Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme (SMHSS)

All Care Inspectorate registered settings, i.e. local authority, private, voluntary, independent (PVI) and childminders may register for the Scheme where they:

• provide pre-school care to children for 2 hours or more per day
• are registered with the Care Inspectorate.

You do not need to be commissioned by East Dunbartonshire Council (EDC) to deliver funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) to receive payment under this scheme.

Preschool children i.e. aged from birth to starting primary one, who attend regulated childcare settings which have registered with their local authority to be part of the SMHSS, will be eligible to receive the offered benefits.

The SMHSS will fund a daily portion of milk (or approved non dairy alternative) and healthy snack (fruit or vegetables) for children who spend 2 hours or more in your childcare setting.

• 189 ml of first infant formula for children under 12 months
• 189mls (1/3 pint) - or a 200ml container- of plain fresh cow’s milk (whole milk for children 1 year and over, including the option of semi-skimmed milk for children 2 years and over)
• or, where children cannot consume cow’s milk for medical, ethical or religious reasons, plain fresh goat or sheep milk (whole milk for children 1 year and over or to include semi- skimmed milk for children 2 years)
• or where children cannot consume cow's milk, goat's milk and sheep's milk for medical, ethical or religious reasons a specified unsweetened calcium-enriched non-dairy alternative
• AND a healthy snack portion (fruit or vegetables) per child per day

The Scottish Government will provide funding to local authorities to administer and deliver the SMHSS.
All Care Inspectorate registered settings (local authority, private, voluntary, independent (PVI) and childminders) wishing to participate must register with their local authority (in which the setting is located).

Registration/renewal is now open and closes on 21 July 2022 for the scheme running from 1 August 2022 to 31 March 2023. New providers are able to register for the scheme from this date and Settings that were part of the scheme in the previous term are required to apply again in order to provide accurate and up-to-date information

Settings must register/renew using the online form below to be part of the scheme. This is essential for the calculation of payments.

Before you begin the registration process, please ensure you have as much information as possible in relation to your Setting at hand. The registration process involves answering a number of questions about specific time periods throughout 2022/2023. Please also ensure you have a copy of your Setting's Certificate of Registration issued by Social Work Improvement Scotland (Care Inspectorate) ready to attach to the form.

Following successful registration, we will contact all childcare settings by email with the next steps that must be taken to allow payment to be made.

To start receiving payment you need to complete the registration form and provide the anticipated uptake figures, this includes your funded ELC children and private children aged from 0-pre school.

The data provided will be used to base the number of servings of milk and snacks your childcare setting would expect to provide within an academic year and therefore inform advanced payment amount.

Your registration form must be completed and returned, to us by 21 July 2022, to start receiving upfront payment from 1 August 2022. 

If you do not register by 21 July 2022 please contact SMHSSenquiries@eastdunbarton.gov.uk for further guidance. 

If any circumstances change EDC request that they are notified in writing within 4 weeks of the change occurring.

An example could be a change in enrolment levels +/- 10% of the stated enrolment at registration. Childcare settings must inform EDC if circumstances change significantly within 4 weeks of the change occurring.

Where the changes would result in a need for additional funding, the local authority will advise on options for adjusting the payments. The SMHSS is subject to audit therefore you will be required to keep proof of purchases.

For the period 1st April 2022 - 31st March 2023 the Scottish Government agreed a National Serving Rate of 58.2p per Serving

If you have any questions about SMHSS you can email SMHSSenquiries@eastdunbarton.gov.uk We endeavour to provide you with help and guidance to allow a smooth transition to this new way of working.