Additional funding for early learning and childcare staff.
High quality, accessible and affordable childcare is a key part of driving equality in the workplace and tackling the gender pay gap, First Minister Humza Yousaf has said.
On a visit to mark International Women’s Day 2024, the First Minister announced £16 million of additional investment to enable people delivering funded early learning and childcare in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) childcare sectors, to be paid at least £12 per hour from April 2024.
Guidance published today confirms how this funding will be allocated. This is part of efforts to deliver the Scottish Government’s Fair Work agenda and to support sustainability in the childcare sector.
The First Minister confirmed the funding on a visit to TASK Childcare in Glasgow with the Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise, Natalie Don. Today’s announcement reflects the United Nations’ designated theme for International Women’s Day 2024: ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress’ with a focus on addressing economic disempowerment.
Early learning and childcare providers will receive a minimum uplift of 7.6% to the sustainable rates they are paid by local authorities in 2024-25 so that they can pay their staff delivering the funded hours at least £12 per hour from April, helping to provide greater clarity and financial certainty for both employers and staff.
As part of our wider gender equality work, the First Minister launched a framework to help prevent and respond to gender-based violence in schools on Monday 4 March.
The Scottish Government will also bring forward a new Human Rights Bill later this parliamentary year, which will incorporate the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women into Scots Law, as far as possible within devolved competence, and we continue to implement the recommendations of the National Advisory Council on Women and Girls.
I have worked for Graeme since joining his office part-time as a constituency assistant while studying at University in 2017, before eventually capitulating and taking on a full-time role as office manager in 2021.