New fees are putting playgroups ‘under the cosh’

KEEPING local children safe is set to come with heavy price tag for local privately-run playgroups after a change in the interpretation of Scottish Government legislation.

Up until now nurseries have had free criminal record checks for volunteers. But a move by Scottish ministers to close any loopholes in the law means that they are now being classed as schools and face a £59 disclosure fee per volunteer.

The move has been blasted by Wick Highland councillor and chairman of the local authority’s education, culture and sport committee Bill Fernie who said that early years learning centres are already feeling the squeeze.

"A lot of these groups get inspected by HMIE and the Care Inspectorate," said the councillor.

"They are already under a huge amount of regulation apart from the fact that they already have to register and pay the Care Inspectorate.

"Now they have another charge to pay."

Mr Fernie was alerted to the new costs by Norlin Playgroup, based at the North School in Wick.

The playgroup will have to find an additional £236 around September to perform the annual check on its four committee members, on top of running costs and an annual fee of £165 to the Care Inspectorate – formerly the Care Commission.

Mr Fernie said that the change in interpretation of what constitutes a "school" means that these groups face rising costs during already tough times.

"The net effect is that these groups are under the cosh," he said.

"It seems that every way they turn charities and volunteer groups are getting hammered from changes the Scottish Government is making."

Mr Fernie said that privately-run facilities are the ones being hit hardest by the changes.

"In the case of nurseries that come under the Highland Council then they don’t pay these charges as the local authority covers that," he explained.

"But playgroups and nurseries that are run privately and are run to the same standards – as the Care Inspectorate imposes the same regulation on them – are going to have to pay this fee of £59 per volunteer."

Norlin Playgroup manager Marea Burnett said that this will mean big changes for her group and possibly many other privately-run nurseries in Caithness.

"We try to build up positive relationships with parents and get them on board with the playgroup," said Miss Burnett. "This could have a big impact on us as we will have to fund the cost of the disclosures.

"As we’re voluntary we have to rely on fundraising and this is quite a lot to pay each year."

The playgroup manager said that it usually has four office bearers on the committee who all need to undergo the check, which is designed to ensure that people who have a known history of harmful or abusive behaviour are not put in positions of trust with vulnerable people – in this case young children.

"We are not going to be able to have the same amount of helpers and volunteers into the playgroup," said Miss Burnett.

"If we are short staffed we can usually get one of the committee members to come in and help out.

"It’s also going to mean that we are going to have to do more fundraising. But then we are not going to have enough money to keep up with the Government’s current curriculum for excellence.

"We’re forever fundraising to get the resources and equipment for that."

Ann Brady, chief executive of the Care and Learning Alliance, Inverness, which provides advice and support to Norlin Playgroup and others across the care sector in the Highlands, wrote to inform the groups of the change last month.

She said since the late autumn of last year the Care and Learning Alliance has had growing concerns over the emerging changes in the interpretation of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups legislation and its impact on the voluntary early years groups.

"Previously all voluntary-run centres have been able to access free enhanced disclosures for all adults working as volunteers in their sector," she wrote.

"For early years groups this has made a positive contribution to reducing running costs and ensured positive partnership with parents as committee members."

Ms Brady is urging affected groups to get in contact with local political representatives to try and get the new interpretation overturned.