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The Early Years Framework: Learning Together: Positive Start, Positive Outcomes

INTRODUCTION

"WHAT HAPPENS TO CHILDREN IN THEIR EARLIEST YEARS SAYS MUCH ABOUT OUR SOCIETY AND IS KEY TO OUTCOMES IN ADULT LIFE"
THE EARLY YEARS FRAMEWORK

On 10 December 2008, the Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) launched the Early Years Framework. The Framework is intended to improve the life chances of Scotland’s children and tackle inequalities by targeting the early years. The Framework sets out a radical shift away from a culture of crisis management to early intervention. The key priority is to develop longer-term solutions that support children and parents. This means channelling resources into services for children, young people and families who are vulnerable or at risk, and providing them with support before problems arise or become serious. It also aims to build greater resilience by promoting strong, functional and well-supported families. We know that the early years represent a golden opportunity when positive action can have the biggest influence on a person’s life.

Two other frameworks from Scottish Government form part of the drive to create a better future for our young people. Equally Well reports on health inequalities, showing the impact of key factors such as poverty and poor housing on overall health and life expectancy, and identifies the importance of intervention in the very early years. Achieving Our Potential tackles poverty and income inequalities with the aim of increasing the overall income earned in Scotland and, particularly, raise it for the lowest 30% of earners.

To support the development and introduction of the Early Years Framework, HMIE undertook tasks on each of the key draft themes, made focused visits to centres and analysed inspection evidence from 435 early years inspections, 48 community learning and development inspections and 32 inspections of services to protect children. We also used evidence gathered from inspections of education authorities. This work continued after the publication of the Framework in December 2008 through our inspection programmes.

At the same time, with an emphasis on exploring the outcomes for families and communities, HMIE also identified the impact of participation in family learning and parenting programmes on raising attainment and wider achievement.

This report shows where effective practice already exists across Scotland in making positive starts for children to help them have positive future outcomes. The examples highlighted show the benefits in learning, inclusion and improved access to services for children, families and communities that result from participation in early intervention and family learning programmes. The report also shows the need for better co-ordination of services and resources.

The Framework is ambitious and it will take time to deliver the full extent of its benefits and outcomes. While acknowledging the scale and complexity of the task, there exist many early years centres and other services already working successfully to deliver the key transformational elements. Scotland’s children are entitled to have the best possible start in life. They should have every opportunity to be safe, happy, healthy, active, nurtured and responsible. They are entitled to be included, respected and well educated and be ambitious for their futures¹.

Within the Framework, Curriculum for Excellence is seen as an integral part of achieving this success. The principles of the new curriculum set clear expectations of the shift in emphasis for children’s and young people’s entitlements and achievements in their education.

This report looks at each area in turn of the Framework and shows how a coherent approach and more effective collaboration can help deliver better services for children and families. The report contains a number of case studies which exemplify the success of centres, services and communities in taking forward some of the key transformational elements.

In all of the case-studies, staff gave high priority to achieving the best outcomes for children and their families.

The projects, approaches used, and ideas presented here will enhance planning and discussion at council level and in early years centres and schools, and with other key partners working together to deliver the Early Years Framework outcomes in line with GIRFEC principles. They will facilitate decision making and priority setting for implementation of the Framework. Many of the projects demonstrate how effectively and efficiently education authorities have managed to focus on the early years, particularly in times of increasing demands on resources. Many have successfully re-allocated existing resources to early years services to facilitate a wide range of innovative projects.

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