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Staff fleeing private sector

Independent nurseries in Scotland are struggling to recruit and retain staff against competition from local authority-run nurseries, according to the Scottish Executive. A report on staff working in pre-school education and childcare centres, published last week, found that as of last September, 42 per cent of vacancies in privately-managed centres had been unfilled for more than three months. This figure compared with 21 per cent in the local authority and voluntary sector.

A report on staff working in pre-school education and childcare centres, published last week, found that as of last September, 42 per cent of vacancies in privately-managed centres had been unfilled for more than three months. This figure compared with 21 per cent in the local authority and voluntary sector.

Nurseries in the least deprived areas were more likely to report they had problems filling vacancies because they 'can't afford wage demands', said the report.

The Executive also found that 30 per cent of staff who left a private nursery in the year to September 2005 went to work in a local authority setting.

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