SOSCN strongly encourages service leaders to consult regularly with your children, parents, staff team and committees, where this applies. Below is an example of good staff consultation as services re-opened in August.

The Aberdeen Council Childcare used materials SOSCN collated from the Guidance for School Age Childcare for Risk Assessment (WORD DOC) and cleaning routines as they re-opened. However, in addition to this, they conducted a very clear survey with their staff team across all of their services to make sure any concerns were met, and staff were confident in coming back. Some staff had worked all through this crisis as they provided critical childcare. Unsurprisingly, they were more confident than those coming back from furlough. Good to see in this survey questions on how children are coping with being back, and generally, they were happy and resilient.

Aberdeen Council have given us permission to share their full survey results here: OOSC Covid Return to Work Questionnaire (PDF)

Do have a cuppa, sit back and have a read of this interesting work and thank you to Dorothy Burnett, Louise Beaton and all the staff involved in the survey.

If other services want us to share their staff, parents and children survey work do send it on, with, of course, permission from those involved.

Some services are planning to re-open their holiday/all day care for October school breaks, please note that the Guidance for School Age Childcare is still the one to follow.

We hope everyone is enjoying and coping with being back and when you get a moment we are always happy to get your stories and photos to share in our newsletter so you can all exchange good ideas and practice.

Stay safe and well!

Irene Audain MBE CEO SOSCN