Our latest Connecting the Dot's Podcast is LIVE! According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation 1 in 4 children in Scotland are living in poverty. Can flexible childcare help? Our CEO meets Jack Evans at the JRF to find out more Watch: https://ow.ly/XMj050Zx4oZ Listen: https://ow.ly/ySaA50Zx4p0

We're pleased to announce that Hans Smans has joined our Board of Trustees. Hans is no stranger to supporting children, having volunteered as a football coach, a chess teacher and a board member in an ELC setting in Edinburgh. Welcome to the team Hans! https://www.fcss.org.uk/board/hans-smans/

Hans Smans - Flexible Childcare Services Scotland

Board Member at FCSS Hans is a senior marketer who has worked across the UK and United States over the past 25+ years, leading marketing teams in the technology industry.  ... Read more

fcss.org.uk

Our CEO Susan McGhee asks Jack Evans, at the Joesph Rowntree Foundation, "What do families tell you that they need?" Find out in our latest Connecting the Dots #podcast. Youtube: https://ow.ly/BMF250ZwUV4 Spotify: https://ow.ly/ctQ050ZwUV5 #FlexibleChildcare #ParentalEmployment #ChildPoverty

Happy #Playday2026! Play is not just an extra activity; it is crucial to a child’s growth, learning, and well-being! Find out how you can support Playday with some ideas from our friends at Play Scotland https://www.playscotland.org/playday-2026/

In our latest #podcast Jack Evans from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation explains that parents are looking for flexible childcare so that they could progress in their careers, not just enter the job market. Subscribe now: Youtube: https://ow.ly/xAao50Zwsg0 Spotify: https://ow.ly/BFpe50Zwsg1

We're delighted to announce that Glenn Liddall has joined our Board. Glenn has spent 40 years helping charities and community organisations & we're so pleased he's working with us to increase our impact Find out more about Glenn, his experience and why he joined our Board https://ow.ly/9Q2950Zwrus

Glenn Liddall - Flexible Childcare Services Scotland

Board Member at FCSS Hi, I’m Glenn! I’ve recently changed pace after spending more than forty years leading charities, social enterprises and businesses, most recently as the founder and Chief ... Read more

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Take a look at our latest update and find out about our whole family wraparound support services. Find out more about our Peep sessions, how we're supporting rural communities & why Caerus is looking for product testers. Read all about it here https://mailchi.mp/fcss/flexible-childcare-update-july26

Have you seen our Connecting the Dot's Podcast? So far we've talked about Breakfast & #OOSCs, alternative funding, #childcaremanagementsoftware, #flexiblechildcare single parent families & the Motherhood Penalty. Subscribe now Youtube: https://ow.ly/4yOj50ZtnLK Spotify: https://ow.ly/JIjS50ZtnLI

Find out more about the systematic challenges that mothers face and what more can done to support them in our latest podcast with Susan McGhee & Carole Erskine at Pregnant Then Screwed Watch now - https://ow.ly/Zmue50ZojsJ Listen now - https://ow.ly/AKiv50ZojsK

How are you managing over the Summer Holidays? Running out of activities? Don't panic! Our Friends at Play Scotland have come up with a range of Play Ideas. Find your next fun activity https://www.playscotland.org/parents-families/play/

Take a look at our latest podcast with Susan McGhee & Carole Erskine at Pregnant Then Screwed. Find out what more can be done to support parents and to remove the 'motherhood penalty'. Watch now - https://ow.ly/Zmue50ZojsJ Listen now - https://ow.ly/AKiv50ZojsK

Preliminary finding from research looking at the barriers that young mothers face, conducted by Close the Gap and Save the Children UK, shows that "interplay between childcare and paid work is critical – young mothers need suitable, affordable childcare." https://ow.ly/S9eA50ZoPQm

Blog | New research on young mothers reveals urgent need for systemic change

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"limited flexibility in [childcare] provision can make it difficult for parents and carers to engage in sustained employment..." Research from Parenting Across Scotland and The Lines Between shows the main challenges facing parents: health, poverty & childcare. Read more https://ow.ly/32nE50ZoPwM

Our CEO Susan McGhee chats to Carole Erskine at Pregnant Then Screwed to understand the 'motherhood penalty' and what more needs to be done to support parents, particularly women. Watch now - https://ow.ly/Zmue50ZojsJ Listen now - https://ow.ly/AKiv50ZojsK

At FCSS we don't just provide #flexiblechildcare, we also provide specialist services for children with additional support needs. The groups provide a safe space for young people to socialise, make new fiends and learn new skills. Take a look at our latest case study https://ow.ly/mJnj50ZoPfO

Our CEO Susan McGhee chats to Carole Erskine at Pregnant Then Screwed to understand the 'motherhood penalty' and what more needs to be done to support parents, particularly women. Watch now - https://ow.ly/Zmue50ZojsJ Listen now - https://ow.ly/AKiv50ZojsK

Carole Erskine talks about how women are impacted when they have children, challenges with childcare, discrimination and how Pregnant Then Screwed are campaigning to remove the 'motherhood penalty. Subscribe now: Youtube - https://ow.ly/ug2z50ZohLG Spotify - https://ow.ly/rs3A50ZohLI

"The spirit of 1140 was being lost as it was being implemented." Our next podcast is out tomorrow at 3pm. Subscribe now Youtube: https://ow.ly/iyG850ZnLtH Spotify: https://ow.ly/s5jL50ZnLtI Available on all major streaking services. With thanks to The Podcast Studio Glasgow

"Investment in childcare is investment in children, in parents, in productivity & ultimately in Scotland’s future prosperity." Take a look at this article in Enlighten by Councillor James Bundy https://www.enlighten.scot/childcare-is-an-investment-in-scotlands-futureand-policy-should-reflect-that/

Childcare is an investment in Scotland's future…and policy should reflect that - Enlighten

The first childcare invoice arrived, and for a moment I assumed there had been a mistake. Three days a week in nursery for our twins would cost my wife and me more than £1,700 a month. I looked at the figure again, expecting to find a misplaced decimal point or…

enlighten.scot

Take a sneak peek at our latest podcast with Carole Erskine from Pregnant Then Screwed and find out how we can stop the 'motherhood penalty' where mums are often forced to work less hours at a lower rate of pay. Subscribe now Youtube: https://ow.ly/YTkm50ZnbYK Spotify: https://ow.ly/lJPh50ZnbYJ

A few weeks ago we hosted a Learning Exchange in partnership with Social Enterprise Scotland. Find out about our journey & how #flexiblechildcare supports families https://socialenterprise.scot/community-learning-exchange-flexible-childcare-services-scotland/

Community Learning Exchange: Flexible Childcare Services Scotland - Social Enterprise Scotland

Social Enterprise Scotland is The Voice of Social Enterprise - bringing together social enterprises and their supporters into a strong campaigning force. We are an independent, Scottish, membership-led organisation, built and controlled by social enterprises, representing the needs and interests of social enterprise to politicians, policy makers and opinion formers.

socialenterprise.scot

Join Susan McGhee and Satwat Rehman, from One Parent Families Scotland, in our latest #podcast to understand the challenges that #SingleParents, and all parents, face when they don't have access to #FlexibleChildcare. Watch Now: https://ow.ly/enNR50ZjFjU Listen Now: https://ow.ly/svfN50ZjFjV

"Access to affordable, flexible & high-quality childcare is a vital tool in the collective effort to fight child poverty in Scotland’s rural & island communities." This blog by James Taylor at IS highlights the significant challenges faced by rural communities https://ow.ly/QYfy50Zk3O3

Our latest Podcast is LIVE!! Join Susan McGhee and Satwat Rehman, from One Parent Families Scotland, to understand the challenges that #SingleParents, and all parents, face when they don't have access to #FlexibleChildcare. Watch Now: https://ow.ly/enNR50ZjFjU Listen Now: https://ow.ly/svfN50ZjFjV

Take a look at our latest news & find out how we supporting children with additional support needs, discover how a donation of balance bikes is delivering significant developmental benefits for children & so much more Read the latest & subscribe so you never miss it again https://ow.ly/wOvu50ZjAWj

Our CEO Susan McGhee & Satwat Rehman, CEO at One Parent Families Scotland, discuss the challenges that parents face when they cant access the care they need. #FlexibleChildcare #ParentalEmployment #ChildPoverty Subscribe now Youtube: https://ow.ly/yRN850Zjg0b Spotify: https://ow.ly/638y50Zjg0c

Another fantastic report from @parentingscotland.bsky.social deep diving into the key challenges facing Scottish parents. Unsurprisingly the lack of affordable and #flexiblechildcare remains one of the greatest barriers for parents trying to get back to work or education. Read now 👇

Parenting Across Scotland@parentingscotland.bsky.social · 2mo ago

We are delighted to share the final report by The Lines Between which draws on research from over 20,000 parents and carers across at least 31 local authorities in Scotland 2025-26. Access the report here: www.parentingacrossscotland.org/media/1761/pas-literature-review_2025-26.pdf

Here's a sneak peak of our latest podcast with Susan McGhee & Satwat Rehman, CEO at One Parent Families Scotland "Flexibility needs to be integral, not an add on...it's part and parcel of the way we design services." Subscribe Youtube - https://ow.ly/1sEw50ZiILI Spotify - https://ow.ly/Mazz50ZiILJ

Our latest Podcast with Satwat Rehman, CEO of One Parent Families Scotland is out this Thursday. Subscribe now Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6jqxMVVK3pfAbHBM14lzz6?si=Xh3CkWbpS3Kv2ZAVcfTBpQ Youtube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF4ZSfTvARBNCJIAaxHkbZQ9-S45Dkrcp&si=UhQEon1GEtecxwBe

Earlier today Laura Mitchell MSP visited our Strathisla Children's Centre in Keith, in her new(ish) constituency of Moray In Laura's first speech in Scottish Parliament she recognised that access to affordable & #flexiblechildcare was vital for family finances and to local and national economies