Talking-up Scotland

(c) Nursery world

From gov.scot today:

‘Thousands of parents will no longer have to pay expensive upfront childcare deposits under a pilot scheme. Families who use either a childminder or nursery before their children become eligible for publicly-funded childcare, usually at age three, can be asked to pay a deposit of as much as £900. In Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dumfries and Galloway, the Scottish Government will cover that cost for eligible families until December 2019 through a deposit guarantee. Almost half (44%) of parents in the pilot areas with a child under two who are taking up childcare for the first time can benefit from the scheme.’

https://news.gov.scot/news/pilot-to-end-upfront-childcare-deposits

The list of humane policy development by this SNP administration is now extensive and marks us out as just a bit different from rUK. See:

More evidence of becoming a better nation as SNP ‘future-proof’ social security

SNP moves to finally put an end to foxes’agony being ripped apart by hounds as the English Tories plan a return to the unspeakable business. Different again?

8% of the UK population and 28% of living wage employers. More evidence that we are different enough to want to run the whole show?

Racial hate crimes increase by 33% in England & Wales while falling by 10% in Scotland: Who says we’re not different?

Scottish social housing more accessible and cheaper than in rest of UK

BBC Scotland’s shameless attempt to scare with claim that Scottish hospital has cladding ‘similar’ to that of Grenfell revealing ignorance of Scottish building regulations.

Of 35 children and teenagers killed with knives in Britain in 2017, not one was in Scotland, yet in 2005, the UN called Scotland the most violent country in the developed world.

Reported domestic violence in Scotland falls. Is this part of wider change?

Scotland has lower poverty rates than England: JRF Excerpt 1

Could Scotland end homelessness?

Scottish Government to fight alongside UN to defend disabled against Tory cuts.

Scottish care workers to receive Living Wage for ‘sleepover’ hours while English care workers receive only the National Minimum Wage.

Scots more likely to give to charities, to volunteer or to sponsor others

Scots the least respectful of the upper classes: More evidence of a difference that makes a difference?

In Scotland, 58 000 new mothers every year to get baby box worth £160 but Labour are not completely happy

Enough? If not, there are more on the blog if you just search for ‘different’.