Attainment and pre-school programmes raided to fund key worker childcare
Highland Council is moving forward with plans to pay for key worker childcare with funds supporting some of the region’s most disadvantaged children.
The proposals were reluctantly agreed to on Wednesday at the corporate resources committee as a necessary evil to keep key workers – like medical practitioners – in place throughout the rest of the summer.
The Scottish Government okayed the change at the end of March but the council, with a mounting bill that could reach almost £800,000, has been forced to act.
It means the August deadline for doubling free pre-school education has been suspended as well as allowing more scope to use Pupil Equity funding which was aimed at improving attainment amongst disadvantaged children.
Councillor Margaret Davidson said there was no choice but to pay those providing childcare but noted that the Scottish Government must recognise there may not be enough cash to deliver its own programmes by the end of the year.
“These people providing this service are incredibly brave," she said. "They are providing childcare to some of those most intimately involved in dealing with Covid-19 in the Highlands and they are volunteering to work.
“They are being paid of course but they are volunteering to do this job and we should be eternally grateful, they are freeing up professionals to go in and do their jobs, key workers and there is a moral imperative doing what we are doing here.
"It will be a million pounds before the year is out and maybe more and that is why we have been making the case for this for the last six weeks to the Scottish Government and we have been told that some of the ring-fenced cash can now be used."
SNP co-leader Ian Cockburn agreed that it was necessary, he said: "If we don't do this it is a loss of reputation for the Highland Council and what happens when the key workers can't go into the hospital to do their job because they have ended up with their kids back in their laps.
"Really it is a no-brainer, we have just got to do this and get on with it, I know its a lot of money but at this present time the money is there, lets get to the end of the summer holidays, see what is happening and we will have a better idea then.
"But we have got to do this."
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “A key priority during the pandemic has been making sure there is critical childcare available for key workers and vulnerable children.
“It has been agreed with COSLA that where that childcare is provided by private and third sector partners on behalf of local authorities, it is vital that those local authorities pay the providers at a sustainable level.
“We have agreed with local authorities that they should use early learning and childcare expansion funds and other funds flexibly to secure the critical childcare that communities need.
“This will mean difficult choices but gives individual authorities the ability to put millions of pounds where those funds are most needed.
"To support this, in March we took the difficult decision with our local government partners to suspend the statutory duty on local authorities to provide 1140 hours from this August.
“In addition, we have relaxed the guidance around Pupil Equity Funding to ensure that schools and local authorities can provide extra support to the children who need it most, in line with the principle of equity in education.”
