Over the past year membership of the SPPA dropped by 197 to 1,719, following a fall of 174 the previous year. SPPA groups were attended by an estimated 41,000 children, compared with 47,000 the year before. However, the average number of places within SPPA groups commissioned by local authorities has grown significantly, from seven per group in 2000 to 17 this year.
SPPA chief executive Ian McLaughlan said that the SPPA's playgroup membership had been falling steadily since 1995, and had approximately halved in that time. However, he felt that the organisation had 'turned a corner' with the strengthening of its partnership work with local authorities and a calmer period for childcare provision in Scotland.
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