Temporary Restrictions Fund for Childcare Providers

This funding will target support specifically to the school age childcare PVI sector in the light of prolonged restrictions on their services due to coronavirus (COVID-19).

Like Round 2, Round 3 of the Fund has two elements, a standard Temporary Restrictions Fund (TRF) support grant and an additional restart grant. Eligibility for the grants are as follows:

• All open school age childcare services will be able to access a support grant for each week in which they are open over the period 1 March to 26 March. The size of the grant will vary depending on the registered capacity of settings and how many weeks the setting was open; and
• All registered school age childcare services, whether open or closed, will also be able to claim a one-off additional restart grant based on their capacity, to support reopening following the end of restrictions. 
• This includes settings with combined ELC and SAC services and larger childminding settings (registered to care for 12 or more children) which also remained restricted until 15 March.

Grants are allocated to the following school age childcare (SAC) services if they were open over the period from 1 – 26 March 2021 :

• a school age childcare service registered as ‘day care of children’ and a ‘Private’ or ‘Voluntary or Not For Profit’ service; or
• a setting with combined ELC and SAC services (registered as ‘day care of children’ and a ‘Private’ or ‘Voluntary or Not For Profit’ service); or
• 'childminding service’ registered to care for 12 or more children at a time
• have a business bank account
• were not in financial difficulty before 31 December 2019, with the exception of micro and small businesses 
• have not received support exceeding the €800,000 support ceiling under the COVID-19 Temporary Framework for UK measure .

Services are asked to confirm each of the weeks in the period from 1-26 March that they were open, regardless of the fact that from 15 March they could reopen fully to all primary age children. 
 

In recognition of ongoing challenges facing the school age childcare sector, all registered settings, whether open or closed, will also be able to claim a one-off additional restart grant based on their capacity, to support reopening following the end of restrictions. 

This includes settings with combined ELC and SAC services and larger childminding settings (12 or more children) which also remained restricted until 15 March.  

School age childcare settings need to be registered as ‘day care of children’ and a ‘Private’ or ‘Voluntary or Not For Profit’ service to be eligible for the Additional Restart Grant.

This additional support will be available irrespective of whether school aged childcare settings are currently open or closed. 

All settings eligible to apply for the standard TRF grant are also eligible to apply for the additional payment. 

Eligible services who were open for at least one week during the period 1 March to 26 March 2021, can apply for BOTH of the grants available in Round 3 of the TRF.

Eligible services who were closed for all of the period 1 March to 26 March 2021 can apply ONLY for the additional restart grant.
 

Yes. This additional support will be available irrespective of whether SAC providers were able to open or not.

No. This is a one-off grant irrespective of the number of weeks settings were open/closed. The size of the grant awarded varies according to the number of Care Inspectorate registered places in settings. 
 

No. Childcare providers should apply through Round 3 of the Temporary Restrictions Fund (TRF) application form available here: https://bisaccount.scot/temporary-restrictions-fund. There will be an extra tick box to claim for the extra grant.

Yes. Settings that were previously closed and have decided to reopen during March will be able to claim for each of the weeks they were open in Round 3 (covering the period 1 to 26 March), including for the weeks from 15 March onwards.
 

Services are considered open if children are in physical attendance at the registered address of the identified registered setting/service as noted on a certificate of registration for individual services.
 
For the weeks commencing 1 and 8 March only children of key worker families or vulnerable children will have been in attendance. An application for a grant should only be made if this is the case.
 

No. Where services are only open for part of the four week period but closed for others (e.g. for a full week at any point) then grants will be calculated on the number of weeks open and a pro-rata grant payment will be awarded (further details are set out below).

The applicants will be asked the following question:

Q: Please confirm whether you were open, at some point in each week of the following period:

• w/c 1 March 2021 [Y/N]
• w/c 8 March 2021 [Y/N]
• w/c 15 March 2021 [Y/N]
• w/c 22 March 2021 [Y/N]
   

No. We are aware that some providers might need to close their settings for a day or two in response to a COVID case, requirement for a deep clean, or change their operating days due to the current level of demand.  

That is why being open a full week will not be required in order to be eligible for a grant from the Fund.

Providers will need to confirm that they were open at some point in each week for which they are claiming a grant to qualify as ‘open’.
 

Like Temporary Restriction grants, the Additional Restart Grant amounts vary according to the number of Care Inspectorate registered places in settings.

The table below sets out the grant values for settings that were closed, and for settings that were open for 1 week ; 2 weeks ; 3 weeks ; and in all weeks of the 4 week restrictions period. These values also include the one-off Additional Restart Grant.

If a setting/service meets the eligibility criteria for a grant then the level of grant awarded will be determined by the number of registered places associated with the Care Inspectorate registration number (the CS number) for the setting/service. Only one grant can be awarded for each registered service (i.e. for each care service number).

Yes, however only childminders caring for 12 or more children at a time are eligible for the Temporary Restrictions Fund as set out above.
 

Each registered case service (with its own unique CS Number) with the Care Inspectorate will have an associated registered places for the setting/service.

The level of grant awarded to eligible settings will be determined by the number of registered places as listed by the Care Inspectorate. Applicants can check the registered places for their setting at the Care Inspectorate’s Datastore.

If an applicant believes that the registered places information for the setting/service shown in the Care Inspectorate Datastore is incorrect then it is important that they raise the issues with the Care Inspectorate.

We are aware that this might take time to get changed through the Care Inspectorate. That is why providers should be allowed to re-apply with the correct number of registered places, as long as the Care Inspectorate can confirm with a Local Authority that this issue is being dealt with. 
 

Applicants must provide with the application a scanned recent bank statement (detailing business transactions) or image of the nominated online account dated within 3 months of the application date.
 

Yes, the Temporary Restrictions Fund is being delivered using the COVID-19 Temporary Framework for UK Authorities measure, which allows for aid to be provided to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy.  

The two key conditions for the Framework are:

• Applicants must confirm that (1) they were not in financial difficulty on 31 December 2019, with the exception of micro and small businesses; and (2) they have not received support exceeding the €800,000 support ceiling under the COVID-19 Temporary Framework for UK measure.
• The Scottish Government is required to report on all organisations who receive support through the Fund.
   

Applicants will receive a confirmation email with an application reference number once the application form has been submitted. 

They should keep this reference number safe as it will be required if they make any further application for support in future restriction periods.
 

The deadline for applications to Round 3 of the Temporary Restrictions Fund and the Additional Restart Grant is 7 April 2021. The last date for submitting a grant application for the first period of restriction will be 4 May 2021 midnight.

This Scheme is administered by Local Authorities. 

Applicants with multiple settings are required to submit separate applications for each individual eligible setting using single login via bisaccount.

Information provided by an applicant will be verified against other information sources held by your Council. This will assist timely application processing, fraud prevention and for auditing purposes. 

Councils will aim to make payment within 28 days from receipt of a fully completed application and once all information and evidence in support of an application has been verified. Applications may be subject to delay if incomplete or incorrect details are supplied. 

If a grant is awarded on the basis of false or inaccurate information, it may result in arrangements being made to recover the award, and legal proceedings being initiated. 

Before you apply, you will need to upload a copy of a scanned recent bank statement (detailing business transactions) or image of the nominated online account dated within 3 months of the application date. Please ensure you have this ready before you begin.