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| Scottish plan to double free childcare faces risks, says watchdog | Scottish plan to double free childcare faces risks, says watchdog |
| (6 days later) | |
| The Scottish government’s ambition to double childcare hours by 2020 is facing “significant risks”, according to a spending watchdog. | The Scottish government’s ambition to double childcare hours by 2020 is facing “significant risks”, according to a spending watchdog. |
| Nicola Surgeon made her flagship pledge to increase from 600 to 1,140 the hours available for all three- and four-year-olds and vulnerable two-year-olds in her first programme for government, in November 2014. | Nicola Surgeon made her flagship pledge to increase from 600 to 1,140 the hours available for all three- and four-year-olds and vulnerable two-year-olds in her first programme for government, in November 2014. |
| But the Audit Scotland report, described by the Conservative shadow education spokeswoman Liz Smith as “damning”, sets out a catalogue of concerns, including delays in recruitment, lack of available infrastructure, and the considerable gap between what local councils and the Scottish government expect the policy to cost. | But the Audit Scotland report, described by the Conservative shadow education spokeswoman Liz Smith as “damning”, sets out a catalogue of concerns, including delays in recruitment, lack of available infrastructure, and the considerable gap between what local councils and the Scottish government expect the policy to cost. |
| Graham Sharp, chair of Audit Scotland’s Accounts Commission, said: “The scale of change needed over the next two years is considerable and there are significant risks that councils will be unable to deliver that change in the time available. There is now an urgent need for plans addressing increases in the childcare workforce and changes to premises to be finalised and put in place.” | Graham Sharp, chair of Audit Scotland’s Accounts Commission, said: “The scale of change needed over the next two years is considerable and there are significant risks that councils will be unable to deliver that change in the time available. There is now an urgent need for plans addressing increases in the childcare workforce and changes to premises to be finalised and put in place.” |
| The report also criticises ministers for failing to begin detailed planning for the policy as soon as it was announced. | The report also criticises ministers for failing to begin detailed planning for the policy as soon as it was announced. |
| However, Holyrood’s minister for childcare and early years, Maree Todd, insisted the government remained “on track to deliver 1,140 hours by 2020”. | However, Holyrood’s minister for childcare and early years, Maree Todd, insisted the government remained “on track to deliver 1,140 hours by 2020”. |
| She said: “It is not unusual, at this point in the life of a major project, for people to have different ideas as to the final cost. What is not in doubt is that the Scottish government has pledged to fully fund this policy.” | She said: “It is not unusual, at this point in the life of a major project, for people to have different ideas as to the final cost. What is not in doubt is that the Scottish government has pledged to fully fund this policy.” |
| Scottish Labour highlighted the gap between the Scottish councils’ expectation that the new policy would cost £1bn and the government’s own forecast of £840m, as well as the report’s concern that not enough had been done to ensure that the estimated 8,000 additional full-time staff needed to deliver the expanded entitlement would be in place by August 2020. | Scottish Labour highlighted the gap between the Scottish councils’ expectation that the new policy would cost £1bn and the government’s own forecast of £840m, as well as the report’s concern that not enough had been done to ensure that the estimated 8,000 additional full-time staff needed to deliver the expanded entitlement would be in place by August 2020. |
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