About the Access to Childcare Fund

The purpose of this fund is to support childcare solutions that enable more accessible and affordable childcare for families. Funding will be available to develop solutions to the barriers parents and carers experience in accessing childcare. These barriers include the cost of childcare, the hours available and accessibility for children with additional support needs.

The Access to Childcare Fund will provide funding to services or projects that seek to address the challenges and barriers encountered and allow parents and carers to have time around the school day and in holidays safe in the knowledge that their child(ren) is being looked after and given opportunities to take part in activities, play or youth work experiences.

Eligible services for this fund include registered childcare, activity groups and clubs that work with school-age children and young people around the school day and during the school holidays such as:

  • Breakfast clubs
  • After school clubs
  • Holiday clubs
  • Childminders
  • Arts and activity-based clubs
  • Youth work provision
  • Play services

The Fund will focus on projects and services that support the six priority family groups as set out in Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan, these are:

  • Lone parent families, the large majority of which are headed by women.
  • Families which include a disabled adult or child.
  • Larger families.
  • Minority ethnic families.
  • Families with a child under one year old.
  • Families where the mother is under 25 years of age.

Support and coaching will be provided to successful applicants through the fund administrator, up to 10 dedicated days of support over the full funding period will be provided.

The Access to Childcare Fund is funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Children in Scotland.

The Fund will distribute up to £3 million over two years.

How to apply

You can submit an application to the Fund by completing the Online Application Form on the Children In Scotland Website.

If, after reading all of the available guidance, you have any further questions about the Fund or the application process, please contact accesstochildcarefund@childreninscotland.org.uk.

The application deadline date for the first round of funding will be 5pm on Monday 27 July 2020.

If your application is successful, you will receive notification by Wednesday, 5 August 2020.