
Campaigning for the Scottish Parliamentary Elections is well underway and it is encouraging to hear the four main political parties making the right kind of noises when it comes to the early years. Take even a swift look through the four manifestos and you can’t help but notice the prominence given to policy measures targeted at ensuring our very youngest citizens get the very best start in life
The SNP, who launched their campaign at a nursery in Glasgow, were last to publish their manifesto just this week, and this includes a commitment to a £50m change fund in support of a range of early intervention projects including a ‘new generation’ of nationwide children and family centres. Also included is a pledge to introduce new legislation which would oblige local authorities and the health authorities to deliver early years services.
Scottish Labour’s manifesto states that ‘money spent on supporting a child during the vital early years can also prevent or reduce the need for more expensive intervention later on’, and contains a promise to consult on an early years bill which would include a strong emphasis on pre-birth to three support measures.
A £250m ‘Early Intervention Revolution Fund’ is the flagship early years policy commitment for the Liberal Democrats. In terms of pre-school, this ‘challenge’ fund would look for innovative and original ideas which ‘help children gain social skills prior to formal education through structured and unstructured play, indoors and outdoors, with a play and communication strategy.’
The Scottish Conservatives have highlighted help to parents of pre-five children though a guaranteed level of health visitor support, and have promised to maintain the current 12.5 hours of free entitlement but with a greater degree of flexibility available to parents and an extension of the entitlement to disadvantaged two-year olds.
It is also promising to note that all the parties recognise the vital role the voluntary sector has to play in the delivery of services in the early years and beyond. As a leading voluntary sector provider of services to parents and children in early years groups in communities across Scotland, SPPA is energised by the commitment of our politicians and looks forward to working in partnership with the next Government to deliver a bright future for our children.