Parents urged to attend Edinburgh childcare summit as nursery closures bite

The event on July 26 is being organised by local parents impacted by cuts

Parents in Edinburgh are being urged to attend a public meeting to discuss childcare challenges in the Scottish capital.

The event on July 26 at Polwarth Parish Church is being organised following recent nursery cutbacks and closures in the area and across the country.

MSPs and councillors are expected to attend, as well as representatives from the Scottish Childminding Association, the Scottish Private Nurseries Association, and the National Day Nurseries Association.

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Clare Hammond, one of the local parents who has been organising the event, said it was vital that the views of parents were heard.

“The Scottish Government is very clear that their priority is to be informed by lived and living experience,” she said.

"So that means the parents’ voice matters, because at the end of the day the providers can only say so much before people start saying, ‘oh but that’s just because they are wanting to make a profit’.

"Parents have a really important and unique role to play.

“I think the challenge is that we’re so dispersed, and we’re so busy just being parents and holding down jobs and managing every single winter bug that seems to come 24/7 all year round now.

"Actually being able to participate in something that’s already organised for you, and you just put your weight behind it, makes it a much more efficient for people to have their say and be part of the solution, without having to go and do the brunt of the work themselves.”

Concerns have been growing in recent weeks following a spate of nursery closures across Scotland.

The meeting is due to start at 7.15pm at Polwarth Parish Church.

An online site for the event states: “This parent-led community meeting is an opportunity for parents to come together with providers and relevant stakeholders to understand the issues and identify ways that we can support and petition for change with Scottish Government policy and local authority implementation.

"This event is relevant for you if you are family or carer of children under 5, a third or independent sector provider of childcare, or have a relevant interest in the issue.”