Yousaf pledges cash to boost childcare workforce on International Women’s Day

First Minister Humza Yousaf has hailed Scotland’s “great progress” towards gender equality, as he said cash for childcare will help tackle some of the “barriers” women can still face.

Mr Yousaf pledged the Scottish Government will provide £16 million for nurseries so childcare workers can be paid at least £12 an hour from April.

He spoke about the impact a lack of affordable childcare can have on women’s careers, as he said the Scottish Government is “prioritising additional investment of £16 million in Scotland’s childcare workforce”.

Announcing the funding during a visit to a Glasgow nursery on International Women’s Day, the First Minister said he is “proud” the majority of members of his Cabinet are women, and that he had appointed the first woman of colour to the Scottish Government, with Kaukab Stewart serving as culture, Europe and international development minister.

“We have made great progress to prioritise and accelerate gender equality across our country,” he said.

“We rightly no longer question what women can accomplish, but we should always question whether we are doing enough to remove barriers that too many women in our society continue to face.

“Evidence shows that a lack of affordable and accessible childcare for many women with children will result in too many women leaving the workforce, working part-time or taking up work in inflexible employment which pays less and doesn’t make best use of their skills.

“That is why my Government is prioritising additional investment of £16 million in Scotland’s childcare workforce.

“The Scottish Government has already delivered the most generous early learning and childcare offer on these islands and high quality, accessible and affordable childcare is a key part of our goal to drive equality in Scotland’s workforce and tackle the gender pay gap.

“Supporting families is not only fundamentally the right thing to do, it is critical to our national missions – affordable and accessible childcare supports female employment and enables secure, sustainable employment.”

Children’s minister Natalie Don joined the First Minister on Friday’s visit to Task Childcare in Glasgow, with the minister saying she is “proud” the Government is “delivering on a key pledge to ensure £12 per hour for those working in the private, voluntary and independent childcare sector to deliver funded early learning and childcare”.

Ms Don stressed the need to “do more to tackle poverty and support gender equality”, adding: “High quality, accessible and affordable childcare is a critical part of the national infrastructure we need to drive greater equality in Scotland’s workforce and tackle the gender pay gap.”