On the 1st April 2011 SCSWIS will come into being as the new regulatory body for out of school care, in place of the Care Commission.
We have been informed that services' current registration with the Care Commission will be automatically transferred to the new body, and any service currently undergoing registration and not finished by the Care Commission will be completed by SCSWIS. All IT services should also be transferred over from the old to new regulatory body meaning that all data held in the annual return should be saved, so when services have to complete the return under SCSWIS, it should just be a case of updating information.
With regard to inspections, there will be a reduced frequency for out of school care services which are seen to be low-risk: scoring 4 or above in quality themes. For such services, there will be an inspection once every 36 months (3 years). For those not on level 4 or above, then there will be an inspection once every 12 months.
Thursday 20 January 2011
Wednesday 12 January 2011
Importance of handwashing
Today the Scottish Government launched a campaign to remind people of the importance of handwashing in helping prevent the spread of infectious illness such as flu.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon today visited pupils at Edinburgh’s Preston Street Primary where she took part in a hand washing demonstration led by Mary Biscare, a member of NHS Lothian’s hand hygiene team.
Services for children were today reminded of the availability of the Scottish Government’s National Hand Hygiene Campaign Children’s pack. The pack is intended to help encourage young children to develop a lifelong habit of regular hand washing.
In addition the pack also contains information for children on the proper use of tissues and the importance of covering coughs and sneezes.
Education authorities have already been contacted by Scottish Government officials offering advice on seasonal flu and the new term.
Ms Sturgeon said:
“For the majority of healthy people, seasonal flu is an unpleasant but short-lived illness from which they make a full recovery. However for those at risk, contracting flu can have serious or even fatal consequences.
“That is why even seemingly simple things like practising good hand hygiene are so important. We are reinforcing this by reminding schools and nurseries that the online resource pack is available to them to use with pupils in the ongoing bid to keep seasonal flu at bay.
“Flu-like illnesses in Scotland remain at the levels normally expected at this time of year however we must remain vigilant. In addition there is no better protection for those in the at risk groups than vaccination and I continue to urge those eligible to come forward and get their jab."
Chief Medical Officer Dr Harry Burns said:
“As children return to school across the country it is vital that they understand the importance of covering their mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, putting the tissue in the bin and then thoroughly washing their hands.
“We are currently experiencing a normal seasonal flu outbreak and there is no need for alarm but parents should remain vigilant and good hand hygiene is one of the most basic ways to protect both themselves and their child.”
SOSCN has promoted the handwashing pack in the past and we would encourage all out of school care services to access the information:
Hand Hygiene Children's Pack
People who are worried about flu like symptoms should contact their GP for advice or NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon today visited pupils at Edinburgh’s Preston Street Primary where she took part in a hand washing demonstration led by Mary Biscare, a member of NHS Lothian’s hand hygiene team.
Services for children were today reminded of the availability of the Scottish Government’s National Hand Hygiene Campaign Children’s pack. The pack is intended to help encourage young children to develop a lifelong habit of regular hand washing.
In addition the pack also contains information for children on the proper use of tissues and the importance of covering coughs and sneezes.
Education authorities have already been contacted by Scottish Government officials offering advice on seasonal flu and the new term.
Ms Sturgeon said:
“For the majority of healthy people, seasonal flu is an unpleasant but short-lived illness from which they make a full recovery. However for those at risk, contracting flu can have serious or even fatal consequences.
“That is why even seemingly simple things like practising good hand hygiene are so important. We are reinforcing this by reminding schools and nurseries that the online resource pack is available to them to use with pupils in the ongoing bid to keep seasonal flu at bay.
“Flu-like illnesses in Scotland remain at the levels normally expected at this time of year however we must remain vigilant. In addition there is no better protection for those in the at risk groups than vaccination and I continue to urge those eligible to come forward and get their jab."
Chief Medical Officer Dr Harry Burns said:
“As children return to school across the country it is vital that they understand the importance of covering their mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, putting the tissue in the bin and then thoroughly washing their hands.
“We are currently experiencing a normal seasonal flu outbreak and there is no need for alarm but parents should remain vigilant and good hand hygiene is one of the most basic ways to protect both themselves and their child.”
SOSCN has promoted the handwashing pack in the past and we would encourage all out of school care services to access the information:
Hand Hygiene Children's Pack
People who are worried about flu like symptoms should contact their GP for advice or NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24.
Thursday 6 January 2011
Cut in childcare subsidies will have knock-on effect of creating even more unemployment
Letter published: The Herald newspaper, Thursday 30th December 2010
The current subsidies for childcare not only enable low income families, especially lone parents, to work but they also help keep much needed, but struggling financially, childcare services operating (“Childcare cuts are a false economy”, The Herald, December 29). Across the country, services for school-age children are already dealing with cuts in any direct subsidies from local government as there is no statutory duty to fund them. It took many years to build up the supply of more than 1,000 out-of-school care services in Scotland, services parents and children rely on, and which provide, as well as enable, much-needed employment.
If there is a reduction in the pool of parents able to pay for the services through tax credits, then we will face closures of the small businesses which provide childcare, which then will affect the ability of all parents who rely on childcare to stay in employment. So, at the same time as expecting any parents on benefits to go on to Jobseekers Allowance when their child is five and therefore be expected to find a job, the UK government is creating a situation where it is impossible for them to do so, by reducing access to childcare services. The knock-on effects will create even more unemployment; directly through staff in childcare services losing their jobs, and indirectly through parents no longer having access to stable childcare, in order that they can get out to work.
The Scottish Government’s Early Years Framework and anti-poverty strategy must be harnessed to ensure that we protect these services, so that parents, children and communities do not suffer even more through the UK government’s short-sighted “slash and burn” of essential subsidies to working families, which will put even more children into poverty.
Irene Audain, Glasgow.
The current subsidies for childcare not only enable low income families, especially lone parents, to work but they also help keep much needed, but struggling financially, childcare services operating (“Childcare cuts are a false economy”, The Herald, December 29). Across the country, services for school-age children are already dealing with cuts in any direct subsidies from local government as there is no statutory duty to fund them. It took many years to build up the supply of more than 1,000 out-of-school care services in Scotland, services parents and children rely on, and which provide, as well as enable, much-needed employment.
If there is a reduction in the pool of parents able to pay for the services through tax credits, then we will face closures of the small businesses which provide childcare, which then will affect the ability of all parents who rely on childcare to stay in employment. So, at the same time as expecting any parents on benefits to go on to Jobseekers Allowance when their child is five and therefore be expected to find a job, the UK government is creating a situation where it is impossible for them to do so, by reducing access to childcare services. The knock-on effects will create even more unemployment; directly through staff in childcare services losing their jobs, and indirectly through parents no longer having access to stable childcare, in order that they can get out to work.
The Scottish Government’s Early Years Framework and anti-poverty strategy must be harnessed to ensure that we protect these services, so that parents, children and communities do not suffer even more through the UK government’s short-sighted “slash and burn” of essential subsidies to working families, which will put even more children into poverty.
Irene Audain, Glasgow.
Failing Childcare Services in Scotland
In today's Glasgow Herald 3 articles focus on the Care Commission's failure to close failing childcare services; mostly the focus is on all-day care nurseries and childminders, although one out of school care is mentioned.
Failing childcare services in Scotland - Glasgow Herald (6/01/2011)
In response to these articles SOSCN would like to make it clear that we believe that it is the right of every child to access quality childcare, and out of school care in particular, and that it is the responsibility of childcare and support staff to ensure that this is achieved. The safety, health and well-being of children is the first and main concern of any childcare service.
SOSCN is not a provider of childcare but we are committed to supporting the development and sustainability of high quality out of school care through appropriate staff qualifications, training and Aiming High Scotland, our quality assurance scheme for out of school care services.
SOSCN believes services which are categorised by the Care Commission as being "weak or unsatisfactory" across the board and which do not demonstrate an immediate improvement should be closed temporarily until such improvements are met, or closed permanently if they are not. Children and young people should not be put at risk. Parents and carers need to have confidence that the care in which they are leaving their children is a safe and positive environment.
Although quality is not necessarily dependent on financial resources it is key to accessing qualifications, training, improvements to premises etc and quality assurance schemes.
Once again we highlight the need for financial resources to be committed from national and local government to out of school care services staff to gain the appropriate qualifications as required by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and access appropriate and ongoing training. Additional financial support should also be available to help sustain vulnerable services in areas of economic deprivation, rural areas and services providing care for children with additional support needs.
Failing childcare services in Scotland - Glasgow Herald (6/01/2011)
In response to these articles SOSCN would like to make it clear that we believe that it is the right of every child to access quality childcare, and out of school care in particular, and that it is the responsibility of childcare and support staff to ensure that this is achieved. The safety, health and well-being of children is the first and main concern of any childcare service.
SOSCN is not a provider of childcare but we are committed to supporting the development and sustainability of high quality out of school care through appropriate staff qualifications, training and Aiming High Scotland, our quality assurance scheme for out of school care services.
SOSCN believes services which are categorised by the Care Commission as being "weak or unsatisfactory" across the board and which do not demonstrate an immediate improvement should be closed temporarily until such improvements are met, or closed permanently if they are not. Children and young people should not be put at risk. Parents and carers need to have confidence that the care in which they are leaving their children is a safe and positive environment.
Although quality is not necessarily dependent on financial resources it is key to accessing qualifications, training, improvements to premises etc and quality assurance schemes.
Once again we highlight the need for financial resources to be committed from national and local government to out of school care services staff to gain the appropriate qualifications as required by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and access appropriate and ongoing training. Additional financial support should also be available to help sustain vulnerable services in areas of economic deprivation, rural areas and services providing care for children with additional support needs.
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