Scottish Childminding Association
Scottish Childminding Association is a 40-year-old non-profit membership body serving over 80% of Scotland's registered childminders with bundled practitioner insurance, e-Learning training, advocacy, and a childminder search directory, while running the Scottish Government-funded Programme for Scotland's Childminding Future.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersStirling, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Scottish Childminding Association does
Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) is a non-profit membership body and registered Scottish charity (SC010489, company number 144696) founded in 1985 by Anne McNellan MBE and Jo Kennedy MBE and headquartered in Stirling. It is the only organization in Scotland dedicated to supporting all aspects of childminding and represents the primary interface between the country's registered childminders and the Scottish Government, Care Inspectorate, and HMRC on policy, regulatory, and tax matters. Over 80% of Scotland's registered childminders are SCMA members, and the organization is governed by a Scottish Executive Board of elected working childminders.
SCMA's product set centres on an annual membership (priced at £141) that bundles SCMA Practitioner Insurance (arranged by Morton Michel and underwritten by QBE UK Limited) with the Learn with SCMA e-Learning platform (£25 per course), a one-to-one helpline (01786 449063), free online advertising via the childminder search directory, and a member portal (portal.childminding.org). Adjacent services include the Childminding Induction Support Programme (free in the first year), Community Childminding placements for vulnerable families, and Early Adopter Communities pilots in six local authorities. Revenue is generated primarily through recurring membership subscriptions and e-Learning fees, complemented by one-time retail (business aids, branded clothing, replacement paperwork at £7.50) and grant funding from the Scottish Government — most recently £1.37 million for 2026-27 to support the Programme for Scotland's Childminding Future (PSCF). Distribution is dominated by self-serve digital channels (website, membership portal, e-Learning), with phone-based ordering during UK business hours and a directory service driving two-sided demand between families and member childminders.
Operationally SCMA is small (32 employees) and geographically concentrated in Scotland, with no disclosed subsidiaries, M&A activity, or private/venture capital ownership; the only revealed external dependency is government programme funding. Recent strategic emphasis has been on workforce expansion — PSCF reported 200 new childminding businesses established, 277 recruits in the registration pipeline, and 600+ candidates supported with induction training since the programme's 2024 launch — alongside a cross-jurisdictional survey partnership with Coram PACEY on Making Tax Digital.
Scottish Childminding Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Scottish Childminding Association
- Legal name
- Scottish Childminding Association
- Website
- https://childminding.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Scottish Childminding Association is a 40-year-old non-profit membership body serving over 80% of Scotland's registered childminders with bundled practitioner insurance, e-Learning training, advocacy, and a childminder search directory, while running the Scottish Government-funded Programme for Scotland's Childminding Future.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Scottish Childminding Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Childcare Membership & Professional Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pre-Service ECE Credential Programs (Certificates/Diplomas/Degrees) (EDACAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Transition & School-Readiness Support for Special Needs Children (HSAAAIAO), Parenting Education for Special Needs & Developmental Differences (EDACALAK)
Keywords
Where Scottish Childminding Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stirling
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Scottish Childminding Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees provide access to practitioner insurance, training, online advertising, helplines, business tools, and member resources. Members can pay annually or via monthly Direct Debit instalments.
- Professional Learning and Training: e-Learning courses priced at £25 each, available to members. Interactive learning and On Demand group training sessions for groups of 8-20 members. Courses include Childminding Induction Support Programme and continuous professional learning.
- SCMA Practitioner Insurance: Insurance arranged and administered by Morton Michel and underwritten by QBE UK Limited. Insurance is bundled with membership, providing coverage for qualifying members.
- Business Aids and Products: Sale of business aids, stationery, and SCMA branded clothing through online shop. Business Aid products may be returned within 14 working days.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual membership at £141.00 |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | e-Learning courses at £25 each |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Scottish Childminding Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SCMA provides an annual membership package (£141/year) for registered childminders in Scotland, bundling practitioner insurance, access to e-Learning and professional training courses, one-to-one helpline support, free listing in the Childminder Search directory, and business tools. The organisation also delivers the Scottish Government-funded Programme for Scotland's Childminding Future (PSCF) for childminder recruitment and retention, the Community Childminding Service for vulnerable families, and the Childminding Induction Support Programme for prospective childminders.
Product overview
SCMA is a membership organisation and third sector charity providing a comprehensive suite of services for Scotland's childminding workforce. The core offering centres on SCMA Membership, which bundles practitioner insurance, training access, helpline support, and business aids. The Learn with SCMA platform provides professional development through e-Learning courses, interactive sessions, and on-demand group training. Supporting services include the Childminder Search directory for families, a member-facing Membership Dashboard portal, and the Community Childminding Service for vulnerable families. SCMA also runs the Scottish Government-funded Programme for Scotland's Childminding Future for recruitment and retention.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SCMA Membership
- SCMA Practitioner Insurance
Quantifiable outcome
- 200 new childminding businesses established through Scottish Government-backed programme
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Scottish Childminding Association
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Scottish Childminding Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Scottish Childminding Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Morton MichelcoreMorton Michel arranges and administers SCMA Practitioner Insurance. They handle complaints procedures and provide insurance documentation to members. Contact available at 0300 003 0005.
- QBE UK LimitedcoreQBE UK Limited underwrites SCMA Practitioner Insurance policy, providing the insurance coverage that is bundled with membership for qualifying childminders.
- HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)minorSCMA collaborates with HMRC to ensure advice provided to members on tax matters is accurate and up-to-date. Jointly developing MTD support resources for childminders.
- Care InspectoratecoreSCMA works with the Care Inspectorate to ensure childminders receive accurate guidance on registration and regulatory requirements. Childminders must be registered with Care Inspectorate.
- Scottish Local AuthoritiescoreSix local authorities (Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Fife, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Shetland) participating in Early Adopter Communities. Various local authorities partner as ELC providers where parents can use funded hours with SCMA member childminders.
- Coram PACEYminorPartnership with Coram PACEY (England and Wales) and Coram PACEY Cymru, Northern Ireland Childminding Association to conduct joint survey on Making Tax Digital impact on childminders. Survey informs advocacy work with HMRC.
- HalfordsminorExclusive 7% discount at Halfords available to SCMA members through membership dashboard resources section. Voucher valid until 25.09.2026 with exclusions on tech items, dashcams, and services.
- Childcare Insurance ServicescoreSCMA shares appropriate personal data with Childcare Insurance Services to arrange SCMA Practitioner Insurance for members.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Scottish Childminding Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Morton Michel: Specialist insurance broker for the childcare and early years sector, and SCMA's strategic insurance administration partner. Comparable as the enabler of SCMA's bundled insurance product and a distribution channel for practitioner cover.
- Care Inspectorate (Scotland): Scotland's social care and early years regulator. Comparable as the registration authority SCMA's members must interface with, and a key policy partner — but not a commercial peer; included as an ecosystem participant shaping SCMA's operating environment.
Regional players
- Scottish Out of School Care Network (SOSCN): Scotland-based membership body for school-age childcare providers. Comparable as a sector-specific membership organization serving a related (though distinct) subset of the Scottish childcare workforce alongside SCMA.
- Early Years Scotland: Scottish third-sector organization supporting the broader early years childcare sector, including childminders and nurseries. Comparable as a Scotland-based advocacy and training body serving overlapping practitioner and family audiences.
Broad incumbents
- Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO): Scotland's umbrella body for the third sector, providing training, funding advice, and policy support to charities and voluntary organizations. Comparable as a Scotland-based membership and capacity-building body serving non-profits including SCMA itself.
- National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA): UK-wide membership body for the nursery and broader early years sector. Comparable as a membership organization providing training, resources, and advocacy to early years providers, but addresses nurseries rather than home-based childminders specifically.
- Coram: UK children's charity that incorporates Coram PACEY and broader early years and family services. Comparable as a larger parent organization of a direct peer, operating membership, training, and advocacy across children's services.
Direct peers
- Northern Ireland Childminding Association (NICMA): The Northern Ireland childminding membership body, operating the same model of registration support, training, insurance, and advocacy for childminders. Direct peer because it is the geographic equivalent body serving the same micro-segment of the early years workforce.
- Coram PACEY: The England and Wales equivalent of SCMA — a membership body supporting childminders and the wider early years workforce. Direct peer because it serves the same childminder persona with membership, training, insurance, and advocacy, and is explicitly partnered with SCMA on cross-border advocacy such as the Making Tax Digital survey.
Emerging players
- Children 1st: Scotland's national children's charity supporting families and children, including through childminding-related family support work. Comparable as a Scotland-based third-sector organization with overlapping family-facing services and policy advocacy in the children's space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Scottish Childminding Association social profiles
Digital presenceScottish Childminding Association compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Scottish Childminding Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Scottish Childminding Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Scottish Childminding Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Scottish Childminding Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Scottish Childminding Association
What does Scottish Childminding Association do?
SCMA provides an annual membership package (£141/year) for registered childminders in Scotland, bundling practitioner insurance, access to e-Learning and professional training courses, one-to-one helpline support, free listing in the Childminder Search directory, and business tools. The organisation also delivers the Scottish Government-funded Programme for Scotland's Childminding Future (PSCF) for childminder recruitment and retention, the Community Childminding Service for vulnerable families, and the Childminding Induction Support Programme for prospective childminders.
Is Scottish Childminding Association a public or private company?
Scottish Childminding Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Scottish Childminding Association founded?
Scottish Childminding Association was founded in 1985. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Scottish Childminding Association based?
Scottish Childminding Association is headquartered in Stirling, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Scottish Childminding Association make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are professional Learning and Training, SCMA Practitioner Insurance and business Aids and Products.
Who are Scottish Childminding Association's main competitors?
Others on record are Morton Michel and Care Inspectorate (Scotland). Regional players are Scottish Out of School Care Network (SOSCN) and Early Years Scotland. Broad incumbents are Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) and Coram. Direct peers are Northern Ireland Childminding Association (NICMA) and Coram PACEY. Children 1st is listed as an emerging player.
Does Scottish Childminding Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Scottish Childminding Association.
What industry is Scottish Childminding Association in?
Scottish Childminding Association's product category is Childcare Membership & Professional Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACAIAA, Pre-Service ECE Credential Programs (Certificates/Diplomas/Degrees), with a secondary code of HSAAAIAO, Transition & School-Readiness Support for Special Needs Children. Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8600.