Childcare Sector Omicron Impacts Fund
Information on the temporary Scottish Government fund available to private and third sector day care of children services, as well as childminding services, in recognition of the impacts of the recent omicron wave
Overview
The Scottish Government is making up to £9.8 million available through the Childcare Sector Omicron Impacts Fund to provide one-off grants to childcare providers in the 2021-2022 financial year.
The one-off grants are being made available in recognition of the challenging circumstances in which childcare sector providers have been operating during the Omicron wave.
Eligibility
Childcare services are eligible to receive a grant if they were registered with the Care Inspectorate on 31 December 2021 as being either:
- a 'day care of children' and a 'private' or 'voluntary or not for profit' service, or
- a 'childminding service'
Available level of grant support
Grant amounts will vary according to the registered size (Care Inspectorate registered places) of each service, as set out in the table below.
Only one grant is available per registered service.
CI Registered Places | Grant Amount |
|---|---|
1-10 | £950 |
11-25 | £2,000 |
26-50 | £3,000 |
51-75 | £3,750 |
76-100 | £4,200 |
100+ | £4,500 |
Childcare providers with multiple services
Providers with multiple services can claim a grant for each of their eligible registered services. Each service that you claim for must have a separate unique Care Inspectorate registration number (this number is on your Care Inspectorate registration and starts with CS).
Settings which do not deliver funded early learning and childcare entitlement
Grants will be available to all childcare settings who meet the eligibility criteria above, regardless of whether they deliver the funded early learning and childcare entitlement.
Applying for a grant
There are two separate application routes reflecting the different nature of services in the sector:
- Omicron Impacts Fund - Day Care of Children and Large (11 or more registered places) Childminding Services, and
- Omicron Impacts Fund - Childminding Services
Applications from private and third sector day care of children services, and childminding services with 11 or more registered places, will be made through the bisaccount single secure online application platform. Grant applications will then be processed by local authorities.
To apply through this route, please visit the application website. (opens new window).
Childminding services with a registered capacity of between 1 and 10 places will apply for a grant of £950 through a separate secure online application platform. Grant applications will then be processed by the Scottish Government.
All childminding services with a registered capacity of 1-10 places will receive a link to the Omicron Impacts Fund - Childminding Services application page ahead of it going live.
Deadline for submitting applications
Eligible services can apply for a grant between 2pm on 8 March 2022 until the end of 17 March 2022.
Further information
If you have any questions regarding the Childcare Sector Omicron Impacts Fund then please send them to ELCPartnershipForum@gov.scot.
