Task groups have been set up to develop their plans and produce reports by the end of this month.
The framework, due to be published in the autumn, aims to support families from pre-conception through pregnancy, birth and their child's eighth birthday.
Key considerations include early intervention and the needs of children requiring additional support, as well as developing an approach to support disadvantaged families that integrates with the government's framework to tackle poverty, inequality and deprivation.
The task groups are looking at four main areas: building parenting and family capacity before and after birth; creating communities that provide a supportive environment for children and families; delivering integrated services that meet the holistic needs of children and families; and developing a suitable workforce to support the framework.
Mr Ingram said, 'By giving support at the first opportunity we can help break the cycles of disadvantage that too often hinder children throughout their lives. The development of this framework marks a new era for Scotland, with central and local government working together on the long-term direction of early years and early intervention policy. These task groups are a vital part of driving that forward, ensuring we work collaboratively with partners from across the public and voluntary sectors to share expertise.'
The Scottish government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) published a 'concordat' last November and agreed to the joint development of the early years framework.
Further information:
The names of task group members are available at www.scotland.gov.uk/earlyyearsframework.
With effect from September 1, these exemptions apply to:
- Creches which care for individual children for two hours or less each day, even if the provision is open for longer than this; shopping or sports centre creches where care is for four hours or less each day, and parents remain on the premises
- Open access schemes for children not in the early years age group, which allows children to leave the premises unaccompanied
- Home education arrangements, where a child of compulsory school age receives full-time education not in a school, and is partly or wholly educated by someone who is not the child's parent
- Babysitting services - either in a hotel or guest house, caring for no more than two clients at the same time
- Those who provide care for children of two sets of parents wholly or mainly in either or both of the sets of parents' home
- Those operating from a particular premises for 14 days or less in any year
- Those who provide up to two after-school activities, such as a homework club.
