The Scottish Government’s Early Years Framework (2009) is aimed at giving Scotland’s children the best start in life and outlines the steps the Government, local partners and practitioners in early years services need to take to break negative cycles of inequality through early intervention.
The Framework sets out 10 overlapping elements required to deliver a ‘radical improvement’ in outcomes:
- A coherent approach.
- Helping children, families and communities to secure outcomes for themselves.
- Breaking cycles of poverty, inequality and poor outcomes in and through early years.
- A focus on engagement and empowerment of children, families and communities.
- Using the strength of universal services to deliver prevention and early intervention.
- Putting quality at the heart of service delivery.
- Services that meet the needs of children and families.
- Improving outcomes and children’s quality of life through play.
- Simplifying and streamlining delivery.
- More effective collaboration.
In 2011, the Scottish Government published Early Years Framework: Progress So Far, providing an update on short-term progress two years on from publication of the original document.
