Early Years Scotland

Early Years Scotland (EYS) is Scotland’s leading organisation dedicated to improving the lives and futures of children from pre-birth to five years old. Established in 1967, we have almost 60 years of innovation and expertise. EYS believes in a Scotland where every child has an equal and excellent start in life, regardless of their background. The world around a child shapes the adults we become. If that world doesn’t provide key experiences and nurturing environment needed for physical, social and emotional development their long-term health, happiness and wellbeing is at risk. We believe that to invest in children we need to also invest in those around them to provide strengthened love, security, encouragement and positive role models to help children thrive We focus on helping families living in the most deprived areas of Scotland, who struggle with child poverty, trauma, unemployment, debt, single/teen parenting, and parental imprisonment. These factors can create barriers that cause significant educational delays and impact adulthood and future life chances. EYS offers flexible and free prevention and early intervention services to reach these families, remove barriers, and close the disadvantage gap by improving education and social justice, reducing child poverty and developing strengthened families and communities. EYS work is underpinned by three goals: 1) removing barriers of inequality to ensure that all children have a great start in life and receive the opportunities they deserve to realise their true potential 2) ensuring parents have access to the best support in ways that enhance their knowledge, skills, and confidence to develop their babies and children’s foundational skills. 3) working with families together to increase wellbeing by improving confidence, bonding/attachment, interactions, social/support networks, and shared learning. EYS four key strands of work: 1) Working directly with children and families in communities and prisons through services designed to improve resilience, wellbeing, quality of life, and maximise nurturing environments essential for children’s development. Services are delivered in accessible community settings including school, community and church halls, libraries and in 6 prisons and social work contact centres. Services work with children and parents/carers together to strengthen and improve confidence, bonding, attachment, and parental engagement through shared play and learning experiences also connecting families to community social/support networks. Services benefit 7,000+ children/families annually. 2) Providing membership support services to early learning and childcare settings, both regulated and unregulated, playgroups, parent and toddler groups, early years professionals/childminders, students and other organisations and individuals. We provide advice, resources and support for 1,000+ Early Learning and Childcare(ELC) members Scotland-wide plus a development support service assisting ELC members in local authorities run more effective, sustainable services. 3) Creating and delivering high-quality online and in-person professional learning courses and events to equip the ELC workforce, and anyone who supports young children, with the best skills and knowledge. Our learning services increase the practice of approx.1,200+ professionals annually. 4) Engaging with government and regulatory bodies to make sure children, families and members voices are heard and challenge early years policy and practice to bring lasting improvements to their lives.