Early learning and childcare improvement programme

We are making changes to the way we inspect regulated services using the new quality framework for daycare of children, childminding and school aged childcare.

The framework was developed in collaboration with the sector and we want to continue to engage with you as we consider how it will be used in our inspections.

The framework sets out the elements that will help us answer the key questions about the difference your setting is making to children. Following the launch of our draft framework in June 2021, we are testing our methodology in daycare of children, childminding and school aged childcare services. We aim to undertake 60 inspections between August and September 2021 to enable us to test the revised quality illustrations.

If your service is identified as a “test” inspection, your inspector will inform you on arrival at your service. You can find detailed early learning and childcare provider guidance here.

We have also developed a bite sized session to tell you a bit more about the process.

Your views and input will be invaluable as to how our inspections are conducted in the future. Our inspector will engage with you throughout the test inspection and on completion we will ask you for your feedback to help us finalise our methodology for the full launch of the quality framework in the future.

In this bite size session we would like to share information about our current approach to the scrutiny of early learning and childcare services including childminders and out of school care.  Information has previously been shared through our regular provider updates and we would ask you to continue to familiarise yourselves with these as they will provide you with the most recent and up-to-date information.

We have created a series of quality improvement bitesize sessions. There will be four in the series to introduce and support you in applying quality improvement methodology within your own service. These sessions are designed to be viewed consecutively, with short activities to support you in making sustained improvements within your service. 

Week 1 - Identifying an area:

Identifying an area - word doc.

Week 2 - Testing your idea:

Testing your idea example
Testing your idea

Week 3 - Getting Started

Change ideas doc.
Change planning example sheet
Change planning sheet
Model for Improvement

Week 4 - PDSA Cycle

PDSA Cycle doc.

We have developed a series of 5 bite sized sessions on quick wins.  These aim to help you make easy to implement improvements that will have a positive impact.  The changes can be delivered quickly, with minimal effort.  We will release one session a week and you can chose the ones that will be helpful to you.  The sessions are:

Medication
Safe recruitment
Scottish Social Services Council Registration
Notifications
Quality assurance calendars

**these videos are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International BY-NCO-ND.  This licence allows users to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, and only so long as attribution is given to the Care Inspectorate. 
The material must not be remixed, transformed or built upon un anyway.
To view a copy of the licence, visit: https//creativecommons.org/licences/by-ncp-nd-4.0

Week 1 - Medication:

Management of medication
in daycare of children and
childminding services 

Do not use antipyretic agents with the sole aim of reducing body temperature in children with fever. Antipyretic agents

Coronavirus in Children

Week 2 - Safe Recruitment

Safer Recruitment Through Better Recruitment

Scottish Social Services Council Codes of Practice

Week 3 - Scottish Social Services Council  Registration

Scottish Social Services Council Codes of Practice

MySSSC log in

Scottish Social Services Council registration

Week 4 - Notifications

Care Inspectorate eforms

Week 5 - Quality Assurance Calendars

QA calendar pdf document 

Thank you for watching our bite sized session on quick wins we hope you have found these helpful.  Please click the link below to complete a survey with your feedback.  Thank you.

Quick wins survey

Welcome to our series of four short, bitesize sessions to introduce and support services in completing their Key Question 5 self-evaluation.  They share some pointers and reminders which will support you to think about the information and detail required to ensure you get the very best from your service self-evaluation.  The sessions have been designed to be viewed in sequence.  

To help us measure the impact of these sessions, we would be grateful if you could complete the short feedback questionnaire at the end of session four.

ELC self-evaluation: Introduction to self-evaluation (session 1)

ELC self-evaluation: How are we doing (session 2)

ELC self-evaluation: How do we know (session 3)

ELC self-evaluation: What are we going to do now (session 4)

To help us measure the impact of these sessions, please complete this short feedback questionnaire once you have watched all four sessions. Thank you. ​

EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE: ROLE, PURPOSE AND LEARNING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Scottish Government Early Learning and Childcare COVID-19 Update
No. 13 – March 2021

This section is dedicated to sharing practice, key resources and quick wins which could benefit your day-to-day work in early learning and childcare. Is there any aspect of practice you would like to see in this section, if so please email elcimprove@careinspectorate.gov.scot

• Operating an early learning and childcare setting (including out of school care and childminders) during COVID-19

Vicky Lamb – Senior Improvement Advisor
Hillary Brookes – Improvement Advisor 
Lesley Mitchell - Improvement Support Assistant 

Getting in contact. Please email - elcimprove@careinspectorate.gov.scot

Tweet      #ELCImprove

Newsletter - October 2020