Our commitment to childminding: report

Case Study – Covid-19 Impact

In this case study we focus on the area of Stirling, where the Council and SCMA worked together to identify families who required childcare at very short notice but where the local larger hub setting was unsuitable. Within three days of lockdown being announced, families were being placed with local childminders and here we follow the journey of one such family.

Background

The family have two daughters, aged two and three. Both parents are in the medical profession, with mum being a doctor at the local hospital and dad a clinical trainer within a mental health organisation. Due to the nature of their work, attending set times at a Hub was not an option as it didn't provide the flexibility they needed and they did not have any family support locally. They hadn't used a childminder before, and both were little hesitant in leaving their daughters with a stranger.

As timescales were short with both parents needing to work, there wasn't time for the childminder, Claire, to meet the family properly and have settling in periods. Claire contacted them and had a long discussion on the phone to talk about herself and her home and to get to know the children.

Form the first day, the children settled really quickly with Claire. Due to the nature of the parents work Claire had to be flexible over pick up times and days worked and sometime had to have the girls at short notice.

Peace of mind and continuity for the future

Both girls developed a strong relationship with Claire, so much so, that it was decided the youngest would remain with her. The parents have seen a real difference in both girls confidence and their development and are relieved the girls have had such a nurturing, stable and secure childcare setting during this period.

Testimony from the family:

“An excellent service giving us peace of mind. The girls love Claire and enjoy their time under her care.

We are grateful for Claire’s flexibility during these uncertain times and it means we have spent less time spent worrying about shift changes at the last minute. Both girls’ social skills and confidence have come on enormously since starting with Claire. The one-to-one care that has been provided means that the girls get the attention and input they need.

This service has allowed Paul to get back into a normal routine, whereas before he was working through most nights and looking after the kids while I was at work. There is no doubt that this service has been hugely beneficial to his mental health and wellbeing.

We would just like to say thank you to everyone who has made this possible, especially Claire who has been accommodating, professional and kind with her time. It is because of all this that we asked Claire if she can take on Charlotte after July”.