Editor's view

The frustration of English nursery owners over long delays in criminal records checks for new employees is evident. The situation in England looks to be not half so bad as that in Scotland, however (see News, page 4), where confusion about the process for criminal record checks reigns among providers and even Care Commission staff, and there are fears that children will not be afforded proper adequate protection. With recruitment and retention in the childcare sector at virtual crisis point, any obstacle to hiring good staff just adds to the stress of trying to run a high-quality setting and must...