Chamber
Plenary, 17 Nov 1999
17 Nov 1999 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Child Care Strategy
I will talk briefly about the qualifications of child care workers, and also about a more integrated approach that includes social inclusion partnerships as part of the rolling out of the programme.
With regard to qualifications, I have some concerns that the ambitious target that the Executive has set itself of having 5,000 people trained within a short period of time is achievable, but I hope that we will actively encourage people to get those qualifications.
I will relate some experiences that I had with the Middlefield community project in Aberdeen when I was a councillor, as it might give a flavour of what is possible, in terms of qualifications and how they can impact on the children, parents and residents in what is part of one of the new social inclusion partnerships.
Seven years ago, there was no provision in the area at all and the community project set up a series of nurseries. Now there are four nurseries offering 46 places, which are largely part-time. They have nine members of staff, who all started out living in the community and without qualifications. Most of them have qualified, or are well on the way to qualifying, in child care. Indeed, one has moved on further, having gone to college to enhance her career prospects.
None of that would have happened without the opportunity afforded through the Scottish vocational qualification route. Such a stepping stone is often important in allowing someone from a deprived area to get a start. The fact that that was available within the community was crucial. The standard of care provided is excellent. Because of the quality of nursery provision in the area, people from outwith the community are actively knocking on the door to have their children admitted to the nurseries.
Naturally, there are constraints, which—as such things often do—relate to finance. We cannot, and we do not, expect people to be compelled to put their children into after-school clubs, nurseries or any other form of provision. That is one of the choices that parents have, and will continue to have. There are advantages to children staying at home, but not in terms of the development of social skills and the early identification of potential problems that, regrettably, are in certain respects more prevalent in some deprived areas. Perhaps today's welcome announcement that the funds will be concentrated in deprived areas will help.
I plead with the minister to give active consideration to involving the social inclusion partnerships in the discussions about how and where we do that. It will offer opportunities to expand and provide services in communities and to take a holistic approach. This should not be done in isolation; it should be done in an inclusive way.
However, from my discussions with the people providing these services, it is clear that a couple of potential problems need to be addressed. The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and its implications have an impact on who can be employed. Those things have to be dealt with sensitively. There are issues relating to that that the minister might care to look at.
My colleague Nicola Sturgeon was criticised for suggesting that a plethora of initiatives and ideas is being introduced. The six months arrangement for the new deal might also have an impact, in that it is difficult to undertake courses of study in only six months. Perhaps the more enlightened approach adopted by other public sector bodies— such as the Employment Service, which offers a year—would at least give people the chance to get
on the first rung and, potentially, find sources of future funding for the post. I suggest that the minister consider the new deal in relation to that arrangement, particularly as we are trying to find the appropriate number of people to do it.
With regard to qualifications, I have some concerns that the ambitious target that the Executive has set itself of having 5,000 people trained within a short period of time is achievable, but I hope that we will actively encourage people to get those qualifications.
I will relate some experiences that I had with the Middlefield community project in Aberdeen when I was a councillor, as it might give a flavour of what is possible, in terms of qualifications and how they can impact on the children, parents and residents in what is part of one of the new social inclusion partnerships.
Seven years ago, there was no provision in the area at all and the community project set up a series of nurseries. Now there are four nurseries offering 46 places, which are largely part-time. They have nine members of staff, who all started out living in the community and without qualifications. Most of them have qualified, or are well on the way to qualifying, in child care. Indeed, one has moved on further, having gone to college to enhance her career prospects.
None of that would have happened without the opportunity afforded through the Scottish vocational qualification route. Such a stepping stone is often important in allowing someone from a deprived area to get a start. The fact that that was available within the community was crucial. The standard of care provided is excellent. Because of the quality of nursery provision in the area, people from outwith the community are actively knocking on the door to have their children admitted to the nurseries.
Naturally, there are constraints, which—as such things often do—relate to finance. We cannot, and we do not, expect people to be compelled to put their children into after-school clubs, nurseries or any other form of provision. That is one of the choices that parents have, and will continue to have. There are advantages to children staying at home, but not in terms of the development of social skills and the early identification of potential problems that, regrettably, are in certain respects more prevalent in some deprived areas. Perhaps today's welcome announcement that the funds will be concentrated in deprived areas will help.
I plead with the minister to give active consideration to involving the social inclusion partnerships in the discussions about how and where we do that. It will offer opportunities to expand and provide services in communities and to take a holistic approach. This should not be done in isolation; it should be done in an inclusive way.
However, from my discussions with the people providing these services, it is clear that a couple of potential problems need to be addressed. The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and its implications have an impact on who can be employed. Those things have to be dealt with sensitively. There are issues relating to that that the minister might care to look at.
My colleague Nicola Sturgeon was criticised for suggesting that a plethora of initiatives and ideas is being introduced. The six months arrangement for the new deal might also have an impact, in that it is difficult to undertake courses of study in only six months. Perhaps the more enlightened approach adopted by other public sector bodies— such as the Employment Service, which offers a year—would at least give people the chance to get
on the first rung and, potentially, find sources of future funding for the post. I suggest that the minister consider the new deal in relation to that arrangement, particularly as we are trying to find the appropriate number of people to do it.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Patricia Ferguson):
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S1M-285 in the name of Mr Sam Galbraith, on the Scottish Executive's child care strategy for Scotland, and an...
The Minister for Children and Education (Mr Sam Galbraith):
Lab
Thank you, Presiding Officer.I hope that we will not find too much difference among the parties in this debate; that is reflected in the amendment lodged by ...
Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I welcome this afternoon's debate on the Scottish Executive's child care strategy for Scotland. The child care strategy is one of many policies that has been...
Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
Will the member give way?
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
Not just now; let me get into my stride. Early education and child care should not be a political battleground. We have a shared interest in securing for eve...
Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the tone of Nicola Sturgeon's speech and I thank her for visiting my constituency this morning. Does she realise that, as part of the national chil...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
The child care tax credit is certainly a step in the right direction and some of my colleagues will mention it, but there are loopholes and weaknesses in it....
Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I am pleased to welcome what the minister said. I see that that brings a smile to his face. I hope that he will still be smiling at the end of my short contr...
Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
Will the member give way?
Mr Monteith:
Con
I thought that no one was going to ask. I have been waiting for an intervention—I even wrote "intervention" on my notes—so I am glad that Fiona Hyslop has ob...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
The subject of free education is topical at the moment, given the issue of tuition fees. Does the Conservative education spokesperson believe in free educati...
Mr Monteith:
Con
No. The Conservatives do not believe in universal provision of free education for three and four-year-olds. However, we recognise that there must be some sta...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
Will the member give way?
Mr Monteith:
Con
I am practically out of time, but I will give way if the intervention is relevant to my previous point.
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
Given that after-school clubs will be supported mainly by the child care tax credit element of the working families tax credit, how will the Conservatives' p...
Mr Monteith:
Con
As is quite clear, we intend to ensure that funding is made available for such clubs. We do not intend to introduce a system that brings in more means testin...
Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD):
LD
It is my pleasure, and my party's pleasure, to support warmly Sam Galbraith's motion. The great thing about coming fourth in the opening speeches is that one...
Mr Stone:
LD
I see the deputy minister nodding. There has been a worryingly high turnover of staff up to now, and we must fine-tune that issue. The minister has drawn the...
Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome today's announcements. Any child care strategy should be developed in the way that this strategy has been—with much input from many people. Althoug...
Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Immediately before I became an MSP, I worked for Angus Council, helping to implement the child care strategy. Like most practitioners, I welcomed the fact th...
Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab):
Lab
There is nothing complacent about the Executive's motion, and I am sure that the Scottish National party amendment would have been accepted had it not implie...
Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I thank Malcolm Chisholm for his contribution, even though he said about a quarter of the things that I wanted to say in my speech. The Scottish National par...
Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab):
Lab
I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak in the debate. Like others, I commend the Executive for pursuing the strategy of good- quality, affordable and...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
As a parent who depended very much on the good will of my own family, my in-laws and friends, I welcome the child care strategy. There is no doubt that a mor...
Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the opportunity to debate the child care strategy for Scotland. For too long children have been seen as little more than passive recipients of serv...
Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I will talk briefly about the qualifications of child care workers, and also about a more integrated approach that includes social inclusion partnerships as ...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
I would like to congratulate the Executive on the progress that it has made on child care. The issue is widely supported across the parties and the Executive...
Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab):
Lab
I warmly welcome the Minister for Children and Education's statement. The new allocation for child care represents something in the order of a 140 per cent i...
Mr Monteith:
Con
I point out to Helen Eadie that, in the first year after the voucher scheme was introduced, 63,467 children attended some form of pre-school education. Only ...
Helen Eadie:
Lab
At the general election, I was a candidate in Roxburgh and Berwickshire, where I worked for 18 months to two years. I know that there was great hostility the...