The review will deal with five main areas:
- Examining and defining the role and responsibilities of staff in the early years and childcare workforce - nursery nurses, childminders, playworkers and staff in out-of-school clubs
- Improving workforce planning, to ensure that there are adequate staff numbers in each area
- Simplifying and modernising the early years and childcare qualification system
- Providing greater opportunities for staff in one area of the workforce to move to another
- Considering the potential implications of this work for pay and conditions.
The group will be chaired by the Scottish Executive and will include representatives from CoSLA, public services union Unison, service providers from the voluntary, private and maintained sectors, the Scottish Qualifications Authority, the Scottish Social Services Council, training providers and a parents' group.
Education minister Peter Peacock said the review aimed to consolidate, strengthen and shape the future of early years and childcare employment. He said, 'This could make it easier for staff to move from one area of the workforce to another, potentially opening up new opportunities.
'I don't want to give anyone the impression this review will lead to automatic pay rises for workers in this sector. The primary focus of this review is not pay and conditions. But I recognise the work will have potential implications for pay and conditions, for example by improving qualifications, career paths and the status of the sector.'
The review was announced just one week after the end of the nursery nurses' dispute in Scotland when nursery nurses in Glasgow returned to work.
Unison had previously called for a national review of pay and conditions, but First Minister Jack McConnell had said that it was not appropriate to carry one out during the industrial action.
Unison welcomed the review and said it reflected the key role that nursery nurses played in Scotland. Unison would be making the case that 'the wage free-for-all that the dispute has left is not helpful in providing consistent levels of service across the country'.
Unison's Scottish organiser Joe di Paola said, 'It is clear that the increases in the duties and responsibilities of nursery nurses across Scotland have had implications for all aspects of nursery nurses jobs. We welcome the opportunity to contribute to a comprehensive review which finally concentrates on the workforce, their roles and responsibilities and their qualifications.'
The union said that although the strike did not achieve its main aim of a Scotland-wide pay settlement, it resulted in higher pay awards than would otherwise have been given and raised the profile of nursery nurses to ensure a key role for them in the development of the service.
The Professional Association of Nursery Nurses also welcomed the review. Professional officer for Scotland Michael White said, 'Nursery nurses are the "invisible profession" and are undervalued and underpaid. They have played a key role in the tremendous advance in pre-school developments on Scotland, but have not had the recognition they deserve.'
