Nursery World - Low pay data sparks demand for review

Childcare industry leaders have called on the Government to review pay and subsidies in Scotland. Figures published last week by the Scottish Executive revealed that more than one-third of childcare workers in Scotland's private sector were paid less than 5 per hour, barely above the minimum wage of 4.50 an hour for those over the age of 22.

Figures published last week by the Scottish Executive revealed that more than one-third of childcare workers in Scotland's private sector were paid less than 5 per hour, barely above the minimum wage of 4.50 an hour for those over the age of 22.

Although public sector nursery nurses are currently locked in a pay dispute with local authorities, their average pay at 9.50 an hour was the highest in the childcare industry. This compared with wages of 6.20 an hour in the voluntary sector and 5.80 in the private sector.

Carol Murray, research officer with the Scottish Low Pay Unit, said the childcare industry sometimes barely offered employees enough to live on. 'A lot of the private sector in childcare misunderstand the point of the minimum wage - it was intended as a safety net, but many are using it as a standard pay rate.

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