About SCA Childcare

Supporting Childminders Across the UK

Practical help, expert advice, and friendly support for every childminder.

Our History

Suffolk Childcare Agency (SCA) is led by a team of Early Years Professionals with over 38 years of expertise in the childcare sector, including the management of a large-scale childminding setting. Since our founding in Suffolk in 2016, we have grown to serve families across a wide area of the country.

Our Values

We are committed to providing childminders with comprehensive, efficient, and valuable support, ensuring they deliver the highest quality childcare to children and their families.

At SCA, exceptional childcare means more than just education. It’s about nurturing each child’s personal development and well-being. Our approach promotes a supportive environment where children are encouraged to thrive and grow, preparing them for a smooth transition to school.

Our Vision

At SCA, children are at the core of everything we do. Our mission is to help every child reach their full potential and give them the best start in life. We believe in creating a safe, nurturing, and fun environment where learning and development go hand-in-hand.

By fostering high expectations and constantly improving our childcare practices, we aim to raise the standard of early education. Our vision is to empower childminders to provide outstanding childcare for every child in their care.

Our Aims and Objectives

With decades of experience, SCA is uniquely equipped to offer top-tier, regulated childminding services to childminders and the family and children in their care. We provide thorough, ongoing training and support to both new and experienced childminders, ensuring they can offer excellent care.

Quality Childcare and Learning

We are committed to helping childminders create safe, inclusive environments where children thrive and learn with confidence.
Ensure a safe, secure environment for children to develop essential skills
Maintain high standards of childcare that build trust and confidence
Promote equality and treat all children and families with respect
Keep parents informed through regular feedback and updates

Support for Childminders

We offer structured, ongoing support that helps childminders succeed at every stage of their journey.
Provide structured support at every stage of a childminder’s career
Assign dedicated agency managers to help childminders grow professionally
Conduct regular quality assurance checks and inspections

Safeguarding and Compliance

Safeguarding is central to everything we do. We ensure all registered childminders meet the highest safety and compliance standards.
Safeguard all children through robust recruitment and training
Ensure compliance with DBS checks for all individuals in childcare settings
Empower childminders to follow safeguarding procedures and work with external agencies

Our Mission

SCA’s mission is to uplift the standards of early education by helping childminders offer the best possible care. Through our strong support system, we are actively reversing the decline in childminders and expanding our reach across the UK to help meet the increasing demand for high-quality childcare.

Meet the team

Claire Chapman

CEO

Claire has been a registered childminder for over 20 years. She is a working mother of four, a grandmother, has BA Honours in Early Years and qualifications in Accountancy and Management.

Recognising the need for higher quality, more regulated and better supported childminding settings across the UK, Claire started SCA. Her vision is to ensure better care, experiences and education for children and their families by creating a network of excellent childminders who are trained to enable all children to achieve their fullest potential in a safe and supportive environment.

Skills

Collaborative worker, good communicator, great listener, trustworthy

Interests

Walking, weekends away, family time, cycling

Linda 

Business Advisor

Linda has worked with SCA from the beginning as a business advisor.  She has many years experience in the childcare sector having worked as a Health and Children’s Centre Manager for the local authority and has achieved the NPQICL (National Professional Qualification of Integrated Centre Leadership). 

Skills

- The ability to motivate and build a rapport with people
- Strong communication, observational and listening skills

Interests

Gardening, family time, walking

Michelle

Operations Manager 

Michelle has worked in childcare since 2005 as a qualified early years teacher. 
Michelle is an expert in all matters to do with childcare funding and tax free childcare and can help both childminders and parents navigate this complex system!

Michelle loves a challenge and is always happy to help – ask her any question no matter how big or small!

Michelle works closely with all staff and day to day runnings within the office, and prides herself on her open door policy. she will always go above and beyond to help staff and childminders and is happy to do so. 

Skills

being a good listener, supportive and positive

Interests

Reading, walking, being outdoors

Donna

Administrator 

Donna loves to support other childminders at SCA and help them develop their skills and qualifications in early years and is very happy to pass on her experiences to others.Donna has been working in childcare since 2006 as a qualified childminder. Having lots of experience of working with babies and young children, Donna can support childminders with fun activities that target all areas of learning. Donna works closely with childminders throughout the regestering process. 

Skills

friendly, teamplayer Taking initiative

Interests

time with family and friends,

Sarah 

Applications Team Manager 

Sarah is a passionate and hard working part of the team.  She has extensive experience in childcare, being a mum of 3 children, registered foster carer and registered childminder she has also worked closely supporting children with additioanl needs by providing rest bite. she is creative, supportive, child centred practitioner. She prides herself on carefully planning day to day runnings within the office to ensure childminders a smooth transistion to their childminding business.

Skills

Creative, Sign language, Active / energetic Supportive and positive

Interests

Learning new things, Outdoors, Walking, Arts and crafts, Music

Billie-Marie

Office Co-Ordinator

Billie-Marie is young and enthusiastic, she is extremely organised and hard working. Billie-Marie prides herself on her ability to delegate and support tasks and meeting deadlines. Billie-Marie's work ethics partnered with her passion and drive enables her to be a strong part of the runnings within the SCA office. 

Skills

being organised, supportive and positve, and a good listener

Interests

spending time with family, learning new things music

Carly 

Application Team

Carly is passionate about her role at SCA and works closely with childminders to ensure they recieve a smooth transisition and knows the stages of application. Carly has a keen eye for detail and works hard within the office to keep staff updated. She is a very kind and caring  person this resonates within her work.  

Skills

Kind and Caring, Good Communicator, Thorough,  Organised,  Hard working, 

Interests

Spending time with Freinds and Family
SCA is Regulated by OFSTED
COMPANY NO. 10198664
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