The care standards will be used by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care to register and inspect nanny agencies.
Written from the standpoint of the service user, the document sets out six standards listing what parents can expect when they use a nanny employed by, or introduced to them by an agency.
Standard five covers management and staffing arrangements and lists the procedures and checks that need to be in place to cover 'safe recruitment practices', including the requirement for nannies to have enhanced disclosures from Disclosure Scotland, medical references and, where possible, international criminal records checks. These checks must have taken place before the nanny takes up a position with a family.
Carol Edmundson, owner of the Glasgow Nanny Agency, said she agreed to the standards in principle but voiced concern that their introduction will lead to more bureaucracy. She said, 'While I appreciate that parents need increasing reassurance about the person caring for their children, none of these mandatory checks mean that they will get the right person.'
Ms Edmundson is further concerned about the cost implications of the mandatory checks.
'Nannies won't want to bear this cost unless there is a guarantee of a job and if the agency does, this will be an additional drain on limited resources.'
She has already had to put up her placement fees to cover the costs of registering her agency with the Care Commission (News, 24 July).
Michael White, regional officer at the Professional Association of Teachers, criticised the standards for not going far enough, because they only cover nannies employed by an agency. It was 'a glaring omission', he said, not to include the high numbers of nannies who are employed directly by parents. 'If you are going for comprehensive child protection you must cover this sector as well.'
He added, 'We need to close this loophole as a matter of urgency. Most of recruitment is done on a private basis and there is often no regulation.'
The first two standards - information about the childcare agency and agreeing the service - cover what parents can expect before they sign up with the agency. The remaining standards cover what they can expect once they have taken on a nanny. These set out standards for the service arrangements; quality; management and staffing arrangements; and concerns.
Childcare agencies have been deemed to be registered with the Care Commission from 1 April and must pay the registration fee before 1 October.
The Care Commission will have until 31 March 2004 to process applications.
The National Care Standards for Childcare Agencies has been distributed to nanny agencies. It can be downloaded from the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland. gov.uk. It is also available from 0870 606 5566, at a cost of 5.