Scotland loses one in five childminders

The number of registered childminders in Scotland has fallen by
more than a fifth since 1998, new government figures reveal.

The report, produced for the Scottish executive and covering almost
800 childminders, also finds that more than three-quarters of
childminders in Scotland have no qualifications related to child
care.

Other findings suggest that attempts to recruit more men into the
role have failed, with women accounting for 99 per cent of
Scotland’s 6,211 childminders.

Meanwhile, public sector union Unison has slammed as flawed the
group set up by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the
body that represents Scottish local authorities, to create a
recommended job description and grade.

Unison argues that a report being prepared by the group will be
worthless unless individual councils can guarantee that they will
implement any grading and backdate any agreed pay. It adds that the
group’s remit does not include career structure for nursery
nurses.

– The 2003 Survey of Childminders from www.scotland.gov.uk