Parents get involved in Stay, Play and Learn

A childcare trial encouraging parents to stay, play and learn with their children has been praised by Minister for Childcare and Early Years, Mark McDonald.

The 2 Stay, Play and Learn trial, gives parents the chance to stay and take part in activities such as crafting, role play, construction and story time alongside their children, as a way of encouraging and supporting their learning and development.

Parents also have the option of participating in adult learning opportunities, with the guidance and support of a qualified early years staff team.

Running at Kirkhill Primary School and soon to be offered at Manor Park Learning Centre in Aberdeen, the trial forms part of the Scottish Government’s drive to near double ELC provision and to look at new and different models which fit the needs of parents and children.

It has been developed in partnership with Aberdeen City Council and Early Years Scotland (EYS).

During a visit to Kirkhill Primary to learn more about the success of the trial, Mr McDonald said: “It has been fantastic to see this trial in action and to see parents really getting involved in playing and having fun alongside their children – we know that encouraging children’s learning in this way is key to closing the attainment gap.

“We are committed to ensuring this type of high quality early learning and childcare is available to parents across Scotland and by exploring a range of delivery models we will be better able to understand what parents and children need and want.”

Background: Early Learning and Childcare expansion

In early 2016 the First Minister announced that a series of trials would be run to test a variety of models for delivering the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) expansion to 1,140 hours:

‘By trialling different methods with local authorities and child care providers, we will be better able to understand what parents and children need and want, and what is actually working. This will be crucial as we move forward with our transformational expansion of childcare.’

The Scottish Government is providing £1 million of investment to support the delivery of the trials and on the 22 December 2016, the Minister for Childcare and Early Years announced the second tranche of trials to receive funding. There are now 14 trials in total, spread throughout the country. They will test a variety of different delivery models including:

• Making additional hours available through local childminders as part of a blended approach
• Linking provision of ELC to local employability services aimed at helping parents to access employment, training or education
• Co-locating ELC services and out of school care services.

In Edinburgh, one of the 14 national trials, the project will look to extend two nursery settings within the city through the establishment of outdoor nursery provision through a nature kindergarten. The trials will be targeted at nurseries in areas of high deprivation, with around 10-12 children in each setting receiving the additional hours. Additional hours will be offered to pre-school children (4 year olds) minimising disruption on conclusion of the trial.