Dozens of angry parents have spoken out in recent weeks about the guidance issued by Scottish Government that prevents them from attending their child’s nursery graduation and school sports days.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon said that the advice of the Government’s education advisory group is that gatherings of this nature ‘should still be restricted’.
She said, ‘One reason for that is overall protection of educational establishments in order to try to minimise the potential for whole nurseries or early years establishments having to close.’
Conservative MSP, Megan Gallacher, who is the party’s shadow minister for children and young people, wrote to Sturgeon last week, outlining how the ‘inconsistency’ in the guidance is causing ‘real frustration’.
She said, ‘Parents and guardians are understandably furious that while 6,000 people can attend the Euro Fan Zone event, their children will miss out on a small celebration.’
Her letter contained suggestions of how to make the event Covid-safe by holding it outdoors; in small groups and with social distancing measures in place.
Scotland’s children’s commissioner, Bruce Adamson, also joined calls from MSPs last week for ministers to review their guidance.
Gina Wilson, head of strategy for the children and young people’s commissioner Scotland, said that the Scottish Government should review the guidance.
'Transitions are an important part of children’s right to development. In a year of disruption and uncertainty we need to do more to uphold children’s rights to education, socialisation and play while balancing rights to public health.'
Jane Malcolm, the National Day Nurseries Association Scotland’s national policy manager, said, ‘We have urged the Scottish Government to reconsider its advice on graduation events in nurseries.
‘Last year we know our member nurseries celebrated this momentous occasion with their children and parents in safe, creative ways. These were enjoyable and important events for children who have missed out on so much over the last 18 months.
‘Nurseries have introduced a wide range of measures to keep children, staff and parents safe and should be trusted to make sensible judgements about their settings and their ability to be able to mark children’s graduation sensibly and within government guidance.
‘While we understand the reasoning behind the guidance, we also know that our members would take every precaution to keep children, staff and families safe.’
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that the Government ‘looks at these things on an on-going basis’ but she insisted that nursery graduations ‘have not been cancelled’.
She said, ‘I know that many nurseries are looking at different ways of doing them. In the past two days, I have heard of nurseries filming ceremonies and allowing parents to watch online—which is a poor substitute, I know.
She added, ‘Others are taking photographs of the children that are provided to their parents, and some are arranging staggered pick-up times, so that individual parents can see their child get a graduation certificate and take photographs themselves. A lot of thought and care is being given to the situation.’