Daily roundup 21 April: Free childcare, Ukip comments, and school plans

Research that shows Scottish nurseries are losing an average of £1,092 per year for each funded three and four-year-old, call into question election pledges to extend the free childcare scheme in Scotland, the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) has said. A number of political parties have said they want to raise the current entitlement for parents of three and four-year-olds, and some two-year-olds, to receive 16 free hours of childcare per week during term time. But Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of NDNA, which carried out the research, said: “While we welcome any proposals to give further support to families with the high cost of childcare, adequate investment must be in place to fund the scheme properly and make it sustainable."


A Labour parliamentary candidate has branded Ukip plans to allow childcare vouchers to be used at non-Ofsted approved nurseries as "bonkers". During a live radio debate of Reading West election candidates, Victoria Groulef said: "[The Ukip] idea of me leaving my children with someone who has not been professionally checked, is absolutely bonkers." Ukip's Malik Azam said the change was needed to address childcare shortages, reports the BBC.


The Liberal Democrats have published a five-point plan to raise standards in schools. The plan outlines the party's election manifesto pledges to protect pupil education spending in real terms, ensure all teachers are fully qualified and support the expansion of the Teach First programme.


Referrals for child sexual exploitation cases in Nottingham are happening "nearly every day", a children's services practitioner at the NSPCC Nottingham Service Centre has said. The practitioner told the Nottingham Post that he sees up to eight children a week, which indicates the scale of the problem is growing.


The Health and Care Professions Council has launched a campaign to raise the profile of art therapists (including the legally protected titles of art therapist, art psychotherapist, dramatherapist and music therapist). The Why Hire an Arts Therapist? campaign aims to highlight the benefits of employing a HCPC registered professional and their work in helping service users. The campaign follows concerns raised by arts therapist bodies about a lack of awareness of the role by employers including the NHS, private health organisations, local authorities and the prison service.