Anticipating the cost
Budget could spell hope – or heartache – for Scottish children and families
10/02/2011
As MSPs prepare to vote on the SNP government’s £33bn spending plans in the Scottish Parliament today, Children in Scotland is urging all political parties to make meeting the needs of families a key priority, with accessible childcare and joined up children’s services top of the list.
Following the November 2010 Spending Review agreement between the Scottish Government and COSLA to support the implementation of the Early Years Framework, the children’s organisation hopes that today’s final Budget negotiations don’t leave arents in Scotland continuing to face the current triple whammy of higher childcare costs than the rest of Britain, falling numbers of preschool centres coinciding with a rising birth rate, and a reduction in the childcare element of Working Tax Credit, which was starkly highlighted in their newly-published survey of childcare costs.
Children in Scotland, in association with the Scottish Out of School Network (SOSCN)'s report The costs of childcare in Scotland, published yesterday, revealed that while the number of registered childcare centres and the number of centres providing preschool education has gone down by over 3% in the last three years, the number of children under 5 has risen by approximately 5%.
The figures highlight the problems surrounding implementation of the Framework, and point to the need for more resources and greater priority to be accorded to the support of services at a time when the birth rate is rising. They also make worrying news for parents, who are already dealing with other aspects of the economic downturn.
The report, which brings together information from service providers across Scotland and places the cost of childcare in the context of access to services, highlights inconsistencies with costs and charging structures across the country, with costs per week for 25 hours care ranging from £58 to £107 in private and local authority nurseries, and £80 to £110 for childminders. Rural areas mostly offer cheaper prices, but fewer choices. Parents of children with disabilities have least choice of services, with 48% not offered a choice for their child. The figures are backed by recent findings from the Daycare Trust, which show Scottish childcare to be the most expensive in Britain.
Children in Scotland’s chief executive Bronwen Cohen said: “With today’s final Budget debate, it is vital that adequate provision is made for accessible and affordable childcare, and to address the unhelpful split that exists between the way childcare and early education are funded.”
“Childcare costs and access issues contribute directly to the high levels of child poverty in Scotland, with nearly half of all children and young people living in poverty aged under 5. Affordable, strong early years provision that is accessible to all families is crucial not only in combating child poverty, but also for supporting parents, and encouraging economic recovery.”
Irene Audain Chief Executive of The Scottish Out of School Care Network agrees: "It s essential both for childrenʼs wellbeing, and the national economy, that non-statutory childcare services are protected, so we are calling for the budget to include measures to sustain and protect these in Scotland."
"While some services, including some out of school care, are surviving on parental fees, others need subsidies to support children with disabilities, or those living in poor or rural areas. This leaves them extremely vulnerable to cuts in local government funding, which could lead to service closures, and parents without access to the childcare that is vital to them remaining part of the workforce.”
Children in Scotland’s Policy Development Manager Sarah Burton said: “The high costs of childcare in Scotland shown in our survey are a cause for concern, particularly in the current economic climate where children’s services are vulnerable to cuts. Parents are facing a postcode lottery in costs and charging structures, with less access to tax credits and support. Access to services is likely to worsen as the population of under 5s rises.”
The costs of childcare in Scotland: a special report brings together data from local authorities, a survey of private nurseries, and published and unpublished data from other organisations. It is available free to members of Children in Scotland. For further information: www.childreninscotland.org.uk
From April the childcare element of Working Tax Credit will cover only 70% of childcare costs for low income working families rather than the current 80%.
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Thursday, 20 January 2011
Transition from Care Commission to SCSWIS - April 2011
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.
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.
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.
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