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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

Campbell, Aileen SNP Clydesdale Watch on SPTV

As we have heard, amendments 48 to 50, through moving to a system of all children receiving two full years of funded early learning and childcare, would result in significant numbers of children taking up their entitlement, some from the age of two and a half.Although the Government absolutely accepts the need to build on the provisions in the bill, the priority at this stage must be to build additional hours and flexibility into our high-quality universal provision—increasing the entitlement to about 16 hours a week—and to focus on our more vulnerable two-year-olds as we expand. As I said, we have demonstrated our commitment to do that through the increased coverage of more vulnerable two-year-olds that was announced last week.The amendments are unnecessary, as any further expansion or changes to commencement dates for entitlement to early learning and childcare for two or three-year-olds can be achieved through secondary legislation made under the bill.The bill makes a significant change in reconfiguring the system of early learning and childcare, and further expansion must be subject to adequate funding. All the research shows that pre-school provision is beneficial to young children, particularly those who are most disadvantaged, only when it is of high quality.On the dates on which three-year-olds take up the funded entitlement, local authorities can and do deliver provision beyond the minimum number of hours and the minimum of eligible children. A number of local authorities already start children from their third birthday, or the month after their third birthday, where they have capacity to do so. The youngest children—those born in January or February—who may get less provision when they are three, will continue to be entitled to an additional year after they are four, where parents want that, to ensure that they benefit from early learning and childcare and are ready to start school.As I said, the commencement dates for entitlement to early learning and childcare will be set through secondary legislation. The intention is to continue commencement for three-year-olds from the first term after their third birthday. Some slight variation will always remain—relating to whether children commence from their third birthday or the first term after that birthday—but I reiterate that the system makes the best use of the entitlement in relation to children’s ages and needs.There are capacity issues. Colin Beattie suggested the possibility of 30,000 additional two-year-olds and the associated costs that go with that. He raised some pertinent points that Liz Smith might address when she sums up.I reiterate that the bill represents the first step in our journey towards transforming childcare, starting with those who need it most—the most vulnerable two-year-olds. Last week, we indicated our intention to expand that provision further. Therefore, I do not support the amendments in this group.09:15

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Education and Culture Committee 14 January 2014

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