Funding follows the child and the national standard for early learning and childcare providers: transition options guidance on contracting

Note To The Reader

This Guidance Note is not intended as a substitute for legal advice and any party seeking to rely upon it should seek their own legal and/or related specialist advice before doing so.

Scotland Excel is the Centre of Procurement Expertise for the local government sector. Established in 2008, Scotland Excel are a leading non-profit shared service funded by Scotland’s 32 local authorities.

Scotland Excel has been commissioned by the Scottish Government, on behalf of the Service Models Working Group, to develop a suite of supporting operational guidance and information that helps local authorities and providers in the private and third sectors, including childminders, implement Funding Follows the Child, and the underpinning National Standard, from August 2020. This included guidance on transition options for contracting with private and third sector providers, including childminders, from August 2020.

This Note (which was initially referred to as Transition Options in earlier Funding Follows the Child documents) has been produced based on feedback gathered from local authorities, providers, provider bodies and other stakeholders (for example, Care Inspectorate). This has been through various focus groups and meetings, and a survey which was issued to all Care Inspectorate registered providers and to local authorities. Comments were also received from a smaller group of providers and local authorities, as well as provider bodies, on drafts of the guidance notes.