Families need action on childcare places in first 100 days
Following lobbying by National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Scotland, MSPs have agreed a motion in Parliament for the Scottish Government to work with local authorities to ensure families can access childcare placements across council boundaries.
A debate on expanded childcare took place in Holyrood yesterday (27 May) and an amendment on supporting children from across council boundaries at a national level tabled by Scottish Greens was accepted.
On the back of that motion, NDNA Scotland is launching its ‘100 Days for 100 Families’ campaign for action in the first 100 days of the new government. There are just over 100 families across the central belt whose childcare arrangements are set to be abruptly ended due to West Lothian Council’s decision to stop funding their existing nursery places.
National operating guidance needs to make funded ELC places for cross-boundary children a statutory requirement rather than relying on informal reciprocal arrangements between council areas. This was one of NDNA’s pre-election manifesto commitments.
Tim McLachlan, Chief Executive of NDNA said:
“We are delighted that MSPs from across the political spectrum have spoken out to support action on cross-boundary placements. This was one of our key manifesto asks as it has caused a huge amount of upheaval for parents and real concerns for early learning and childcare providers.
“Local authority boundaries are invisible lines to most families, many of whom live or work closer to ELC settings in the next local authority than in their own. Edinburgh and West Lothian’s decisions to refuse funding for children in certain settings runs contrary to the national policy aims of provider neutrality and parental choice.
“We will now work with local and national government and campaign hard to see an end to this kind of ‘cost cutting’ undermining access to a nationally funded policy.
“We have witnessed the distress that this decision is causing many families, including one family whose child has now been displaced twice and others who will not be able to access the specific nurseries they have chosen for their children’s needs.
“It’s unacceptable they would have to face this unnecessary upheaval when the funding and the national commitments are there and families are just trying to be able to work and do the best for their children.”
In February, West Lothian Council decided to remove the funding for children attending private and voluntary nurseries in the area if they live across the local authority border. As a result, more than 100 families across the Central Belt expect to lose their childcare places where their children are settled and happy with very little time to put new arrangements in place. (https://ndna.org.uk/west-lothian-council-proposal-moves-children-from-settings/ https://ndna.org.uk/ndna-slams-council-vote-to-remove-parental-choice-from-funded-childcare-offer/)
Now, 100 families have fewer than 100 days to find new childcare places unless the council reverses its decision in the light of the national debate.
Ahead of the election, NDNA Scotland pulled together key manifesto asks https://ndna.org.uk/holyroodelection/ drawing on the views of ELC providers, experts and families.
NDNA manifesto asks of the new Scottish Government included:
“Ensure choice for parents by making national policy priorities – such as cross-border places – a statutory requirement to ensure all children in Scotland benefit from funded ELC in a setting that works for their needs and provides genuine parental choice.”
“Fully align the existing funded ELC system with the UNCRC and a children’s rights approach, through a national review that ensures: Ambiguous language is removed so local decision making cannot undermine the fundamental rights of children.”
Mr McLachlan added: “Children’s rights and parental choice are being ignored here. The children affected by this decision were not consulted or considered. It’s important that there are stronger safeguards to ensure the child’s voice is heard and the impacts of moving them is properly taken into account.”
NDNA Scotland is launching this 100 days campaign to make sure there is real change to protect the fundamental principles of ELC policy that would better prepare Scotland’s ELC system for any planned expansion.
Gillian McKay, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West region and co-leader of the Scottish Greens, has met with providers and families affected and spoke out in yesterday’s parliamentary debate.
Gillian Mackay MSP said:
“The Scottish Greens campaigned in the election that we would seek immediate action to fix these unfair gaps in the childcare system, and I’m delighted that the Government has now realised that change is needed by accepting our motion on today’s debate.
“It’s vital to end the situation where children lose out on nursery places because they live in a neighbouring council area. Childcare needs to work around the realities of people’s lives and jobs, not outdated council boundaries.
“We have seen the hardship the decision in West Lothians has had on families in Falkirk that funding refusal for children in certain settings has had. We must now continue to work to ensure that the commitments made in parliament today are implemented in local authority areas across the country.
“Good childcare reduces poverty, supports women back into work if they choose, helps children get the best start in life and makes it easier for families to thrive.”
Andrew Carr of First Adventures Nursery in Linlithgow has several families who will be affected by this decision. Andrew who chairs NDNA’s West Lothian nursery network said:
“Childcare choices are some of the most important decisions parents make and yesterday’s commitment to begin immediate work in defence of the principles of Funding Follows the Child shows that the Scottish Government respects families’ right to make those choices themselves.
“No local authority should be able to draw its own boundary across any family’s access to their nationally funded childcare entitlements and we hope that the commitment made today is made as a direct commitment to those hundred families across the Central Belt who have suddenly found their childcare plans shattered by the decision of West Lothian council.”
NDNA Scotland is calling for families, decision-makers, parliamentarians and councillors to join in our 100 days national campaign.
Further campaign actions will be set out in the coming days and weeks that will give parents and providers more opportunities to show their support.
You can watch the whole debate here
- childcare
- early education
- early years
- funding
- Scotland
Similar Articles
Government must act now to ensure nurseries can still deliver the best start in life for children
Government asks Competition and Markets Authority to look at nursery charges
