Scotland's new framework focuses on under-threes

The Early Years Framework (EYF), launched by the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), is intended to strengthen universal early years services, support parents to help their children and help themselves and encourage communities to support young children and families.

The EYF calls for 'a shift from intervening only when a crisis happens, to prevention and early intervention' to break the cycles of poverty and inequality.

However, the EYF is not backed by any new investment and acknowledges these are 'high ambitions at a time when there will be no new money available for implementation'.

The EYF calls on local authorities to re-allocate existing resources to early years services, adding that 'a simpler, integrated structure of services also has a significant potential to deliver greater value for money.'

Bronwen Cohen, chief executive of charity Children in Scotland, said, 'A lot of the implementation rests on local authorities and their partners. A key theme is making better use of universal services to identify need. The framework makes a credible, convincing argument that more can be done to meet parents and children's needs in an integrated way.'

Ms Cohen said Children in Scotland was calling on the Treasury to invest in early years services now, 'to galvanise the economy, create jobs, upskill the workforce, and build a new infrastructure that simplifies the lives of families with young children so they can be more economically productive.'

The EYF is part of a wider package of measures in the Equally Well implementation plan to tackle poverty and health inequalities. For the early years this includes the Nurse Family Partnership pilot in NHS Lothian to provide support to families with young children at risk.

Scotland's children's minister Adam Ingram launched the EYF at Greendykes Child and Family Centre in Edinburgh, which has just received one of the best-ever inspection reports for its early years provision. He said, 'All children deserve the best start, but this approach will have a particular impact on cycles of disadvantage like poverty, poor health and lack of opportunity which until now have held back too many Scots.'

Further information, www.scotland.gov.uk/earlyyearsframework

SCOTLAND'S EARLY YEARS FRAMEWORK

The framework defines early years as pre-birth to the age of eight, recognising pregnancy as important in influencing outcomes and transition into primary school as a critical time in children's lives. Many aspects of the framework are relevant for older children.

Key elements include:

- a renewed focus on 0-3, acknowledging the importance of these years to child development

- strengthening universal early years services and increasing the skills of the workforce

- removing barriers between education and childcare to more integrated services

- improving play opportunities

- better access to family support services in early years

- nurseries, schools and childcare centres developing their role in family and community learning

- more help for informal support networks

- building on Getting it Right for Every Child to provide child-centred, outcome-focused services.