Welcome to the Pre- and After-school care Project page.  When there is progress we will update you here.  Some weeks there will be lots of activity, others not so much.  If you have any questions - or have knowledge and skills you would like to bring to the project please do get in touch. 

 

Latest update 30th May 2024

Work is ongoing with Highland Council and the Care & Learning Alliance to find a solution to allow us to run an after school club at Stratherrick Primary School. After school care has different rules for the building that schools use, even although it is the same children but there is a joint effort to make this happen. Through other conversations, there is also a funded place available to encourage a childminder to set up but there hasn’t been any applicants yet.

 

Latest update 22nd February 2024

Sharon is meeting with various stakeholders in the next couple of weeks to see how we can take this forward.  We hope to have a further upate on this soon.

 

Latest update 26th October 2023

We are waiting for further information from the Highland Council, which we should receive in November.

 

Latest update 7th September 2023

Representatives from CALA are meeting the project team at Stratherrick primary school next week as part of their assessment into the suitability of the premises for after school care.

 

Latest update 31st August 2023

Following the Community Action Plan and work by parents/carers and staff at SFCT, the Care and Learning Alliance (CALA) have been asked to look at facilitating after school childcare at Stratherrick and Foyers Primary School, with initial support from the Trust, to help support and encourage families to the area. This initial process to look at the suitability of the building and get approval from the care inspectorate will take at least 6 months.

 

Latest update 29th June 2023

There was a meeting between the Care and Learning Alliance (CALA) and representatives of Stratherrick Parent Council to discuss childcare provision in the area on the 27th June.  Notes and actions from this meeting will shared in due course.

 

Latest update 18th May 2023

Would you like to become a childminder?

The Scottish Childminding Association is currently running a recruitment campaign in our area.  For more information please visit www.childminding.org/childminder-recruitment

 

Latest Update 11th May 2023

Have you completed the childcare survey for potential after school childcare at Stratherrick Primary School from the end of the school day until 6pm?  Could it benefit your family?

 

Please complete the survey here by Friday the 12th of May

 

Childcare Survey

 

Latest update 9th March 2023

Further to the results of our pre- and after-school survey, which indicated a need for both an after-school club and/or a registered childminder in the area, we have been working with Care and Learning Alliance on a feasibility study looking at after school care.  We have also been included in the Scottish Childminding Association's recruitment drive for local childminders - if you are interested in becoming a childminder, more information can be found here.

 

Latest update 15th December 2022

We have passed the results of our pre- and after-school care survey on to the Education team at the Highland Council and will be meeting with them next week to identify areas where they can help.

 

Latest update 17th November 2022

Thank you to all those who attended the steering group meeting on Monday.  We have some actions to take forward from the meeting and will provide updates on these in due course.

 

Latest update 14th November 2022

Following on from the childcare survey, a meeting of the steering group will take place to look at advancing childcare solutions in the area.  Pop along tonight and have a chat!

 

Steering Group Meeting, The Wildside Centre 6:30pm-7:30pm

 

Latest update 10th November 2022

Our Childcare survey is now complete, and the headline results are below -

We received 23 responses, split fairly evenly over the area with highest responses from Gorthleck at 6.

87% said they didn't use childcare in the area (mainly as there isn't any!) but only one respondent said they used a Neighbour occasionally. No other examples were given.

78% said the lack of childcare had affected their employment in some way

74% said they would use local childcare if it was available at some point

People are looking for a range of childcare with afterschool club/wrapround childcare, childcare for under 3's and a childminder in their own home all scoring evenly and highly.

We will be meeting on Monday 14th November, 6.30 - 7.30pm at The Wildside Centre to start looking at feasibility, for more information, please email sharon@sfctrust.org.uk.  We also have two new members for the steering group that came forward from the survey.

 

Latest update 13th October 2022

The childcare survey is now closed and the results are being reviewed.

 

Latest update 22nd September 2022

If you have not yet received a link to the childcare survey and you would like an opportunity to complete it, please email sharon@sfctrust.org.uk for the link.

 

Latest Update 14th September 2022

Following on from the Community Action Plan that was undertaken in 2021, several action groups have been formed to help take forward some of the aspirations of the Community. One of these being to improve childcare in the area. To help the group establish need and gather evidence for funding applications, the Trust has developed a short survey which has been approved by the group.

A link to the survey has been sent via the schools to all parents/guardians and we are also trying to make sure that everyone with children that go to schools out with the area or have children under 3, are also being contacted but if you haven't yet received a link to the survey, please email sharon@sfctrust.org.uk

Finally, if you would be interested in joining the action group to help take this idea forward, please email sharon@sfctrust.org.uk Nothing too onerous but would be great to have some more parents at the meetings that are keen to see this happen.