Pre-school and Childcare Workforce Statistics 2009

Scotland's Chief Statistician today published the Pre-school and Childcare Workforce Statistics 2009, which presents new statistics on childcare centres registered with the Care Commission, and childcare centre staff.

The main findings are:

• There were 29,670 paid staff working directly with children in day-care and pre-school education centres in 2009, compared to 26,180 in 2008 - an increase of 13%
  
• 14% of the childcare workforce were managers

• 96% of the childcare workforce in 2009 were female, which was no change from 2008
  
• 84% of the childcare workforce had a childcare qualification, an increase of one percentage point on 2008. Similarly, the percentage of staff with a childcare qualification at SVQ level 2 or above increased by two percentage points to 82%, and the percentage with a childcare qualification at SVQ level 3 or above increased by three percentage points to 73%
  
• childcare staff working in public sector centres were more qualified than those in the private or voluntary sectors; 88% of staff in public centres had childcare qualifications at SVQ level 3 or above, compared to 68% in private and 57% in voluntary centres
  
• 64% of childcare staff who were managers had a qualification at SVQ level 4 or above
  
• In total, 1190 staff of all levels were working towards a qualification at SVQ level 4 or equivalent in 2009, while 940 staff of all levels were working towards a degree qualification (or equivalent). This compares to 1,320 staff of all levels working towards a SVQ level 4 or equivalent qualification, and 570 staff working towards a degree or equivalent qualification in 2008.

Scottish Government publication: Pre-school and Childcare Workforce Statistics 2009