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Foreword
There is ample evidence that high quality early education and childcare services can improve children's development, learning and behaviour. We also know that a well qualified, professional workforce is by far the most important factor in delivering the quality of services that will give children the best possible start in life.
My long-term vision is of services that combine quality and flexibility to meet the needs of children and hard working families. I want to see all providers aspiring to the quality of the best, and investing in their services to deliver the standards that children deserve and parents expect. I also want to see the public sector in particular delivering more flexible services, and working more closely with voluntary and private sector providers to provide a seamless experience for children.
I plan to start investing more priority in the workforce now in order to deliver this vision, and investment will need to continue over a 10 year period to develop a truly professional early years and childcare workforce which is respected for the importance and the quality of the services it provides for our children and families. In my vision of the future, this will no longer be a workforce which is perceived as low skilled, or low paid.
For parents, this is an agenda of choice and empowerment. By delivering a combination of quality and flexibility, we can give parents the confidence to choose services that meet their needs, knowing that their children will be in a safe, stimulating and rewarding environment. For children, we will deliver consistently better quality learning and care, improving further their life chances. We must keep their needs at the forefront of our thinking as we pursue these goals.
Peter Peacock, MSP
Minister for Education and Young People
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