Edinburgh Napier University

  Over recent years the UK government and the Scottish Executive have demonstrated a commitment to the development of childcare services through the use of both supply and demand subsidies. This paper reviews the rationale for the UK National Childcare Strategy and its Scottish equivalent, with a focus on the local development impact of each strategy. The findings of a recent survey of childcare provision in Glasgow are used to illustrate some of the key operational aspects of the Scottish childcare strategy. The survey paints a picture of a very diverse sector in terms of pay, employment stability and funding sources. This diversity is reinforced by the variety of public sector agencies involved in the promotion of childcare. The main conclusion is that despite the publication of the Childcare Strategies in 1998, there is a need for a more strategic approach if the objectives outlined in those documents are to be realised.