Flexible Childcare Services Scotland is a young organisation with bold ambitions and a clearly defined vision. Established in 2019, this social enterprise aims to create equity of access to high-quality, tailored early learning and school-age childcare solutions for all children, families, and communities across Scotland.
FCSS Aims
The Leadership Team and Board at FCSS have set aspirational aims for their work, these aims guide strategy and decision-making across the organisation.
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Create a situation where no child, family or community misses out on access to high-quality early learning and school-age childcare due to barriers related to accessibility, affordability and lack of provision able to meet specific needs.
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Enable parents/carers to make natural and unrestricted choices about work, education, or training, empowering them to build better lives for themselves and their families.
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Achieve a position where the ELC, OSC and ASN sectors are valued for their critical contribution to care, education, and the economy.
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Create a culture where those working with our youngest and most vulnerable citizens are valued and respected and have clear career progression routes. The workforce represents the diversity of society.
Sustainability and Scale
The FCSS team have created a uniquely flexible delivery model that can be tailored to suit demographic and geographic positioning and is both sustainable and scalable. In the short time since its inception, FCSS has grown steadily and currently delivers flexible childcare from twenty-two registered services around the country with four more opening in the next few months.
With a desire to enable families across Scotland to experience the benefits of flexible childcare, Team FCSS set out to influence and support other providers to introduce flexibility to their delivery models. To this end they have created:
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Innovative, free-to-access, management software to support providers transitioning to a more flexible model.
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A national childcare practitioner bank to support providers’ ability to flex workforce capacity.
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A workforce development programme that has seen them partner with the Scottish Qualifications Authority to create accredited training to support practitioners working within a flexible childcare service.
A Partnership Approach
FCSS has a well-connected Leadership Team and Board and strives to create dynamic partnerships to create a robust base from which to grow.
The team at FCSS are proud to work in partnership with Catalyst for Impact, The Social Innovation Partnership, The Scottish Government’s Social Justice, Early Learning and School Age Childcare and CivTech teams, and Social Investment Scotland (Adapt and Thrive Fund). Children in Scotland (Access to Childcare Fund), Ember Technology, local authorities across Scotland and many local funding programmes.
If you are interested in finding out more about their work or getting in touch please visit Home – Flexible Childcare Services Scotland (fcss.org.uk)
