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Support for young people
25/09/2007
Early intervention, to help children get a positive start in life, will be one of the hallmarks of the Scottish Government, Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop said today.
Ms Hyslop said that supporting youngsters and families in these vital early years would pay dividends later.
Speaking at the Tapestry Partnership conference, which was also being addressed by Professor Lord Robert Winston, Ms Hyslop said:
"Children who grow up in a supportive, stimulating, caring environment have a much better chance of developing into self-confident adults, with the self-belief and self-esteem to play a full part in a smarter Scotland.
"That's why early intervention is so important and I am determined that this government will drive this forward as a priority.
"The price of not intervening is too high - both in terms of wasted lives and the cost of trying to address problems in later life.
"Far too many of society's problems - from bad behaviour in schools and youth offending to lack of qualifications and poor job prospects - actually have their roots in infancy.
"By making an early start to tackle problems, we can improve the life chances for all our young people."
The Tapestry Partnership is an organisation which brings together all the main governmental and non-governmental bodies involved in Scottish education.
Among the speakers at today's conference, at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, was Professor Lord Robert Winston. Lord Winston, presenter of the TV series Child of Our Time, will discuss the human mind and how to make the most of it at the conference.