Chamber and committees

Investment in Early Learning and Childcare Nurseries, the increase in Health Visitor numbers and the implementation of the Universal Health Visiting Pathway are among the steps the Scottish Government is taking to ensure children and families get access to the right support in their earliest years. The Universal Pathway, published in October 2015, recognises that poverty is one of the biggest risk factors linked to poorer health and development outcomes. It includes three Child Health Reviews which assess children’s growth and development. These contacts provide an opportunity for health visitors, children and their parents to build a strong relationship, in which health visitors can appropriately support all families, including acting as a gateway to other services.

Additionally from August 2020, we are near doubling the statutory entitlement to funded early learning and childcare from 600 hours to 1140 hours each for all 3 and 4 year olds and around a quarter of 2 year olds. Evidence shows that high quality ELC has a positive impact on children’s outcomes. Our offer of funded ELC for 2 year olds is targeted towards those children who are most likely to benefit from early access to high quality funded ELC. Our commitment to funding 435 Equity and Excellence leads in ELC settings serving Scotland’s most disadvantaged communities means that many of the eligible two year olds are also benefitting from access to an extra graduate-level practitioner who can further support their development.

The broad range of action we are taking to tackle child poverty is set out within our first annual progress report due under the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act – published on 26 June 2019. This sets out the clear steps we have taken towards genuine reductions in child poverty levels, including plans for the new Scottish Child Payment.