The Scottish Government

« Previous | Contents | Next »

Listen

EARLY YEARS STRATEGY

Foreword

Our vision is for a Scotland which is built on fairness, equality and opportunity. This means giving every child the best possible start in the very early years.

All young children should experience support which enables them to reach their full potential. That means being loved and secure, healthy, well fed and well cared for. It means being given opportunities to play, develop and learn. And, importantly, it means being protected from harm.

Parents and families have the major role to play in ensuring that their children's needs are met. Good care from parents and families gives young children the best possible chance to thrive. Universal services such as GPs, health visitors, childcare workers and pre-school staff also provide a range of important services for young children and their families. And there are more targeted services, such as Sure Start Scotland, which seek to help vulnerable and deprived parents and their very young children.

We want Scotland's children to grow and thrive in strong and supportive families, with access to the best health care, education and social support in their earliest months and years. We must improve protection of children at risk of neglect and abuse and reduce the number of children who need protection. All children should begin their primary education equipped with the confidence and skills they need to make the best start to their formal learning. We know that investing in these early years will pay dividends not just for the child - both now and in the future - but also to the wider community.

This strategy seeks to bring together the range of services for young children and their outcomes for the next generation. This requires better joined up working within the Executive and between professionals in the NHS, local authority, voluntary and private sectors. The strategy outlines ways in which the Executive proposes to reduce artificial barriers between different initiatives and support local agencies in delivering a seamless and integrated approach to care and support for young children and their families.

« Previous | Contents | Next »