childcare provision (including holidays) in Shetland. Subsidised places are available for families known to be in need and referrals are made by local authority partners.

Key feature(s): ‘Pay as you go’ booking model; rural provision

What did Hame Fae Hame intend to achieve?

• Increase range of activities
• Build on flexible model to maintain affordability
• Better resources to support children attending
• Provide support and respite to families identified as in need or vulnerable

How did Hame Fae Hame seek to achieve this?

• ‘Pay as you go’ booking model
• Subsidised places
• Flexible hours
• Child-led activity
• Improvement to facilities
• Improvements to staffing levels and conditions

Indigo

Indigo delivers wraparound out-of-school care, holiday provision and family support for families in Castlemilk, Glasgow. Families are referred by local partners and provision is free or subsidised depending on household income.

Innovative feature(s): Family support worker; tailored service for 11-16 year olds (‘Indy Youth’)

What did Indigo intend to achieve?

• Increased numbers of families with access to affordable childcare and able to contribute to its costs.
• Increased household income and financial stability.
• Increased family wellbeing.
• Increased numbers of families in sustained employment/training or learning.
• Improved understanding of progression steps for families with children with ASN.

How did Indigo seek to achieve this?

• Free/subsidised provision
• Use of an asset-based approach
• Advocacy, support and information for families
• Strong relationships
• Individual plans for children
• Peer support
• Highly trained staff

Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) (Access to Childminding

The Access to Childminding project focuses on improving outcomes for low-income families by increasing their household income and reducing costs associated with childcare. Provision was available in five local authorities and referrals could be made by partners and childminders.

Key feature(s): Childminding provision

What did SCMA intend to achieve?

• Delivery of a sustainable childminding model that provides free/subsidised places, supporting one or more of the target groups
• Partnership working with local authorities, employability services, third sector and childminders
• Provide an evaluation framework for the Project so that the impact on low-income families can be measured.
• Focus on positive impacts for parents, carers and children

How did SCMA seek to achieve this?

• 15 weeks free provision
• Tailored provision
• Collecting feedback from families

Stepping Stones for Families

Stepping Stones is a charity that delivers subsidised provision (after-school, weekend and holiday) for children in Possilpark, Glasgow. Stepping Stones is based on a school campus and the project is advertised by staff and community partners.

Key feature(s): ‘no wrong door’ approach for childcare for all ages

What did Stepping Stones intend to achieve?

• Possilpark community will have a more integrated, flexible childcare service
• Children will be more socially integrated with improved health and wellbeing
• More families will have access to quality SACC with weekends as an integral part of the offer.

How did Stepping Stones seek to achieve this?

• Support of family support worker
• Subsidised provision
• ‘Pay as you go’ booking
• Child-led activity

St Mirin’s Out of School Club

The club offers provision (wraparound, evenings, weekend and holiday) based in St Mirin’s Primary School, Glasgow. They also provide an in-school specialism service to support children experiencing difficulties at school and a crisis intervention service providing additional support for families in crisis.

Key feature(s): Trauma-informed staff; providing support during the school day; close relationship with the school; creation of outdoor woodland space.

What did St Mirin’s intend to achieve?

• Support children with a wide range of issues and concerns that are impacting on their health and wellbeing
• Support families with work commitments and ensure job continuity
• Provide immediate responsive support to families facing trauma, major life events and adversities

How did St Mirin’s seek to achieve this?

• Free or subsidised provision
• Highly trained staff
• Partnership working
• Focus on play
• Variety of activities/interventions
• Strong relationships

SupERkids

SupERkids is a parent-led charity that delivers free provision (evening, weekend and holiday) for children in East Renfrewshire with complex ASN. Provision is based in a local special school.

Key feature(s): parent-led organised activities for children with ASN

What did SupERkids intend to achieve?

• Children will have increased opportunity to participate in fun activities, improving their confidence and independence in activities they are normally excluded from
• Children will have increased opportunities to meet other children and increase their well-being
• Families will have increased resilience to cope with their child’s disability and the 24/7 caring responsibilities through accessible and subsidised activities

How did SupERkids seek to achieve this?

• Child-led activity
• Free provision
• Facilitating respite for parents/ carers
• Being open to feedback
• Individual support for children
• Staff trained to support a range of needs

Support, Help and Integration in Perthshire (SHIP)

SHIP is a charity that delivers provision (after-school, weekend and holiday) for children in Perthshire with complex ASN. SHIP is based in a local special school and provision is free or subsidised depending on household income.

Key feature(s): Use of volunteers to help provide individual support.

What did SHIP intend to achieve?

• Flexible childcare to allow families to work/study or care for other children
• An accessible/affordable service
• An inclusive service that allows children the opportunity to make friends and learn life/social skills through play

How did SHIP seek to achieve this?

• Subsidised/free places
• Providing transport
• Highly trained staff
• Individual support for children
• Offering taster sessions
• Child-led activity

Wee Childcare Company

Wee Childcare Company delivers before and after-school provision at various schools in Angus. Transport is provided for children who attend other schools in the area and provision is subsidised.

Key feature(s): flexible booking system

What did Wee Childcare Company intend to achieve?

• Eligible children from low-income families will gain access to childcare that meets their needs
• Improved financial stability for families on the brink of poverty
• Improved wellbeing to all service users
• Better relationships between SACC Sector and local authority

How did Wee Childcare Company seek to achieve this?

• Subsidised places
• Providing transport
• Flexible booking
• Range of activities