The registration process began last October with managers and leading practitioners. The SSSC has not set a deadline for registration but has stipulated that staff gain their qualifications within three years of registration.
Susan Bain, development director of the Association of Quality Nurseries in Scotland, said there had been 'a fear factor' among some older staff but there was 'no real hard evidence that people are going to leave the sector in droves'.
However, Jim O'Neill of the Professional Association of Teachers in Scotland, said, 'People have said to me that it seems totally unfair that they are within five years of retiring and yet they are being told that if they don't get these qualifications they will be out of a job.'
Avril Jeffrey, a play assistant at the Countess Playgroup in Dunbar, has decided to give up her job after 17 years and is disappointed that her experience is not taken into account. She said, 'I feel very sad. A colleague working with me was doing an HNC qualification and I saw the stress involved of two nights studying as well as holding down a job, and at 57 I decided not to do it.'
A spokesperson for the SSSC said, 'Even the most experienced workers find the thought of undertaking training and having their skills developed and assessed a daunting one. However, we have many examples of workers who felt worried about training but are now very positive that gaining a qualification has confirmed their skills and their experience.'
The qualification criteria and list of qualifications accepted for registration can be found on the website www.sssc.uk.com.
