The Scottish Government

The Childcare Strategy for Scotland

In May 1998 the Government published Meeting the Childcare Challenge: A Childcare Strategy for Scotland, one of a number of measures aimed at supporting families and in particular raising children out of poverty. The Strategy recognised that good quality childcare has benefits for children by promoting their development and learning, and benefits for parents, by enabling them to work. Although there was already a diverse range of childcare provision in Scotland, action was needed to fill gaps in the formal childcare sector which enables parents to take up employment or training. The overall aim of the Childcare Strategy was therefore to make high quality, accessible and affordable childcare available in every neighbourhood. The Strategy highlighted four key problems

• The quality of care could be variable
• The cost of childcare was high
• There were insufficient places in many areas and
• Access was hampered by a lack of information for parents on what was available within their local authority area.

The Government set out its intention to tackle these problems in a number of ways:

• The issue of quality was to be addressed by the introduction of a new national regulatory body, the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care, and new National Standards for Childcare. Resources were allocated to increase the numbers of qualified staff in the childcare workforce.
• The introduction of a Childcare Tax Credit would help working parents with the costs of childcare.
• Childcare Partnerships were to be set up in every local authority area bringing together all those with an interest in childcare to promote its expansion in line with parental demand.

• A Childcare Information Service was set up in every local authority area which would meet national standards.

See Childcare Partnerships section for more information.