COMMENT: Waiting lists for childcare places
Responding to the figures obtained by Reporting Scotland, Iain Ellis, National Parent Forum of Scotland Chair, said: “It is difficult to fully comment as we don’t have a break down of the figures in terms of factors such as age and type of placement.
“There appears to be considerable variation across the country. In some local authority areas waiting lists don’t seem to be an issue, whereas in others there are parents who say that they are struggling to find places that meet their needs. Out of school care is one area that we recognise as needing more attention, but again it is difficult to comment without further details about where the problems lie.
“Parental involvement in the planning and delivery of childcare is key. We need solutions that are tailored to local needs, and in order to achieve this it is essential that families are fully involved in the consultation and decision-making processes for childcare, whether for early years or out of school care.
“This is the best way to help ensure that provision keeps up with demand, and that childcare meets individual families’ needs. It would also help prevent the problem of waiting lists developing in the first place.”
//ENDS
National Parent Forum of Scotland Media Contact:
Barbara Schuler, Policy Manager at policymanager@npfs.org.uk //
NOTES TO EDITORS
- The National Parent Forum of Scotland is the only national body led by and for parents. Since its inception in 2009, it has undergone rapid development and is now an influential national and independent body, working on behalf of parents across Scotland to help every pre-school and school pupil maximise their potential.
- The National Parent Forum of Scotland is comprised of one volunteer parent/carer representative from each of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas. Please visit www.parentforumscotland.org for more details.