- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Robert Brown on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct more resources and initiatives to take account of the fundamental significance of play in children’s lives.
Answer
A number of existing initiativestakes account of the significance of play in children’s lives. There are currentlytwo initiatives where policy in this area is being further developed.
The existing three to five curriculumrecognises the powerful contribution that play makes to children’s learning. Thecurriculum review will extend the approaches used in pre-school to the initial stagesof primary emphasising the importance of opportunities to learn through purposeful,well-planned play.
Draft Scottish Planning Policy11, due to issue for consultation shortly, will ask local authorities to preparean audit of open space to inform their strategy for local provision. The draft policywill also include national minimum standards for open space provision within certaintypes of new development.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Robert Brown on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that recent developments in understanding the benefits of play are included in training courses for all new teachers and nursery staff.
Answer
The three to five curriculumrecognises the powerful contribution that play makes to children’s learning. Thecurriculum review will extend the approach used in pre-school to the initial stagesof primary. Any changes to the curriculum, including any relating to the benefitsof play, and amendments to national policies covering pre-school and the early yearsof primary education will be reflected in teacher training courses.
The Scottish Qualifications Authority(SQA), working in partnership with the relevant sector skills councils, Skills Activefor playwork and Skills for Care and Development for early education and childcare,update and where appropriate develop new training courses to meet the needs of thesector. This is an on-going process designed to ensure employers, the current workforce,including nursery staff, and new entrants are appropriately trained.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Robert Brown on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct all local authorities to take a lead role in developing local play policies.
Answer
A number of Scottish Executivepolicies and strategies already require local authorities and individual providersto support play opportunities for children.
In particular, the Executive’sChildcare Strategy stresses the importance of ample opportunities for sporting activitiesand play. This is reinforced by the National Care standards for early educationand child care up to the age of 16, which require that activities provided by staffwill allow children and young people to enjoy both organised and free play.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Robert Brown on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will develop guidance on how to encourage children’s play opportunities, whilst managing risk.
Answer
The Scottish Executive currentlyhas no plans to develop specific guidance in this area.
Within early education and childcare,the National Care Standards for Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16require that activities provided by staff allow children and young people to enjoyboth organised and free play. The Care Commission’s role in inspecting servicesincludes ensuring that risks are appropriately managed.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Robert Brown on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will develop a new range of playwork training material and courses to meet the needs of the education profession.
Answer
The Executive has no plans toproduce a new range of playwork training materials or courses for the educationprofession.
The Scottish Qualifications Authority(SQA), working in partnership with the relevant sector skills councils, Skills Activefor playwork and Skills for Care and Development for early education and child care,update and where appropriate develop new training courses to meet the needs of thesector. This is an on-going process designed to ensure employers, the current workforceand new entrants are appropriately trained.
Teachers also have a commitmentto continuing professional development and can access a range of training publications,best practice case studies, events and courses on play through Learning and TeachingScotland.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Robert Brown on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the development of training for existing school staff to enable them to understand the value of play.
Answer
Teachers are contractually obligedto undertake 35 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) each year. Eachteacher, in discussion with his/her line manager, produces an annual plan of CPDactivity based on personal need taking account of school, local and national priorities.The Executive is providing £13.5 million in 2006-07 to allow local authoritiesto co-ordinate and provide CPD for teachers. This could include the developmentof training resources for teachers and other school staff relating to the valueof play.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Robert Brown on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place a statutory duty on local authorities to provide for children's play needs to minimum standards.
Answer
The Executive has no plansto place a general duty on local authorities in the way described.
Local authorities have aspecific duty under the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland)Regulations 1967. These regulations also state that at every school there shallbe an outdoor area or areas laid out and surfaced for educational andrecreational activities.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 20 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4504 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 December 2003, what the outcome was of discussions with the Department of Work and Pensions regarding reform of arrestment and furthcoming.
Answer
The outcome of discussions withthe Department of Work and Pensions is the proposal in the Bankruptcy and DiligenceBill to stop creditors from arresting all the money in a bank account. A minimumbalance will be protected, currently fixed at £370. This reform will help all debtors,including those who rely on benefit income.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 20 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring systems are in place to track the progress of delivering continued funding to New Futures Fund projects; what the frequency is of such monitoring, and which Executive department will receive and act on the monitoring reports.
Answer
We are currently developing monitoringarrangements on the use of New Future Fund successor funding as part of the guidanceto Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs). The Enterprise, Transport and LifelongLearning Department with assistance from Communities Scotland, will be monitoringthe reports from CPPs.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 20 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, following the announcement in December 2005 regarding the funding for New Futures Fund projects, how many of the 43 projects currently receiving funding have had confirmation that they will continue to be funded for the financial years 2006-07 and 2007-08, broken down by local authority area, and what the timescales are for the remaining projects to receive notification of future funding from Community Planning Partnerships.
Answer
We do not yet have this information.We have agreed with Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) that by the end of Februarythey should have notified projects that funding has been extended until June 2006.Early in June, CPPs will set out longer term plans on how they intend to use NewFutures Fund successor funding in their areas.
