Credit checks

Parents who employ nannies from agencies will then be able to claim the childcare tax credit, unlike anywhere else in the UK. However, nannies hired any other way will remain unregulated and their employers ineligible for the tax credit. This will create a two-tier system of regulated and unregulated nannies in Scotland, and a new and costly workload for the agencies - though of course, in child protection terms, it's a welcome first step towards any compulsory checking on nannies at all.

It's still a thorny issue. The Professional Association of Teachers and the Professional Association of Nursery Nurses, which is campaigning for all childcarers to be registered, say the measure does not go far enough, since the majority of nannies are not recruited through agencies. Scottish agencies have voiced their worries about the fees they will have to pay for checks and how responsible they may be held for nannies after they are at work. As for parents, whatever they gain in the childcare tax credit will have to be offset against higher agency fees. And as usual, what about that other interested party - who asked the nannies what they think?