TALKING POLITICS Private nurseries risk being squeezed out of business

One of the most compelling recent Scottish parliamentary debates was on the issues surrounding the Scottish Government’s changes to funded childcare places.

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 expanded funded childcare to 600 hours for all three- and four-year-olds, along with some eligible two-year-olds.

There is a clear link between early childcare and attainment, so, as a result, there was universal support for the SNP’s pledge to almost double the previous commitment to 1140 hours of funded childcare per child.

However, cross-party concerns were expressed about how the policy is being implemented with the responsibility for this passed to local authorities.

Furthermore, evidence suggests the cost of the additional 540 hours has not been fully considered, nor have the staff required to facilitate it.

Consequently, some nursery providers are already struggling to meet the 600hour mark, with figures from the National Day Nurseries Association suggesting that almost four in five nurseries are underfunded.

As a result, private nurseries and childminders risk being squeezed out of business as they cannot afford to make up the funding shortfall.

There is also a tendency for local authorities to favour council nurseries over private providers, against Scottish Government guidelines.

Capital funding has gone towards new council-run nurseries. This restricts the funding available for the private nurseries’ places and childminders who can offer flexibility to meet parents’ childcare needs.

Ultimately, parents will be faced with less choice because local authority nursery providers have set hours which coincide with the school day.

Finally, many contributors to the debate, who represent different parts of Scotland, confirmed local authorities like North and South Lanarkshire are not including private providers in the consultation about the delivery of the 1140 hours provision.

Quite simply it is imperative their views are heard now, before it is too late.

Another major issue discussed in the parliament was the site for the new Monklands Hospital.

NHS Lanarkshire has indicated that the Gartcosh site is its preferred option.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party motion backed the new hospital being located within Monklands, which therefore excludes Gartcosh.

Instead it covers a rebuild on the existing site or a new build on the Glenmavis site.

Labour indicated it preferred the existing site option.

There is also a tendency for local authorities to favour council nurseries over private providers

Unsuitable site Ms Mitchell says the “horrendous parking and flooding issues” around the Gartcosh crime campus (pictured) means her favoured option for Monklands Hospital is a new build on the Glenmavis site