Childcare consultation launched in North Edinburgh

The best package of flexible childcare in the UK, designed to make it easier for parents to access work, education or training is the cornerstone of new legislation, Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell said today. The Minister was speaking as she launched a consultation on the forthcoming Children and Young People Bill at North Edinburgh Childcare in Pilton this morning.

The proposed legislation will help parents structure their childcare to best suit their family’s needs as well as:

• Increasing the amount of flexible, early learning and childcare to a minimum of 600 hours annually for three and four year olds and looked after two year olds
• Embedding the Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) approach in a single system of planning and delivery across children’s services
• A requirement for public bodies to design, plan and deliver policies and services that focus on improving children and young people’s wellbeing
• Improving Scotland’s care system to ensure it offers effective, efficient support for children and families, centred on short and long term needs

Ms Campbell said: “The Scottish Government’s vision for children and young people is clear: we want Scotland to be the best place in the world to grow up.

“As part of this new Bill, I want to put in place the best and most flexible package of family support in the UK to help Scotland’s parents, children and our wider economy.

“This legislation will boost our ongoing efforts to strengthen the rights of the child, making Scotland a nation where the rights of children and young people are not only recognised but rooted deeply in our society and across our public services.

”We have a huge opportunity to make the most important changes to public services in a generation and I encourage as many people as possible to take part in the consultation and the wider debate on the future of children’s rights and services in our country.”

The consultation on the Children and Young People Bill runs for 12 weeks with the deadline for submissions being September 25. It will provide an opportunity for stakeholders, professionals, parents and carers and children and young people to have their say on the future shape of children’s services and the Scottish Government’s approach to delivering change.