Limited childcare provision leaves families in summer crisis
A lack of childcare provision leaves families struggling to work over summer, say the Scottish Greens.
Pupils across Scotland have had their last day of school for the next six weeks, marking the beginning of the summer holidays.
While the Scottish Government, councils and community groups offer some ad hoc activities for kids to enjoy, there is a lack of sufficient childcare, especially for those parents with younger children and those living in rural areas.
For some parents, this means being faced with relying on friends or family, and for others without a strong support network nearby, this means taking time off work that uses up annual leave or taking unpaid time and losing out on money.
The Scottish Greens called for the biggest expansion of childcare in a generation as part of their election campaign.
Last month, the Scottish Government backed a Green motion calling for urgent improvement to the childcare system, including ensuring children can access funded childcare the week after their third birthday, to fix the broken parts of childcare that don’t work for parents, but there has been no update since.
Scottish Greens MSP Laura Moodie said:
“Instead of getting uniforms, bags and lunches ready this weekend, many parents will spend time trying to work out a plan for their kids' childcare over the next few weeks.
“For older children, there are more activities available that give parents a few hours to work and lets the young people enjoy themselves, but the provision of similar groups for younger children tends to involve needing parental supervision which simply doesn’t work if you have to work.
“We cannot allow families to face this same crisis every summer. In rural areas, in particular across my own region, there is little to no childcare provision over summer. Childminder places fill up quickly, most nurseries who offer summer services are full while other nurseries close, and what schools themselves are able to offer doesn’t always fit parents' working patterns.
“Many parents are left cobbling together ad hoc arrangements: a few half days the local school provides, a few hours at a community activity, relying on family or neighbours to help and taking paid or unpaid time off when there is no childcare available.
"Our under-funded and stretched Youth workers make a huge effort to put on varied activities but cutbacks are seeing even this offer reduced.
“We need to see the Scottish Government to make good on their promise and take the opportunity to fix the broken parts of the childcare system, including looking at provision during holidays, to support families who need it most so that parents can still work and know their children are both safe and having fun over summer.”