Chamber and committees

In Scotland, local authorities take the lead, in conjunction with their local partners, in planning and supporting childcare in their local areas.

The Scottish Government funds the following website for Childcare Information Services around Scotland www.scottishchildcare.gov.uk.

Local Childcare Information Services offer free advice to local families on a range of issues, including the cost and availability of local childcare, as well as advice on any financial assistance that may be available.

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning made a commitment to review this legislation during this session of Parliament at the Education Debate on 16 June. The timing of the legislation is yet to be confirmed, but the intent will be to review the remaining provisions in the 1995 act that have not been repealed by subsequent legislation.

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning made a commitment to introduce legislation during this session of Parliament at the Education Debate on 16 June. The content and timing of the legislation is yet to be confirmed and pre-legislative consultation on the subject is planned to commence after the summer recess.

We will undertake intensive engagement in the coming months with statutory and non statutory organisations across Scotland providing support to families.

In the coming months we intend to undertake intensive engagement with parents, carers and a diverse range of agencies providing support to families. This will inform the national parenting strategy, to be published subsequent to this engagement activity, to ensure that it is genuinely helpful to parents and to professionals, both in planning and the delivery of services.

We are currently developing the Scottish Futures Funds in the context of the Spending review, and will make further information available in due course. The Scottish Government is clear that high quality early years experiences are crucial to improving life chances for Scotland's children. The Early Years Change Fund will be focussed on supporting the delivery of improved life-chances of children in our most deprived communities. The fund will build on the report by former Health Minister Professor Susan Deacon which highlighted the need for a more consistent, joined-up approach to early years support.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01345 on 28 July 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Scottish Government is clear that support for families is a crucial factor in improving life chances for Scotland’s children.

I am currently considering how best to take forward our commitment to a new generation of family centres in the context of the spending review, and will make further information available in due course.

Spending across Government is currently being scrutinised as part of the forthcoming Spending Review. I am currently considering how to take forward the Early Years taskforce in that context and will provide further information in due course.

Assistance can be offered at a local level to families who need help with parenting through education programmes such as Triple P, Incredible Years or Mellow Parenting which promote positive parenting skills or more targeted care and support around particular needs of families during challenging times.

There is also direct assistance available to families who need help with parenting from various national voluntary sector organisations such as Parentline Scotland, Parenting Across Scotland, Home-Start, Parent Network Scotland, One Parent Families Scotland, Families Outside and Cruse Bereavement.