Perceptions of the impact of childminding services on child, parent and family outcomes: research findings

6. Perceptions of funded ELC

Summary of main findings

• Some parents could not use their funded hours of ELC with their childminder because their childminder does not deliver funded hours. Some participants did not have a problem with this whilst others would like to be able to use funded hours with their childminder.
• Parents using their funded hours with a childminder were happy to be able to do so. They described benefits of cost savings and being able to choose the childcare that best suited them and their child.
• Participants commented, however, that there is a lack of awareness and clarity amongst parents about funded hours in relation to childminding.
• There were mixed views amongst childminders about the impact that childminders providing funded hours would have on child outcomes. Some participants felt children would benefit from childminder requirements to meet the National Standard, whereas others felt they were already meeting the National Standard without being a partner provider.
• Childminders currently delivering funded hours described practical impacts on their service such as increased paperwork and training. Some commented that they are providing care for children they would not have otherwise because parents could not afford a childminder without funded hours.
• Childminders who are not delivering funded hours did not suggest they are struggling to fill places.
• There were mixed views about the future impact of the full expansion to 1,140 hours on childminders, in terms of service provision and childminders’ finances.

Parent perceptions

There were practical reasons why some parents did not use funded hours of ELC with a childminder, often because their childminder is not offering funded hours. For some participants this was not a problem as they were happy for all their funded hours to be at nursery.

“I don’t think it would make any difference [if the childminder offered funded hours] as she’s in her preschool year and I’m keen for her to be in nursery as much as possible.”

Parent of a 4 year old, using childminder and nursery, Fife

Other parents would like to be able to use funded hours with their childminder and were looking into whether it will be possible in the future when their child is eligible for funded hours or if their childminder becomes an approved provider.

In other cases, parents did not use funded hours with their childminder because they already use their full entitlement at another setting. For example, a single parent of twin three year olds, working full time, used nursery three days a week for all their funded hours and a childminder (unfunded) for the other two days. The parent would ideally like to have funding for the childminder too (see Chapter 4).

Parents were asked if being able to use funded hours with a childminder influenced their decision to use them. Participants who agreed described positive impacts for them and for children. For the reasons described below parents who used funded hours with a childminder said they would recommend it.

Financial savings were highlighted:

• A parent of a one year old and three year old in Aberdeenshire, who uses a childminder (funded) and informal care said 1,140 hours halved their childcare bill
• A parent of a five year old, Scottish Borders, said they would not be able to afford a childminder without funded hours

Parents were happy to have the choice to use funded hours with a childminder. They valued being able to continue an existing relationship with the childminder:

“As soon as we found out that we could use it on a childminder we were really pleased it meant we could continue using her and have that one-on-one. We trust her and [son] already had that relationship.”

Parent of a 4 year old with additional support needs

“I think what’s been really nice though is to have that option...otherwise I would have had to consider do I change and because of funded hours it would just make sense to change to put my son into nursery earlier.”

Parent of a 4 year old, Dumfries and Galloway

This parent also described how funded hours had changed her idea of childcare:

“[the childminder] actually challenged the notion as well, she was like, “ you know you don’t have to send your child to nursery”… we just thought that’s what you had to do. We were really happy when she was like, “you know you don’t have to, you know they can stay with a childminder until school” and we were delighted really… it meant less chopping and changing for him.”

As this quote touches on, however, there is a lack of awareness and clarity about funded hours among parents.

“I find the whole thing around funded hours really quite complicated and I probably don’t really fully understand if I’m fully honest.”

Parent of 3 and 5 year olds, using childminder (not funded), nursery (funded) and informal care, Falkirk

Parents participating in the study suggested that other parents were also unaware of being able to use funded hours with a childminder. This is discussed further in Chapter 7 on the promotion of childminding.

Childminder perceptions

Childminders were also asked about the benefits of childminder funded hours for children and for parents. There were mixed views about outcomes for children. Some participants described the potential for positive impacts.

“In the next town to us is a childminder that I see quite a lot of and she offers funded childcare and I don't. The things that we do on a daily basis are pretty much mirrored, we do similar things in different places, but the children are getting the same outcomes whether they are funded or not.”

Childminder for 9 years, Scottish Borders, not delivering funded hours

“Initially when I was about to start I thought it was going to be a lot more work having funded children and everything, but a lot of stuff that we do with the funded children we would be doing anyway because we did always follow the Curriculum for Excellence type things to make sure they were reaching all their different development milestones so I don’t feel as if its changed us that much with what we’re providing for the children.”

Childminder for 7 years, Fife, delivering funded hours

Some childminders, on the other hand, think funding hours will make a difference.

“I think it does [make a difference] in lots of ways because there’s more accountability... It forces our hands a little bit to make sure we’re fulfilling [national standards].”

Childminder for 5 years, Glasgow, delivering funded hours

A childminder of nine years in Highland, not delivering funded hours, commented that more children will benefit from childminding if it is more accessible.

Both childminders delivering funded hours and those who are not also highlighted how funding saves families money and gives them the choice to make the best childcare decision for them, including to continue using a childminder, as discussed above.

However, there were also views among parents that they were not benefitting financially as much as they would have hoped because they are not able to use their funded hours exactly how they would like or still have to pay for wraparound hours. This may point to issues around local implementation.

a) Impact on their service

Childminders delivering funded hours highlighted some impacts on their professional life.

“[funded hours] provides a security that I need to give me the confidence to invest in this as a business and know that it will remain viable, and long-term to know that these placements are there and available and that’ll be working with the same nursery team to build that relationship with as well as the parents and the council representative.”

Childminder for 3 years, Midlothian

“[It’s had a] Big impact emotionally in terms of being recognised as a fellow professional. I’m a professional early years provider on the same level as others.”

Childminder for 5 years, Glasgow

Childminders also identified practical impacts. Participants mentioned increased paperwork and training but also more support from their local authority, to go through the training process and particularly during the pandemic. It was suggested that this support makes childminding more attractive to parents.

There were mixed views on the financial impact of funded hours on childminding businesses. A childminder of 12 years in Angus said partnership with the council meant a cut to their earnings because the funding does not cover the full costs of meals and outings and cannot choose what to charge whereas a childminder of five years in Glasgow said they are now being paid more for delivering funded hours.

Some participants said they are now providing childcare for children they might not have had otherwise. For example, a childminder of seven years in Fife said they have children they know they would not have without funded hours because the parents are not working and could not afford the care otherwise. That being said, participants who were not delivering funded hours did not suggest they were struggling to fill places. There might have been an assumption that they would be if families were choosing providers who offered funded hours instead. A childminder of nine years in Scottish Borders said funded hours has had little impact on demand as they are the only childminder in the area.

There were also mixed views about the future impact of the expansion of funded hours on childminders’ businesses and childminding in general. A childminder of 18 years in Falkirk, delivering funded hours, hopes that the expansion will mean more work for them. Whereas a childminder of 12 years in West Lothian, not currently delivering funded hours, thought that the expansion to 1,140 hours will put a lot of childminders out of business because nurseries will increase their capacity.

“I think what I’ll see is I’m having the younger children rather than the nursery aged children. Until I was funded they would have taken option of nursery. If the parents don’t realise that I have the same qualifications, they may not think of me as option.”

Childminder for 10 years, Aberdeenshire, delivering funded hours

“I think there will be a difficulty [with 1,140 hours] because it’s going to have a financial impact on a lot of childminders because they can’t charge for the hours in nursery if you’re a funded provider. Plus there’s a lot more paperwork involved, depends on your local authority, but some are stipulating that you must provide a hot cooked lunch and that may or may not suit childminders. A lot of negative impacts.”

Childminder for 20 years, Renfrewshire

There was a view that the true impact of the funded ELC is not yet known as expanded hours have not been fully rolled out and because the funded children currently with childminders are often those who were already in the service before they were eligible.