The way in which government policy is designed and implemented is often misunderstood. Typically speaking, the Ministers and Cabinet Secretaries within the Government of the day decide on a policy, and it is then up to the departmental civil servants to introduce and roll out that policy.

If we want to educate and advocate on behalf of the sector, we need to be talking with our elected officials, whether at the Scottish Government or Local Authority level.

SEYA will be engaging with the Ministers and Shadow Ministers, the MSPs, the local councillors, who make decisions which have an impact on our nurseries.

We’ll also be talking to independent government agencies, such as the SSSC and the Care Inspectorate, so their staff understand the effect which their policies have on our nurseries.