Early Years Scotland is proud to be delivering Creating Caring Connections (CCC), an innovative, family-led programme supporting neurodiverse children aged 0–5 and their families. Developed in direct response to families who felt excluded from mainstream services, CCC is now running pilots in East Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde and Renfrewshire, with a strong focus on early intervention, inclusion, and emotional wellbeing.

The CCC programme is made up of two key strands:

Sensory Stars: Sensory-rich, play-led sessions that help children develop crucial early skills in communication, emotional regulation, and social interaction. These sessions create safe, welcoming spaces where children can connect, explore, and thrive alongside their peers.

Marvellous Minds: A parenting course offering practical tools and trauma-informed strategies to support children’s sensory and emotional needs. It also helps parents to better understand their own responses and develop resilience, all while connecting with other families navigating similar experiences.

CCC is delivered by highly trained Family Engagement Practitioners alongside Parent Connectors—local parents with lived experience of neurodiversity—ensuring empathy and shared understanding are embedded in every session. To further build community capacity, parents who complete the programme are encouraged to volunteer as peer supporters, helping sustain support networks long after the sessions end. Importantly, children do not need a formal diagnosis to take part. With lengthy waits for assessments and CAMHS services, CCC offers early, inclusive support when it’s needed most—helping families feel seen, understood, and empowered.

CCC also supports smoother transitions into nursery and school. By increasing parental confidence and communication with early years professionals, and giving children early opportunities to build self-regulation skills in safe spaces, the programme helps ease pressure on both families and education services.

The programme is continually shaped by the voices of families. From naming the streams, to shaping the content and evaluation tools, parents have played a central role in every stage of development.

The impact of CCC is already clear—families are reporting reduced isolation, stronger peer connections, and meaningful improvements in their child’s wellbeing and development. As we continue to evaluate and expand the programme, CCC is showing just how powerful early support can be.