Nursery World - Daycarers criticise proposed standards

Concerns have been expressed over the Scottish Executive's proposals that half the staff in a daycare setting should be qualified, either to level 2 or level 3 - a less stringent requirement than in England, where supervisory staff are expected to have a level 3 qualification. Under proposals put out for consultation on 5 December, half the staff in a nursery or playgroup would have to have one of the qualifications mentioned in the Scottish Executive document Working with Children - which includes both level 2 and level 3 qualifications.

Under proposals put out for consultation on 5 December, half the staff in a nursery or playgroup would have to have one of the qualifications mentioned in the Scottish Executive document Working with Children - which includes both level 2 and level 3 qualifications.

Margaret Brunton, training and development manager of the Scottish Pre-school Playgroup Association (SPPA), said there were 'huge gaps' in qualification levels in many Scottish playgroups and they would need time and support to reach this standard. She said, 'There is a long way to go. We have been recommending very strongly that staff are qualified, and our aim would be a strong recommendation towards level 3 as most of our staff work at this level.'

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