Daycare services with more than one paid member of staff would pay a maximum of 133 to register initially, followed by an annual charge of up to Pounds 103. The charges for small services with up to one paid member of staff are significantly lower, at 15 for initial registration and 13 thereafter.
The proposed maximum fees for 2002/03 are set out in a consultation document published on the Scottish Executive's Regulation of Care Project website, www.scotland.gov.uk/ government/rcp, and responses are sought by 22 February. Respondents are asked to indicate the potential effect of the proposed fees on services.
The proposed fees do not distinguish between sessional and full daycare and could prove a heavy financial burden on playgroups if they go ahead as set out, since many playgroups employ more than one paid member of staff.
The Scottish Executive's proposed maximum fees for childminders are to be the same as for daycare with up to one paid member of staff, at 15 initially and 12 per year thereafter.
At present, full-time daycare services for children pay a 121 registration fee and 94 subsequently, while for childminders and sessional daycare the fees are 14 for registration and 11 thereafter.
An assessment of the potential effect of the new fees, attached to the consultation, comments only that it is not considered that the proposed increases in the annual rates for childminders and daycare are likely to have a significant impact.
The proposed fees have been calculated by working out the number of inspector days likely to be involved, taking into account the frequency of inspection and the numbers and skills mix of the inspectors likely to be needed.
The Scottish Executive intends that the new Commission will be self-sustaining by 2004/05 and will be funded entirely by fees.
However, early education and childcare services will not be charged the full cost of regulation, which will be subsidised by the Scottish Executive.
The Scottish Executive has also invited responses to a draft paper on the Commission's enforcement procedures, available on the Regulation of Care Project website, by 22 February. The final version of the care standards for early education and childcare is expected to be published imminently.
