
Supporting Early Learning and Childcare Settings
Early Years Scotland provides support and information to early learning and childcare settings with regard to:
- Business and Financial Management
- Effective Committees and Governance
- Insurance
- Curriculum
- Leadership
- Recruitment and Employment
- Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Registration Processes
- Professional Learning and Skills Development
- Policy Development
- Partnership and Multi-Agency working
- Improvement Planning
- Self-evaluation
- Inspection.
Where there are Early Years Scotland staff working in partnership with a local authority, business health checks and audits are carried out with groups and potential funding avenues explored. This service provides face to face, personal, local support. This enables groups to set up and run effective committees, maintaining and improving management systems. This planned approach leads to successful, sustainable services within communities. All member groups also receive the full range of membership benefits as described on the Early Years Scotland website.
Supporting Parent and Toddler Groups within Communities
Early Years Scotland provides support and information to parent and toddler groups with regard to:
- High quality two-generation shared learning experiences
- Supporting parents to increase both their own and their children’s levels of confidence and skills
- Early Explorer Experiences which can later be led by parents in subsequent toddler group sessions
- Early Explorer Experiences which can be transferred to the home
- Financial management
- Insurance
- Policy development and adherence
- Effective management committees
- Maximising benefits and successful outcomes for parents and children.
Providing Scotland’s youngest children with the very best start in life is the most valuable gift any child can receive. Many parents are keen to contribute to the successful running of their local toddler group, but they often feel they lack the necessary knowledge and/or confidence. Early Years Scotland staff understand this and support parents in many ways including conducting business health checks and audits and also assisting them to identify and explore potential funding avenues.
This support service enables groups to set up and run effective committees resulting in successful, sustainable community provision for parents and their young children. Many of these approaches and activities are then continued into the home, resulting in enriched home learning environments and improved outcomes.
Where there are Early Years Scotland staff working in partnership with a local authority, the Early Years Practitioners facilitate parents and young children to play and learn together through high quality experiences. There are also toddler groups in geographical areas where there are no local authority funded Early Years Scotland staff. In these areas, all member groups receive the full range of membership benefits.