Cuts To Child-Minding Service Short Sighted, Says Perth Councillor

A Perth councillor believes that cuts to the local authority’s childminding service are “short-sighted” and will have a wide impact. Perth and Kinross Council has decided not to renew the contract of a senior childminder and will not be extending their service level agreement with the Scottish Childminding Association.

The council has said that this move is not a cut to front-line services, but yesterday Wellshill councillor Alexander Stewart condemned the local authority for their actions.

“This will result in savage cuts to both the Scottish Pre-School Play Association and the Scottish Childminding Association,” he said.

“I believe that removing the service level agreement, which amounts to £55,000, will have serious implications. Its removal will result in a 60% cut for both these organisations. The impact on the clubs will result in the loss of one full-time post of a senior childminder but the implications will affect all 36 playgroups in the area.

“In particular, the 19 playgroups who are dependent on the service level agreement will be hardest hit.

“The loss of childcare will have an impact as parents depend on playgroups to allow them to take up social and community activities.”

Mr Stewart claims that the cut in the childminding association grant will mean reducing staff from full-time to part-time, and that this will reduce the support of childminders, and the training and support given to prospective childminders in the area.

“Childminding provision is already very low in Perth and Kinross, particularly in rural areas,” he said. “This will take away their ability to take up engagements and develop their opportunities.

“Over the last four years the service level agreements have been frozen by this administration and the organisations were unaware that the cuts were imminent and would have such a dramatic impact.

“I fundamentally believe that these cuts are short-sighted and will have an impact on many individuals and their opportunity to childcare.”

The announcement has also been criticised by councillor Margo Lennie, who described it as “a grave error”.

She said: “There are more than 200 childminders in Perth and Kinross but the council has made a real misjudgment with this.”

A spokesman for Perth and Kinross Council said: “The council’s service level agreement will come to an end on June 30 and this will not be extended. But we want to reassure all groups that this is not a cut to front-line services and does not withdraw support for the development of childminding services.

“We will continue to promote our childcare services through the childcare strategy team. And, in addition, a bimonthly early-years play sector support network will enable staff, parents and committee members from across Perthshire to come together to share best practice, ideas and information.

“The council will also continue to maintain links with national organisations in this sector, who will supply training and some specialist support as required in order to ensure the highest quality in services is maintained.”

A meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 25, at 7.30pm in the community wing of Perth Grammar School to discuss the most appropriate methods of taking support forward.