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Education and Culture Committee 14 January 2014

14 Jan 2014 · S4 · Education and Culture Committee

Item of business

Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Smith, Liz Con Mid Scotland and Fife Watch on SPTV

Thousands of children lose out on nursery provision simply because they were born in the wrong month. Children who were born between 1 September and 29 February receive fewer hours of nursery provision than those who were born in other months of the year, so their parents are also at a financial disadvantage.Recent comprehensive statistical evidence that Reform Scotland published showed that that anomaly, which results from the Scottish Government’s policy of funding nursery provision after a child turns three, means that nursery provision can vary by up to 317 hours or by more than £1,000 within the cost of nursery partnership provision.A child who was born between 1 March and 31 August is entitled to the full two years of nursery provision before beginning school, but a child who was born between 1 September and 31 December gets only 18 months’ provision and a child who was born between 1 January and 28 February receives just 15 months. The Scottish Conservatives believe that that situation is grossly unfair and that it would be much better if nursery provision started at a fixed point in the year for all children.The Scottish Government’s defence of the current situation is that, when a child starts nursery at the beginning of the first term following their third birthday, that makes the best use of the entitlement and takes proper account of the child’s age and educational needs, and parents can keep younger children in nursery and defer the start of school if they feel that that is best. I ask the Scottish Government to consider the following points.If we take a child who was born in late July and one who was born in late October, who both start primary school at the same time, where on earth is the logic in arguing that the child who was born in late July is entitled to six months more of nursery education? Under the current arrangements, only children who were born in January or February can defer entry to primary school and be guaranteed an extra year’s nursery provision. There is therefore further discrimination between those who were born between September and December and those who were born in January and February.If there are to be arbitrary cut-off points, that is fine, but we need to be sure that all children are treated equally and that the system does not discriminate on the basis of children’s birthdays. Only 50 per cent of children who are born in Scotland are entitled to two full years of nursery provision. Children within the September to February group whose school entry is not deferred receive 400 hours less than the 600 hours a year under the Scottish Government’s policy.Amendments 48 to 50 are designed to make the necessary changes to ensure a level playing field. I believe that the proposed changes have the support of Labour and Liberal members and of a wide cross-section of society. I hope that the minister will agree to change what is currently a highly discriminatory policy, which causes many children to lose out and many parents to face a financial penalty just because of when their children were born.I move amendment 48.

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Education and Culture Committee 14 January 2014

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