Response 664292181

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Consultation Questions

1. How do we ensure children are fully supported at the transition stages throughout their early-learner journey? What support should be provided to ensure that the ELC workforce and teachers have the skills, knowledge and capacity to support transitions?

Comments
We have a fully inclusive programme of events

There needs to be staff. If you don't have staff to release both teachers and Eli staff it can't happen in a meaningful way

2. What support is required to ensure that the ELC workforce have the skills, knowledge and capacity to deliver high quality provision for two year olds? How can the ELC sector best meet the specific learning, developmental and environmental needs of two year olds? What approach should be taken on the transition for these children when they turn three?

Comments
Accomadation, training of staff and support for parents.

3. How can the qualification routes and career paths that are open to early learning and childcare practitioners be developed to ensure that the ELC sector is seen as an attractive long-term career route?

Comments
Until there is a sustained pay increase and better conditions. Pay is far less in ELC than schools and yet we have the children for longer and provide both care and education

4. How can we increase the diversity of the ELC workforce, in particular increasing the gender balance in the sector?

Comments
Again pay must be looked at along with the hours worked.

5. How can payment of the Living Wage and wider Fair Work practices be encouraged across the ELC sector?

Comments
By making all staff having BA qualification the pay would need to reflect this

6. What actions should be taken to support increased access to outdoor learning, exercise and play?

Comments
There must be a commitment from government that every establishment will have this natural space as part of their grounds and budgets given to upgrade exsisting buildings. Appropriate clothing must also be provided for staff. It is not fair to expect staff earning such little money to then have to provide expensive outdoor clothing to allow them to do their job.

7. How could accountability arrangements for early learning and childcare be improved?

Comments
By making it compulsory for all 3 and 4 year olds and that they must attend full sessions this would increase accountability. There should also be provision for staff to do what is best for child even if this is against parental wishes for instance referral to educational psychologist or speech therapist.

8. What factors must be considered in delivering flexible ELC provision, while continuing to ensure a high quality service? To what extent could funded ELC support parents and carers with non-standard working hours, such as working shifts and weekends?

Comments
There should be flexibility before 3 but once 3 then they should be core hours the same as school with they can apply for wrap around

9. How can we ensure fair and sustainable funding for all providers offering the ELC entitlement?

Comments
Funding from government must be increased. Partner establishments must be held to a higher standard and when failing there must be quicker ways for local authority to pull this and place children in appropriate settings.

10. What more can we do to promote and support the involvement of childminders in the entitlement to ELC? What are the barriers, if any, to becoming a childminder? How can we ensure quality while preserving the unique value of home-based care?

Comments
Parents chose childminders over nursery as they want a more homely flexible approach to childcare that is more personal. There should not be the same need for paperwork i.e. Profiles and daily diaries are a waste of childminders time

11. How do we ensure that the voice of children and their families is heard as we plan this expansion?

Comments
Ask existing users and also families that have used in the past.

12. How can we ensure equality of access for all children? What barriers do children with disabilities and additional support needs currently face in accessing early learning and childcare? What further action is required to address these barriers?

Comments
There needs to be better provision for children with different needs and these must be addressed quicker. A child in mainstream nursery who has identified needs but takes a year to find an appropriate place is not acceptable. Everyone suffers, parents, child, staff and other nursery children. There needs to be more support in the form of staff, teachers and specialist agencies . Parents views must be taken into account but where everyone else is in agreement then provision must now be made to make the descision for the best of the child not the parent GIRFEC.

13. How can we support higher take-up rates amongst eligible two year olds, and other groups less likely to access entitlement?

Comments
Why do we need to do this. Families are obviously not wanting this otherwise they would be using it.

14. How can more social enterprises, and third sector providers, be encouraged to enter the early learning and childcare sector?

Comments
Less paperwork and constant changing of the goalposts.

18. How can ELC providers, particularly private and third sector providers, be encouraged to extend capacity?

Comments
Improve the funding that is given to them

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