These new guidance materials have been developed by Learning and Teaching Scotland, in partnership with a wide range of professionals with expertise in early years.
The Scottish Government is committed to giving all children the best possible start in life, an aspiration which is reflected in our Early Years Framework. Key to success in delivering the long-term vision for transformational change in Scotland set out in the Framework is equipping the workforce with the skills they need to support children and families effectively, from pre-birth onwards. That is why the Pre Birth to Three guidance materials are so important, and so timely.
The materials replace Learning and Teaching Scotland’s Birth to Three guidance, and are ground-breaking in that they acknowledge the significance of the period before birth in terms of influencing children’s future outcomes.
In recent years, there has been a wealth of research to indicate that the environment a child is exposed to, prior to birth and in the very early years, will have a massive impact on how they develop cognitively, emotionally and socially. This evidence base was a significant influence in the development of the Early Years Framework, as well as the Scottish Government’s other two social policy frameworks – Equally Well and Achieving our Potential.
As the Pre-Birth to Three guidance makes clear, attachment and attunement to parents and care givers are particularly critical for young children. It is vital that all adults working with Scotland’s youngest children recognise that they have an important role to play in implementing the Early Years Framework, through giving all children the responsive care, support and respect which they need and which they deserve.
To my mind, a particular strength within the Pre-Birth to Three materials is the DVD resource, which shows staff interacting positively with children in real settings, bringing to life the principles set out in the written guidance. I am sure this will be a powerful tool in terms of showing what good practice looks like and why it is so important.
These guidance materials will also assist staff in childcare settings to develop the innate capacities of babies and young children as learners. As can be plainly observed by spending any time with a baby, learning does not start at age three. Providing opportunities for young children to explore their world through various forms of play will, as the guidance makes clear, help to build a solid foundation for their future learning.
In this way, the guidance complements perfectly the aims and principles of Curriculum for Excellence, and will help ensure that children have a smooth and coherent transition as they start to engage with the early level from the age of three.
I would like to commend Pre-Birth to Three: Improving Outcomes for Scotland’s Children and Families to all those working with babies, young children and their parents. As a package, these resources tell a powerful story about why the early years represent such a golden opportunity to give all children the best possible start. But more than that, they set out the ways in which staff from across sectors and at all levels can play their part in turning that opportunity into a reality.
Adam Ingram
Minister for Children and Early Years
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