Early Years Strategy 2016 – 2026 Contents Who Is This Strategy For? 3
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Moray Early Years Strategy 2016 – 2026 Contents Who is this strategy for? 3 Why do we need a strategy? 4 Main points of the Early Years Framework 6 What have we got now in Moray? 8 The Moray Early Years Strategy 9 What does that mean for Moray? 10 Moray Early Years Strategy Appendices 12 Appendix A 13 Appendix B 14 Appendix C 18 Appendix D 20 Appendix E 21 Appendix F 22 Bibliography 23 Credits Your Notes 24 Report: Polly Cheer Design: Angus McNicholl Photography: Emma Cheer Photography, Wavebreakmedia, Earthtime, Angus McNicholl 2 || Early Years Strategy 2023 Who is this strategy for? This strategy shows what services and support needs to be in place to ensure that every child – pre-birth to 8 years of age – has the right start in life; giving them the opportunity to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. The services and support talked about are those provided by the Community Planning Partners1. We hope that the whole community in Moray will join us It’s easier to build in making sure this strategy happens. Without this support we will not be able to meet the needs of strong children children from pre-birth to 8 years of age. than to repair The strategy should be read by anyone with an interest broken men in the Early Years, either personally or professionally. Frederick Douglas 1855 1 For more information on who the Community Planning Partners are see Who is the CPP, p.22 2 || Early Years Strategy 2023 Early Years Strategy 2023 || 3 Why do we need a strategy? “Every child deserves an equal opportunity to lead with families, and where appropriate, take early action Effective approaches within the early years will a healthy and fulfilling life, and with the right kind of at the first signs of any concern about wellbeing – contribute strongly to promoting and upholding early intervention, there is every opportunity for secure rather than only getting involved when a situation has children’s rights as defined by the United Nations parent infant attachments to be developed” already reached crisis point. Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and The 1001 Critical Days2 those rights underpin the vision of this strategy. Everyone involved with young children should In 2004 the GIRFEC3 (Getting It Right For Every Child) therefore take into account the wellbeing of the whole It will take a concerted and long-term effort across approach arose out of the review of the Children’s child and consider whether they are: a range of policies and services to deliver the Hearings System. transformational change in early years. Therefore the • SA Scottish Government have set out 10 overlapping ED FE • UD H The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 L EA elements that need to come together over the next 10 C L IN T enshrining in law key elements of the Getting It Right • H years to deliver the vision and a radical improvement in Y E approach. L • outcomes. B A I C S H N Getting It Right For Every Child: I E O V P I S N E • improves outcomes for children through doing things G R • • differently so as to make better use of existing N D U E R resources T T C U E R P E • involves children and families in decision making S D E • R A • C E T V and respects their rights I • consistently identifies at an early stage children who need help • increases the capacity of health and education to This is why the GIRFEC approach is at the heart of this meet children’s needs strategy for Moray’s youngest children. • reduces paperwork and duplication of systems • draws help towards the child rather than passing the To build on work already in progress through Getting 2 More information can be found at: child from one service to another It Right For Every Child, The Early Years Framework4 • www.1001criticaldays.co.uk • frees up staff time to take action that will improve the for Scotland was published in December 2008, and it life chances of children and families. provided a new vision for the Early Years in Scotland 3 More information on GIRFEC can be found at: transforming where we are now. The main focus is to • www.gov.scot/Topics/People/Young-People/ Getting It Right For Every Child is important for target resources on Getting It Right For Every Child in gettingitright everyone who works with children and young people – their early years, which should mean there are fewer as well as many people who work with adults who look problems when they grow up. 4 PDF file: Scottish Government (2008) The Early after children. Practitioners need to work in partnership Years Framework, Edinburgh: Scottish Government. 4 || Early Years Strategy 2023 The diagram (taken from the framework) demonstrates how early intervention can Lower level of Better improve outcomes for children in later risk behaviours life. educational & crime outcomes Sexual health Youth services intervention Reduced risk of vulnerable Reduced level pregnancy of youth disorder Antenatal focus on parenting Personal support in school Improved parenting skills Better Intensive family engagement at support Nurture / school eective High quality transitions early learning & childcare Improved early development Improved peer relationships 4 || Early Years Strategy 2023 Early Years Strategy 2023 || 5 Main points of the Early Years Framework Ten Elements of Transformational Change 1. A coherent approach – 4. A focus on engagement and empowerment of 7. Services that meet the needs of children and Creating a service which is less fragmented ‘A children, families and communities – families – fundamental shift is needed to re-conceptualise A central issue for children and parents in the We need to concentrate on developing integrated the influences on children in the early years to see research conducted in support of the framework is education and childcare services and developing a them as complementary parts of a whole system the way that services engage with them, in terms progressive scheme for supporting parents with the around the child’. Improving children’s services of patterns of delivery and relationships with the costs of childcare. planning and delivery and the Getting It Right For people delivering those services. Every Child agenda will play key roles here. 8. Barriers to access, particularly transport 5. Using the strength of universal services to improving outcomes and children’s quality of 2. Helping children, families and communities to deliver prevention and early intervention – life through play – secure outcomes for themselves – The majority of future investment should be Play is a fundamental part of children’s quality of While there will continue to be cases where focused on making sure antenatal care, postnatal life and a right enshrined in the Uunited Nations the best interests of children will mean community nursing, early learning and childcare, Convention on the Rights of the Child. Outdoor finding alternative care, for almost all children and school are equipped to identify needs and play in particular can also be a major contributor responsibility for parenting must lie with parents, risks, and able then to deliver a service that meets to outcomes around physical activity and healthy supported by communities and services as the different needs identified within mainstream weight. Developing play spaces, and play required. services as far as possible. When more specialised opportunities for children and removing barriers to services are required they should be brought to play is therefore a priority. 3. Breaking cycles of poverty, inequality and poor the child and family in line with Getting It Right For outcomes in and through early years – Every Child principles. To focus on the period between early pregnancy and 3 years old when breaking cycles of poor 6. Putting quality at the heart of service delivery – outcomes for families such as substance misuse, The skills, knowledge, attitudes and qualifications debt, poor housing and lack of employment, of the workforce are a key focus in improving working alongside other key policies particularly quality, and the mix of those skills is also critical. 5 For more information on these policies see: Achieving our Potential, Curriculum for Excellence, We want the best people working in early years • www.gov.scot/resource/doc/229649/0062206.pdf Equally Well and Skills for Scotland5. where they can have the biggest impact on • www.gov.scot/resource/doc/197204/0052752.pdf outcomes. • www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/all_ experiences_outcomes_tcm4-539562.pdf • www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/246055/0069426.pdf • www.gov.scot/resource/doc/226607/0061266.pdf 6 || Early Years Strategy 2023 9. Simplifying and streamlining delivery – • Early Support in Pregnancy and Beyond At the moment, there is a clear lead from health in antenatal services and from 3 upwards through • Attachment, Child Development and Learning education. The situation for 0-3 services is less clear and this has been identified as an area • Continuity of Care in Transitions Between Services requiring additional support. This will involve developing multi-agency pathways of care, based • 27-30 Month Child Health Review on robust evidence and integral to this will be the need to develop strategic leadership where it does • Family Engagement & Developing Parenting Skills not currently exist. • Addressing Child Poverty 10. More effective collaborations – There is an almost universal view that partnerships • Play between the public sector, private and third sector providers could and should work better. To develop • Health & Wellbeing more strategic partnerships, developing models of joint delivery involving public and private/third This strategy will through its key priorities, deliver the sector providers, establishing long-term funding aims of the Early Years Framework and Collaborative.