Seòmar agus comataidhean

Before I bring Gordon MacDonald back in, Irene Audain has indicated that she would like to comment.

Our next agenda item is an evidence session to inform our inquiry into addressing child poverty through parental employment. The inquiry is looking into how the Scottish Government is working with local authorities, employers and other partners at a local level to tackle child poverty through improving employability. Since summer 2022, the committee has gathered information from local employability partnerships, taken part in a focus group, undertaken visits to North Ayrshire and the Western Isles, and run a call for views.

Some clear themes have emerged from the work, and we will explore those in a series of evidence sessions over the coming weeks and in September. The first theme that we will look into is the availability of affordable and flexible childcare for parents, and policies that relate to those issues.

I welcome today’s panel to the meeting. Joining us in the committee room, we have Graeme McAlister, the chief executive of the Scottish Childminding Association, and Matthew Sweeney, policy manager for children and young people at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. Joining us remotely, we have Irene Audain, the chief executive officer of the Scottish Out of School Care Network; and Jonathan Broadbery, director of policy and communications at the National Day Nurseries Association.

Before we start, I have a few points to mention about the format of the meeting. Virtual witnesses and members, before you start to speak, please wait until I—or the member who is asking the question—say your name, and allow our broadcasting colleagues a few seconds to turn your microphone on. If you wish to come in on a question, you can also indicate with an R in the dialogue box in BlueJeans.

Please do not feel that you have to answer every question. If you have nothing new to add to what has been said by others, that is also okay. We have a lot to cover this morning, so I ask everyone to keep questions, answers and follow-up questions tight. Colleagues who are in the room should indicate to me or the clerk if they wish to come in or ask a supplementary question. Members who are joining us online should use the chat box or WhatsApp to do so.

I will invite members to ask questions in turn, as agreed in our pre-briefing. Our first theme is the impact of funded hours, and I call Paul O’Kane.

I am happy for you to do that.

Graeme McAlister would like to come in, and then I will bring in Jonathan Broadbery.

I have a list of people who are online and would like to come in. I will start with Irene Audain and then bring in Graeme McAlister. Jonathan Broadbery has also indicated that he would like to come in.

Would any of the witnesses like to respond to that? Are you posing that question to a particular person, Katy?

Graeme McAlister wants to come in, but I am conscious of time. Could you please be as tight as possible with your answer, Graeme?

Thanks. We will now move on to theme 6, which is delivery models. I will reach out to each of you and ask: how should the partner provider model develop as funded childcare is due to expand? I will bring Matthew Sweeney in first.

Thank you. I will bring in Graeme McAlister, as he has his hand up, and Gordon MacDonald will come in after that.

Thanks. That concludes our session. Irene, I add a welcome to your cat, who joined us on screen and was a welcome addition to the evidence session.

I thank the witnesses for the evidence that they have given today. In two weeks’ time, we will hold a further evidence session on childcare, with a focus on the delivery of services.

We now move into private session to consider the remaining items on the agenda.