Providers from across Scotland are being given the opportunity to say what they think of their local childcare partnerships as part of a wide-ranging survey funded by the Scottish Executive.
The survey is being carried out by Wendy Shek, the childcare partnership liaison officer, who has been employed by the Scottish Independent Nurseries' Association (SINA) to work on a one-year project to explore the relationship between the private and voluntary sectors and childcare partnerships.
The project is funded by the Executive and carried out in conjunction with other umbrella childcare organisations, including the Scottish Childminding Association, the Scottish Pre-school Play Association and the Scottish Out-of-School Network.
Ms Shek, who has been in post since January, has reviewed the Blake Stevenson report into childcare partnerships and has sent out two different questionnaires, one for representatives of the private and voluntary sectors who sit on partnerships and the other for providers who are not directly involved and may not know what the partnership is.
Ms Shek will spend the next three months visiting childcare partnerships, carrying out face-to-face interviews with providers and partnership representatives and holding focus groups. She said, 'I see the questionnaire as the starting point. It is the interviews and discussions that will be at the heart of the matter.'
The questionnaire for providers asks respondents if they know what the childcare partnership is and who their representatives are, and what they would like the partnership to do for them. It also asks what kind of difficulties the provider faces, with options ranging from lack of funds and status to irregular hours and low pay.
Ms Shek designed the questionnaire in the light of a report into childcare partnerships carried out for the Scottish Executive by consultants Blake Stevenson. The report found that some partnerships suffered from low attendance and a lack of trust between members from different sectors.
In the light of the report, the Scottish Executive awarded SINA 35,000 to establish a childcare partnership liaison service to support private and voluntary interests on partnerships and work with the Scottish Executive's childcare partnership national development officer.
The deadline for returning questionnaires is 18 August. To obtain a copy contact Ms Shek on 0131 453 9076 or 07780 607298, or e-mail childcarepartnershipofficer@yahoo.co.uk .
