Nursery World - 'Staff quality will safeguard places'

The managing director of a leading nursery chain has warned that the private sector must be able to provide premium quality childcare to prevent the expanding public sector from affecting its intake of children. The warning last week by Heather Gilchrist, managing director of Happitots, followed Glasgow City Council's plans for a 50m redesign of the city's pre-fives and primary school services (News, 12 February).

The warning last week by Heather Gilchrist, managing director of Happitots, followed Glasgow City Council's plans for a 50m redesign of the city's pre-fives and primary school services (News, 12 February).

Ms Gilchrist pointed out that East Dunbartonshire council was offering full-day care where Happitots nurseries operated, and she said she expected councils across Scotland to expand on this kind of care.

'Local authorities are going to put a lot more full-day nurseries in place,' she said. 'If you are in the private sector you will be fine if you improve standards all over and offer higher quality.'

East Dunbartonshire council has offered full-day places in Bearsden Nursery in Castlehill since August 2002 and at Woodhill Nursery, Bishopbrigg, since last October. Ms Gilchrist said this had not hit demand for places at Happitots' nursery in the area because a nursery's staff was the most important factor in maintaining high-quality care and ensuring children were not lost to the maintained sector.

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