Early learning and childcare and school age childcare services inspection consultation: SG response

Scottish Government response to the consultation findings

Vision and Principles

Please see the section on vision and principles in the full analysis report.

Summary of key findings

Over half of the respondents (59%) fully supported the proposed vision for the purpose and aim of inspection of ELC and school age childcare services, with around a third indicating partial support (37%). Only a few respondents (4%) stated that they did not support the proposed vision. Just under half of respondents (44%) felt that one or more aspect was missing from the draft guiding principles. Similarly, over half of the respondents fully supported the draft guiding principles (58%). Just over a third indicated partial support (37%), while a few did not support the draft principles (5%). Meanwhile, just over a third (37%) of all respondents suggested that they felt one or more aspect was missing from the draft guiding principles.

Broadly, those people who were supportive of the draft vision and principles felt that they were would potentially contributing towards greater consistency, clarity, collaboration, a more supportive approach, a more streamlined and less bureaucratic system, highlighting the importance of collaboration, and the needs and rights of children.

However, some respondents raised questions about how the vision and principles would work in practice and their overall achievability. Some respondents raised concerns about the lack of reference to playwork. Others suggested more thought needed to be given to how to reflect equality, inclusion and diversity issues, including additional support needs (ASN), physical, sensory and/or learning disabilities, Gaelic medium education, race, ethnicity and gender issues.

Scottish Government response

A range of suggested improvements to the vision and principles were proposed by respondents and have been considered carefully to inform appropriate revisions as follows (with amendments noted in dark orange):

Vision

High quality early learning and childcare and school age childcare experiences are critical to giving children the best possible start in life. Inspection of the range of registered childcare services, including early learning and childcare, school-aged childcare, and childminding services, encourages and empowers settings, practitioners, and teachers to continually improve their service for the benefit of the children in their care, including through self-evaluation.

It provides independent assurance to families and stakeholders, and supports settings to provide high quality services and experiences for all children. It takes a consistent and collaborative approach between the Inspectorates, settings, practitioners and teachers, and respects children’s rights. Quality expectations set high standards that promote inclusion and diversity. They are clear, evidenced based and proportionate, taking account of different service types whilst ensuring high quality outcomes for all children.

Principles

1. Support our National Outcomes and promote the values and principles of Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) to improve all children’s life chances through the provision of high quality services, to ensure that our children’s rights are respected and upheld, they grow up loved and safe, and can realise their full potential;

2. Listen to and take account of the views, experiences, and needs of children and families, as well as settings and practitioners, to influence and drive change;

3. Provide clarity to settings, practitioners and parents and carers on what standards they can expect, and the roles and responsibilities of key agencies in delivering them;

4. Support consistency in outcomes whilst recognising the differences in ELC, childminding and school age childcare services so that all children and families experience high quality provision, regardless of where it is accessed;

5. Support continuous improvement across the sector, within individual settings, as well as adding value to the delivery of services, including through building on settings’ use of self-evaluation and the sharing of good practice;

6. Support collaboration and professional dialogue between inspection bodies, local authorities, providers, practitioners, teachers, and staff working in settings;

7. Be adaptable to respond to evidence and new policy developments;

8. Be efficient, impartial, proportionate, and responsive to the assessment of risk, avoiding duplication and eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy for providers;

9. Promote diversity and inclusion, including in relation to ethnicity, gender, those with additional support needs, and between Gaelic Medium Education and English Medium Education.

The current inspection landscape

Please see the section on experiences of the current inspection landscape in the full analysis report.

This section of the consultation document set out the current inspection and scrutiny landscape for the ELC and school age childcare sectors. It highlighted the roles, responsibilities, powers and legislative landscape that both the Care Inspectorate and HMIE/Education Scotland operate within. The role of local authorities as the primary guarantors of quality within the funded ELC sector was also outlined.

Feedback was sought across both the main consultation document and through the events about any inspection approaches and activity which have been helpful and supportive in driving improvement across these sectors, and what has been less helpful. Respondents were also asked to consider where further improvements could be made to the current system.

As part of this section, views were sought on local authority visits to settings providing funded ELC, and how well the Inspectorates coordinate activity. We will consider these questions, along with consideration of the calls for a single Inspectorate, separately under Other Matters Raised further on in this pubication.

Summary of key findings

The consultation demonstrates that people’s experiences of the current inspection process are varied, with 39% of respondents reporting mainly positive overall experiences of inspection, 28% indicating their experiences had been neither positive or negative, and 21% stating they had mainly negative experiences of inspection^[3].

Respondents reporting positive experiences referred to inspections which:

• Highlighted the service providers’ strengths and validated good practice;
• Had taken a supportive and collaborative approach throughout the inspection process, including getting to know and building a rapport with staff and the children, and understanding their needs;
• Encouraged collegiate discussion and two-way dialogue;
• Supported the sharing of good practice;
• Considered the local context;
• Framed necessary changes in a positive way; and
• Had been more ‘hands-on’ during visits (e.g. getting to know the staff, getting involved with the session/children, etc. compared to those who simply observed or focused on paperwork).

The analysis report demonstrates a high level of engagement and contribution to this question, and a wide range of positive experiences were identified.

Respondents reporting challenges in the system talked of:

• Inconsistencies in approach and interpretation of requirements, both within and between Inspectorates;
• The stress and anxiety felt by staff when facing inspection;
• Inspections failing to take account of or recognise the local challenges;
• Inspections not seeming to take account of the differences between settings;
• The difficulties created by having two separate inspection frameworks; and
• Inspections, gradings and reports being based on a small ‘snap-shot’ rather than providing a fair reflection of service provision. It was felt that inspectors needed to spend longer in settings, and consider progress already made by services.

As found in the question relating to benefits within the current system, there was a high level of engagement from respondents in answering this question and providing examples, and a large number of areas identified in relation to challenges in the system. The evidence given provides a rich repository which will be considered by the Inspectorates in the development of a shared framework.

Scottish Government response and next steps

The responses received in relation to the current inspection landscape demonstrate the level of interest in this topic, and the variability in experience across different settings. We are grateful that so many examples of both positive and challenging experiences were shared.

We are aware of challenges in the current system, and we consider that the introduction of a shared framework for the sector will go a long way towards alleviating those difficulties, particularly in relation to the need for consistency and clarity, and reducing the duplication currently felt by settings. We also outline in this response other current work that the Scottish Government is involved in that is of relevance.

We are keen to ensure that the numerous examples of good practice, where settings have been positively impacted by inspection, should not be lost, or overlooked.

The consultation responses will therefore be used to inform the development of the shared framework by the Inspectorates.

A shared inspection framework

Please see the section on proposals for a shared inspection framework in the full analysis report.

The final section of the consultation document set out proposals for a shared quality framework. Feedback was sought on whether respondents supported the development of a shared quality framework, the possible benefits and challenges to implementing such a system, whether this would meet the needs of the sector, and which settings and children’s age groups the framework should apply to.

Summary of key findings

The majority of respondents who answered this question supported the development of a shared framework (78%). 7% of respondents were opposed to the shared framework, while the remaining respondents were unsure.

Many respondents who said they would be in favour of a shared framework offered views on what would be core aspects for inclusion. Some key common themes emerged, such as:

• A shared framework should ensure a more consistent approach to inspection;
• It will help to provide clarity around expectations for inspection, as well as providing clear criteria and focus for improvement actions;
• It will contribute towards a streamlined and less bureaucratic system;
• It should reduce the administrative burden currently felt by many providers; and
• Any new model must be based on the ethos of ‘support’ rather than ‘scrutiny.’

Among the minority of respondents who did not support a shared quality framework, the main themes provided were:

• Concerns that different settings required more tailored approaches to reflect the wide diversity of work and services that are provided in such settings;
• Effective inspection of a broad range of services within one framework was seen by some as too ambitious and potentially too convoluted:
• Views were offered that the two current Inspectorates have very different functions, cultures and operating models and that it would be difficult to reconcile or merge these into one inspection framework; and
• Some suggested that the proposed approach did not go far enough to remove existing challenges, and that a single inspectorate would be preferable.

Scottish Government response and next steps

The Scottish Government is pleased that the introduction of a shared framework has broad support across the sector, but we acknowledge that many views were expressed about what elements and factors would need to be considered as it is developed. Many respondents were keen to stress that any shared framework must be well thought out, involve consultation with the sector, and have the full support of the Scottish Government, local government, and the Inspectorates themselves.

The shared framework will be developed by the Care Inspectorate and HMIE/Education Scotland. Both agencies are committed to working in partnership with each other as well as with the sector, families, children, and representative bodies to ensure the development and content of the shared framework is meaningful, and representative of the views and experiences shared with us through the consultation. Their joint statement, noted earlier in this publication, outlines their commitment to do so and the next steps they are taking to progress this work.

The Scottish Government welcomes the commitment of the Inspectorates to taking forward the development of the shared inspection framework this year. The Scottish Government will support the Inspectorates, as appropriate, and is committed to ensuring an inclusive and participatory process.