Technical Notes 2025, Issue 76 - Parental Employment Programme (PEP)

• This Technical Note is to inform elected members that recruitment is now underway for new trainee positions as part of the Parental Employment Programme (PEP)
• The PEP programme provides 6-month work experience opportunities within the Council paid at the Living Wage for parents who are on low incomes. The programme is fully funded from the Scottish Government No One Left Behind Tackling Child Poverty Grant which aims to improve employability and incomes levels of parents in poverty
• Trainees on the programme also receive access to accredited learning relevant to the placement, benefits and money advice and employability support with a view to securing full-time or part-time permanent employment. The programme has been very successful with almost all trainees moving into permanent/supply list employment by the end of the six months.
• Current trainee vacancies are being advertised on Myjobscotland in the areas of Early Years, Leisure & Culture and Facilities. Support for Learning trainee positions in schools have been very popular in the past and these will be advertised later in the year
• The success of the programme is demonstrated by case studies and an example of this is attached to this note.

Who – tell us about the participant (age, area, etc. - names can be changed), line of delivery, participants, employability aim

Participant is a mother of 3 with youngest child in nursery.

Barriers Identified

The participant had been out of work for nearly 10 years due to being a stay-at-home mum. She was lacking in confidence and had limited experience and skills and was looking for support to obtain the skills to allow her to work in an early years settling.

Impact – how has the participant changed or moved forward that would not have been the case without the support. What support has the participant received? (training /learning participation etc.)

The participant engaged with the programme in July and started her 6 months trainee placement at an EDC early years centre in September. When she signed up to the service, it was identified in her action plan that she wanted to work in early years and required the skills, hands on experience, confidence building and encouragement.

As part of the programme, she undertook various training and qualifications relevant to her role whilst working as an early years worker. She was continually supported by her keywork to apply for roles advertised, given interview skills, mock interviews and ongoing encouragement. Feedback from the placement provider is a really important part of the programme and allows the keywork to support the trainee, identify any training requirements and address any issues.

The trainee secured a permanent early years assistant role in March and has gained vast experience and skills which was commented on at her interview.

She has now increased her salary considerably and has also increased her working hours around her own childcare with the opportunity to complete the SVQ3 Social Services (Children and Young People) qualification to become a qualified early years practitioner. 

What outcomes has the participant achieved (including soft skills, any milestones, qualifications etc).

The participant has achieved:

• Level 2 - Caring for children and young people
• Challenging behaviour
• First Aid paediatric
• Customer Service
• Understanding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in children
• Wellbeing
• Autism awareness
• Food hygiene
• Toothbrushing
• Personal Development- Interview skills/let’s get that job.

Quote from participant – their views on the support offered and outcome achieved?

Trainee feedback:

I have been so grateful for this trainee job.  Even though I did quite well at school and got a lot of qualifications, as a stay-at-home mum for nearly a decade, I felt really daunted by knowing how to get back into work and starting a new profession. I think this programme really fills the gap for people in a similar position to myself. I may have been competent enough to get good grades at school, but I really lacked confidence in actually getting a job, especially in a new area from what I did previous to having children. I am so glad that I did this role as I have built so much confidence and felt so encouraged that I had skills to offer that could really help in an Early Years environment specifically but also just in doing a job in general. I have enjoyed it so much that I think I may try and get a role at the same early years centre that I did this trainee role in once I am qualified. I felt really supported by not only the staff at the nursery, but by the team in East Dunbartonshire Council that encouraged me in doing different training and helped me in knowing what different further learning opportunities were out there, both with the Learning Matters programme and also in the North East of Scotland online college courses. Training from how to make a CV or in interview skills to the more specific training in autism awareness, food hygiene course which has been really helpful in getting my new job. I honestly feel a new sense of pride in myself that I didn't have before so it’s been a real life changing experience for me and I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to do it.