Childcare Partnerships aim to expand childcare in their area in line with parental demand.
In proposing that a Childcare Partnership be set up in each area, Ministers wanted a new approach to childcare. Ministers believed the Childcare Strategy couldn't be achieved by central or local government alone. It needed the contribution of the private and voluntary sectors, parents, the community - indeed all those with a key interest in childcare locally.
Childcare Partnerships would identify local need, develop plans and generate proposals for the development of services to meet this need, and mobilise commitment and resources to achieve it.
A Childcare Partnership was set up in every one of the 32 local authority areas in Scotland, with a Childcare Partnership Development Officer appointed in each. The Childcare Partnerships initial tasks were to carry out an audit of childcare supply and demand in their area and based on this draw up plans for expansion, integrated with plans for the expansion of early education. The first set of plans were submitted to the Scottish Executive in April 1999. In April 2000, Partnerships responded to the request from the Scottish Executive to submit joint Early Education and Childcare Plans for 2000-2003. More recently, Early Education and Childcare Plans have been subsumed into the Integrated Children's Services Plan.
Role and Status of Childcare Partnerships
The local authority is responsible for convening the Partnership and provides a strategic lead. The local authority is also accountable to the Scottish Executive for the allocation of funding for the Childcare Strategy.
However, local authorities are expected to listen hard to the views of Childcare Partnership members and ensure that they have a formative influence on decision-making particularly about the strategic planning of early education and childcare and the allocation of Childcare Strategy funding.
Membership
The Executive's Guidance on the Planning of pre-school education and childcare and the establishment of childcare partnerships published in December 1998 recommends that Partnerships should ensure that the following groups are represented:
The Local Authority including education and social work interests
The Local Enterprise Company
Local employers, possibly represented through the Chamber of Commerce
Private sector education and childcare providers
Out of school forums
Voluntary sector providers of early years education and care
Further education colleges
The National Health Service
Registered childminders
Employment Service/New Deal Partnerships
Parents, including working parents
The Guidance went on to say that Partnerships would want to bear in mind the role played by national childcare umbrella organisations when identifying representatives of childcare providers and consider seeking nominations from them. In some areas there would be other interests and expertise who should be considered, e.g. from ethnic minority groups or those involved in Gaelic medium provision. In all areas it would be important to take into account the diverse requirements of children with special needs.
However, the Guidance recognised that the membership of each Childcare Partnership would need to reflect local stakeholders and needs. Since their inception, many Childcare Partnerships have reviewed their initial membership to reflect changes in the local situation and the developing agenda and priorities of the Partnership.