CHILDMINDING places in Scotland have fallen by more than 10,000 in five years as charity bosses call for an immediate national response from the Scottish Government.

Official statistics published by the Care Inspectorate show that Scotland’s childminding workforce has shrunk by 30% in the five years up to December 2021.

Some 1671 childminding businesses have been lost, resulting in 10,310 fewer places for families in Scotland, according to the early learning and childcare statistics.

And the decline is accelerating with a 9% fall experienced in the last year alone - a loss of 397 childminding businesses and more than 2500 places for families.

Graeme McAlister, chief executive of the Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) has said the figures make for “grim reading” as the reduction in businesses means a direct loss of high-quality childcare places.

The charity believes the number of childminding spaces lost will be even higher in the nine months since December 2021.

The workforce decline comes during the expansion of the Scottish Government’s provision of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) for eligible two-year-olds and all three and four-year-olds to 1140 hours a year.

McAlister said the implementation has had a devastating effect on the childminding workforce.

READ MORE: Firms back four-day working week halfway through biggest ever trial

The organisation advised the Scottish Government of the urgent need for a national childminder recruitment campaign in 2019 but the recommendation was not accepted.

McAlister said: “Acute shortages of childminding are being reported around the country as demand from parents and carers considerably exceeds supply for this unique, high-quality, flexible form of childcare and family support delivered in a home setting.

“The decline in the workforce is accelerating and the loss of much-needed childminding businesses and childminding places for working families cannot be sustained.

“The situation is now critical and demands an immediate national response tackling the issues adversely affecting both recruitment and retention.”

The charity is now urging the Scottish Government to expand a piloted recruitment drive for childminders in remote and rural areas to all over Scotland.

The Scottish Rural Childminding Partnership (SRCP) aims to recruit 100 childminders in rural local authorities where the lack of spaces is even more acute.

READ MORE: Rail strikes to bring network to 'effective standstill' next month

McAlister added: “SCMA is solutions-focused and has led the way in partnership with others in piloting a supported method of recruiting new childminders into the sector in remote and rural areas.

“While still a pilot, ongoing progress is very promising and it is clear that this needs to be scaled up, extended and resources across the whole of Scotland as a national priority.”

The organisation also gave evidence at parliamentary committees before the summer recess where it was highlighted that increased bureaucracy and paperwork were causing childminders to leave the profession.