CHILDCARE: JOHNSTONE WELCOMES REPORT URGING RADICAL ACTION
Alison Johnstone, Scottish Green MSP for Lothian, is welcoming the report of the Commission for Childcare Reform, which calls for "radical action to transform childcare" in Scotland.
The report calls for 50 hours a week of free or subsidised childcare, with a system that takes account of parents' income to ensure affordability.
The Scottish Government's current aim is 30 hours a week by the end of the next parliament in 2020.
Alison Johnstone MSP said:
"This report rightly keeps childcare on the agenda. The current arrangements are patchy and inflexible, and Scotland's childcare system remains one of the most expensive in Europe.
"We know that if we invest in good quality childcare we have a better chance of tackling unemployment, giving parents easier access to further and higher education, and it can help reduce inequality. We must focus on quality as well as quantity, with more opportunities for learning and training for childcare providers, and decent rates of pay.
"Given that this issue requires a joined up approach across local, devolved and reserved responsibilities, it is crucial that all levels of government work together to make progress."