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Children’s Services Policy
Early Years & Getting it Right for Every Child
Why?
The early years set a large part of the pattern of an individual’s future life
If we can improve them, we can begin to address inequalities.
Backed up by research from a number of academic fields.
Ensuring children and families get the help they need, when they need it.
Evidence
Dr Bruce Perry – neuroscientific evidence on brain development
EPPE Study –- 2004 CMO’s report 2007 The Foundation Years - Frank Field – 2010 Early Intervention - Graham Allen – 2010 Joining the Dots – Report from Professor Susan
Deacon Scottish Government economic modelling (Nov
2010)
Scottish Government Commitments
• Further develop the highly successful PlayTalkRead campaign.
• Continue to roll out the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) programme across Scotland.
• Create an early years task force.• Commitment to preventative spend.• Ensure that every council in Scotland reflects
this agenda in its Single Outcome Agreement.
Scottish Government Commitments (Contd)
Develop a national parenting strategy. Put childcare at the centre of our ambition for
families in Scotland. Invest in an Early Years change fund
(covering a range of activity including family centres).
Develop legislation to support our early years policies and ensure that the Getting it right for every child approach is developed nationwide.
National Parenting Strategy
Why?• Supporting parents key to improving outcomes for
children and young people• Building resilience, capacity and confidence of
parents• Value and importance of parenting• Relevance to a wide range of outcomes• Fundamental to early intervention/preventative
spend
• Key role for partners– what are the opportunities and challenges?
Likely scope of parenting strategy
• All parents (not just vulnerable families)• All those in parental role (including the corporate
parent) • Parenting of children of all ages • Address issues which can impact on parenting• Specific focus on fathers • Building on GIRFEC principles/indicators
A phased approach?
• Phase I (2011/12)
Overarching national strategy
• Phase II (2012/13)
Aligning local outcomes with national strategy
• Phase III (April 2013 onwards)
(Age-specific) outputs for parents
The overarching strategy (yr 1)
• Ambitious and aspirational, setting out a compelling narrative for parenting support
• Demonstrate relevance/contribution to a wide range of national outcomes
• Provide an overview of national policies and initiatives which support parenting
• Provide a context for local delivery
• Set out the ‘offer to parents’
National approach must:
• Have credibility and coherence from a delivery perspective
• Reflect and respect local variation
• Complement good work already underway locally
• Support local delivery
• Encourage provision of consistent, high-quality parenting support across Scotland
Early Learning and Childcare
• Committed to continued expansion of early learning and childcare provision,
• Focusing our initial efforts on those from the most deprived backgrounds
• Purpose – enhance development of child’s learning– break cycles of poverty– support parents
Early Learning and Childcare
• Key challenges: choice; quality; accessibility; affordability• positive home learning environment and role of
parents is vital • Long term focus on the child’s outcomes.
Going forward
Work with partners to:• Increase capacity, range and flexibility of provision• Improve the quality of provision
– support parenting and links with helping families– access to teachers and professional staff
• Develop steps to make early learning and childcare accessible and affordable for all
Work with business to: • Promote and support early learning and childcare for
employees • Implement family friendly policies
Change fund
• Designed to Improve Outcomes, Deliver Reform and Reduce Costs by:
Providing a focus on the Early Years and Early Intervention.
Effecting Transformational change and making the shift to preventative spend.
Delivering effective early intervention for children and families using evidence based approaches.
Developing individual, family and community capacity. Driving out cost savings by reducing need for acute
services.
Change Fund
• Size, scale and scope still to be determined
• To be considered – What?– Who?– How?– How to measure?• Need to engage with partners to develop the
work programme
Legislation
• To support our early years policies and ensure that the Getting it right for every child approach is developed nationwide.
• Opportunity to consider later how delivery may be better supported by legislative options and where legislation may be inappropriate.
Conclusion
• How can we collectively develop these areas?
• Further opportunities for dialogue in the coming weeks and months.
• Specific events and consultation, but also contact the team direct:
0131 244 0966
