Private critique
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
Comments in the news story 'All-day school plans anger nursery group' (22 November) are typical of the private sector. Any possible threat to their future profitability is poorly shielded by their scaremongering rhetoric. The facts remain that large numbers of private nurseries and daycare centres in Scotland are substandard, with many unqualified or poorly-qualified staff. Havens of bad practice, many private establishments not only fail to give children the care and education that they deserve, they fail to give their staff the pay and conditions that they deserve.
The facts remain that large numbers of private nurseries and daycare centres in Scotland are substandard, with many unqualified or poorly-qualified staff. Havens of bad practice, many private establishments not only fail to give children the care and education that they deserve, they fail to give their staff the pay and conditions that they deserve.
The private sector has been an area for substandard practices for many years, mainly because of lack of choice for working parents. Now, with the huge increase in high-quality pre-five provision in Scotland, the private sector is beginning to feel the pinch (and quite rightly).
Hopefully, continued state funding of pre-five education and daycare provision integrated within schools and dedicated children's centres will end the need for private provision in future and will spell closure for the countless nightmare establishments which exist throughout Scotland. Sadly, too many parents are ignorant of what goes on behind the doors of many of Scotland's private establishments.
Jean Simmons, Hamilton, Lanarkshire
* See news, page 4
