Concerns are mounting regarding the long-term effectiveness of a government-funded pilot project aimed at enhancing childcare services in Shetland, specifically in the Westside and North Isles. During a recent meeting of Shetland Islands Council’s education and families committee, Shetland West councillor Liz Peterson expressed her apprehension that the allocated funding may be squandered on temporary initiatives, yielding minimal lasting benefits for these communities.
The Early Adopter scheme, which Shetland is participating in alongside five other local authorities in Scotland, is designed to inform national policy on meeting the childcare needs of families residing in remote and rural areas. With an investment of approximately £1.1 million to be utilized from September 2024 to March 2026, the local objective is to innovate and implement “place-based” childcare strategies.
Peterson highlighted the absence of concrete plans for a community-centered childcare system in the targeted areas, a key component that seems to have been overlooked according to her understanding of the project’s initial goals. She acknowledged that while some expenditures to date have been beneficial, she is increasingly worried as the project nears its conclusion without evident long-term solutions. “My fear is that this money is being frittered away on one-off peripheral activities, and therefore this project will have no long-lasting outcomes or benefits for these two fragile communities,” she said.
The Westside and North Isles were selected based on research indicating significant barriers to accessing childcare in these regions. Activities executed to date include establishing breakfast and after-school clubs at Happyhansel Primary School in Walls and staff recruitment in Yell and Unst to accommodate more two-year-old children in nursery settings. Nevertheless, Chloe Kerr, a quality improvement officer, noted a budget underspend attributed to recruitment challenges, implying ongoing development efforts remain fluid and responsive to community needs.
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Kerr also remarked on a recent success: a new club initiated in Sandness propelled by community involvement, indicating that the project is adapting to better serve local family dynamics. She assured that funds are allocated as situations arise, emphasizing there’s no assurance of full expenditure.
Shetland Islands Council leader Emma Macdonald articulated the inherent challenges linked to the limited duration of funding, stating, “We can’t set up a project that is for eternity when we have a funding stop in March 2026.” She recognized the complexities involved in creating sustainable solutions and praised the efforts of those involved in navigating the project’s limitations.
Peterson countered that the council could have initiated arrangements which community development groups could have sustained beyond the project’s timeframe, suggesting that a valuable opportunity may have been missed.
Committee chair Dave Sandison underscored the project’s primary aim of contributing local experiences to the broader national discourse. He stressed the importance of extracting valuable insights while evaluating both successful and unsuccessful elements of the initiative.
Committee vice-chair Catherine Hughson noted that first minister John Swinney had expressed approval regarding the flexible funding utilization in Shetland during his summer visit, which included a stop at Mid Yell Junior High School, a participant in the early adopter scheme.
In 2022, Shetland Islands Council initially submitted a bid to the Scottish Government to become an early adopter community, but was unsuccessful. A subsequent outreach from the government in June 2023 resulted in Shetland being selected. Swinney acknowledged the project’s goal of expanding access to childcare for families most in need and its focus on developing local childcare systems to address poverty-related issues.
