Chamber and committees

The data that comes back is important in determining the success of the policy. Will that be analysed?

Is that evidence borne out in the quality gradings that have been returned in the inspection reports on early years institutions? Do the reports show an improvement?

I will pursue the issue of inspections. They are obviously important, and parents find them particularly important when they are making a choice. Will they be back in a routine cycle shortly, or will we have to wait? Will there be a prolonged period in which some settings might not have an inspection?

Good.

Last week, we heard extensive evidence that there are serious concerns about the amount of bureaucracy and the time that it takes to complete it. It is not just about the filling in of bits of paper, but the fact that the people who do that are taken away from some of the other jobs that they would like to be doing in caring for children. Are there sufficient staff within the whole system to address the issue of quality that you want to drive at? Do we have enough staff, or do we need to recruit more?

Are you implying that some qualitative changes are needed within the workforce so that it can deal with some of the issues on the front line? Is the issue that it needs to be looking after children rather than doing other things?

Is it about the level of understanding that is so critical to making the policy work effectively, collaboratively and obviously gain good inspection results? Is it the case that some local authorities feel unable to promote that partnership in the same way? Is there a little bit of an ignorance factor? What is stopping all local authorities from appreciating what the good local authorities are delivering very satisfactorily?

Sorry, Mr Sweeney, it is about national data, but that national data can only be forthcoming if we are able to assess what each of the 32 local authorities is doing. They are the ones that are delivering the policy, alongside people in the independent sector. Therefore, for us to analyse what is a national policy, it is essential that that data is both clear and available. With respect, it would be very helpful if you could provide the committee with a little bit more information—if you cannot do it this morning, you could provide it at another time—to allow us to see with considerable clarity where the data on policy delivery is so that we can analyse it better. Thank you for your assistance so far.

Mr Robertson, can I ask one question about the Borders policy? You said in an earlier answer that Scottish Borders Council has been taking time with the policy to ensure that providers are able to survive and therefore deliver it. Could you say a little bit more about what action you have been taking to ensure that they survive?

Good morning. I will quote from the Audit Scotland report “Early learning and childcare: Follow-up”, which was published in 2020. Key message 5 of the report says that a lot of work is being undertaken

“to capture important baseline information. However, challenges to the evaluation process remain.”

Could you explain what data local authorities are using, particularly when it comes to assessing uptake? What data are they using to assess the reasons why quite a number of children—particularly two-year-olds—are not taking up the offer of a place?

Thank you for that answer. I think that it is important that we have good-quality data, which Audit Scotland was obviously requesting.

You suggested earlier that one reason for changes in uptake might be the pandemic, which is possibly true, and you have just suggested that it could be to do with stigma, although I am not sure that that would follow the logic in relation to three to five-year-olds; nonetheless, that is possible, too.

Is it not the case, however, that there could be quite a lot of data that suggests that one of the reasons for weaker uptake is the pressure on staffing, which is something else that Audit Scotland flagged up in 2020? There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that staffing is particularly difficult. You know of some reasons, but is it not important that we try to understand all the reasons for there being such pressure?

Did they flag up problems?