Marion Macleod Senior Policy and Parliamentary Officer

Focus on children under three very important Good outcomes depend on good inputs Research findings interesting and useful Programmes are popular with governments, particularly in Anglophone world – so is programme refinement the way forward?

Working for Inclusion – European research led by CiS looking at factors contributing to better and more equitable outcomes Workforce qualifications Integration of governance and strategy Universal availability and accessibility (entitlement and cost) Making the Difference - Education Scotland study 2012 Knowledge of healthy child development and learning in early years is the important factor

Programmes can assure consistency of input across a range of provider settings Predictability of outcomes Easier to deliver in volume when workforce comparatively less well qualified Usually objectively evaluated

1995 Less opportunity for co-production and adaptation Impact often greater on children with higher baseline thus may have adverse impact on equality Scope for creativity and flexibility more limited Not necessarily comparatively evaluated – does this achieve better outcomes than other actions?

Research evidence suggests that we should focus more on what happens before two years of age

Attachment Brain development Cognitive ability Lowest per capita investment

Scotland – the best place in the world to grow up?

Not there yet…..

Growing Up in Scotland Many children falling behind in health and development early in life, with ongoing consequences Doing well was related to the quality of ‘inputs’ children received Lack of the right inputs was highly correlated with poverty and other kinds of disadvantage Some parents did not have or could not readily access support Better supported children surpassed those disadvantaged children who had performed better at earlier stages ‘Quality’ of establishment correlation with child outcomes being explored

Curriculum for Excellence 2004 Early Years Framework 2008 Early Years Task Force 2011 Early Years Collaborative 2012 Common Core Skills 2012 National Parenting Strategy 2012 Children and Young People Bill 2014

Importance of good quality, integrated, preventive services from pre-birth onwards Redirection of existing resources (£220m) and deployment of additional resources (£50m) Improving practice in NHS Workforce development – moving towards a graduate workforce Direct support for parents and good parenting Getting it Right for every Child Additional hours for 3 and 4 year olds Support for ‘looked after’ two year olds

Children as a priority in policy and resource allocation Prevention not reaction Refocusing of resources, at a time of austerity Entitlement for all and extra help where the child’s optimal development will require this Do what works best, not just what works

Leadership Acting on best evidence Recognition of context Collective responsibility Involvement and engagement Monitoring and measurement Capacity to change

Making%20the%20Difference_tcm pdf and-Family/earlyyearstaskforce and-Family/early-years-collaborative

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Thank you