The document describes Early Years Scotland's Stay Play and Learn program, which aims to support children and families. The program offers play sessions for children ages 0-5 along with their parents to encourage bonding, learning, and healthy development. Evaluations found the program improved parents' understanding of child development, strengthened family relationships, increased children's learning and language skills, and helped prepare children for primary school. The program provides support for vulnerable families and aims to reduce disadvantages some children face early in life.

1. So What Happens Next?.... Is it Fair?
Early Years Scotland
With
CELCIS Education
Forum
Jean Carwood-Edwards
Chief Executive, Early Years Scotland
Thursday 9 November 2017
St Mungo’s Museum, Castle Street, Glasgow

2. At Early Years Scotland,
we all care very much,
and believe very
strongly that Amy and
Lee both deserve to
have a positive, fair and
equal start in life.
That is why we do what we do
Why?

3. Meet Lee
September 2014
• Lee is 3 years old and generally happy
• Lives with mum + dad in comfortable home
• Has sister and brother who adore him
• Spends lots of time playing outdoors and
indoors with family/other children
• Shares stories + chat every day with family
• Enjoys family holidays 2/3 times per year
• Loves learning and playing and chatting
• Language Development is advanced
• Has a regular routine with healthy food and a
good sleep pattern

4. Meet Amy
September 2014
• Amy is 3 years old and often feels anxious
• Lives with mum and sister in a high rise flat
• Amy’s sister who has special needs requires lots of care
• Mum experienced domestic abuse, has used drugs and
alcohol to ‘escape’
• Dad serving prison sentence so not currently at home
• Amy loves playing, usually on her own
• Rarely sees others as there’s no family nearby
• Has never been on holiday
• Doesn’t hear stories or engage in chat much
• Language and vocabulary development is delayed
• Favourite food is fast food
• Family has erratic routine, often going to bed after
midnight and sleeping late
Amy is on the edge of care……

5. Different Brains at 3 years……….
We know that early experiences literally shape the brain
We can do things to change things!
• EWessssssssssssWe
Dr Bruce Perry M.D., Ph.D.
Senior Fellow of The Child Trauma Academy

6. September 2014
In order to tackle this multi-layered
challenge, we believe that we have to remain flexible and adaptable.
• Children don’t have any choice about the circumstances into which they are
born, so why should they have to pay the penalty for something which is our
(society’s) doing?
We use a range of approaches to support young children that recognise:
• the importance of prevention and early intervention,
and
• the child as part of a family and not as an isolated
individual
How?

7. September 2014
1. Working Directly with Children and their Parents/Carers
2. Supporting Providers of ELC and the wider ELC Community
3. Advocacy and Advisory Services
4. Professional Learning for the Workforce
What?

8. September 2014
EYS Membership services assist a range of staff across
the country to provide high quality ELC in all types of
settings
We offer membership for ELC settings,
individual students, individual practitioners,
colleges, universities
What?
2. Supporting Providers of ELC and the wider ELC Community

9. September 2014
Membership Benefits include:
• Helpline
• Curriculum, inspection and business support
• Professional learning opportunities
• Regular practitioner and parent magazines
• E-bulletins and regular updates
• Members’ area on our website
• Specialist insurance and legal advice
• Policy templates
……………..and much more!
What?
2. Supporting Providers of ELC and the wider ELC Community

10. September 2014
In addition to membership, we also:
• Support ELC staff through our locally based Development
and Support Officers
• Support parents to establish, run and improve Parent and
Toddler Groups in local communities
What?
2. Supporting Providers of ELC and the wider ELC Community
:

11. September 2014
We are committed to ensuring that we remain fully
engaged with all matters relating to young children in Scotland.
As a membership and service-delivery organisation, we have a
responsibility to ensure that our children and members’ voices are
represented fully.
We inform, influence support and challenge early years legislation,
policy and practice to ensure
Scotland’s children are heard, and that they
have the best start possible in life.
What?
3. Advocacy and Advisory services relating to legislation/policy/practice

12. September 2014
We deliver a range of learning opportunities for providers of ELC,
colleges, universities, local authorities and many more partners.
As the size of the workforce is set to almost double by 2020, we
have opened the new
Early Years Scotland Professional Learning Academy
staffed by our expert dedicated professional learning team who
design, develop and deliver affordable, accessible,
relevant high quality learning opportunities
across the country.
What?
4. Professional learning for the workforce

13. September 2014
1. Working Directly with Children and their Parents/Carers
2. Supporting Providers of ELC and the wider ELC Community
3. Advocacy and Advisory Services
4. Professional Learning for the Workforce
What?

14. September 2014
Early Years Scotland is a ‘specialist’ organisation. Our staff are all
fully qualified early years practitioners. We work with children and their
parents/carers together to help all children to have the best start and to help
close the disadvantage gap.
All services are:
Two-generational, play-based and aim to strengthen and improve confidence,
attachment, interactions, shared learning,
and attainment
What?
Working with Children and their Parents/Carers

15. September 2014
EYS own brand of Stay Play and Learn Services Includes:
• Baby Stay Play and Learn
• 0-5 Stay Play and Learn
• P1 Stay Play and Learn
• 2 Stay Play and Learn
• Prison Stay Play and Learn
• Individual Stay Play and Learn
What?
1. Working with Children and their Parents

16. Stay Play and Learn
Aims
The aim of the Stay Play and Learn service
is to work with families to encourage
them to play and learn together to
improve transitions, attachments,
strengthen bonds and children’s overall
learning and development.

17. Stay Play and Learn
Session Structure
• Welcome and sign in
• Free and exploration play
• Art/craft activity or messy play
• Healthy fresh fruit snack
• Shared play game
• Book bug singing/rhyme or story telling
session

18. Stay Play and Learn
Working to Close the Attainment Gap
• Reduce the inequality gap enabling children to start school with better prospects
• Establish meaningful parental engagement from the start
• Enrich and improve early home learning environments
• Improve children’s confidence, literacy and communication
• Ensure excellent transitions for children
• Support Family Learning
• Support active learning, problem solving and growing independence
• Enhance children’s concentration, curiosity and social interaction
• Enhance and improves parent/carers’ confidence.
• Heighten parental interest and knowledge of their child’s
learning and development.

19. Stay Play and Learn
Strategies
• Provide early intervention that involves child and parents/carers playing, learning
and developing together
• Offer dedicated family support in a familiar setting
• Improve experiences and opportunities for children and families
• Support parents to improve children’s health, wellbeing learning and development
• Reduce the risk of increased vulnerability

20. Stay Play and Learn
Offers
• Opportunity for children and parents/carers to bond, play and learn together
• Regular routine which includes healthy snack, messy play experience, story
and ideas to do at home
• Signposting for families to other relevant local services (Third Sector
partnerships)
• Opportunities for parents/carers and children to make local social contacts
• Partnership working with Early Years Scotland
• Access to Early Years Scotland parent and practitioner magazines
and membership options.

21. Stay Play and Learn
Services for Children
• Children learning new skills through shared play experiences with
their parents/ carers
• Children enjoying quality time with their parents/carers
• Children successfully extending and enhancing their learning
• Family fun with creative, messy play, singing, games and much
more
• Children socialising with other children and making friends
• Supporting effective transitions into Primary School

22. Stay Play and Learn
Service for Parents/Carers
• Safe, friendly, relaxed settings in small groups, same time each week
• Parents developing their understanding of the importance of play in their
children’s development
• Parents exploring ideas about how children develop and shared play and
learning experiences that can be used at home
• Meeting other parents in the community and making friendships with P1
children and families
• Finding out information on other local services in the local area e.g.
Parent and Toddler groups, nurseries, libraries, groups/classes
• Health promoting activities to help parents develop
children's health and wellbeing at home.

23. Stay Play and Learn
How we evaluate our service?
Early Years Scotland evaluates the Stay Play
and Learn service through:
 observations
 case studies
 questionnaires
 our own EYS evaluation framework

24. Stay Play and Learn
What Parents Said…
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
YES NO N/A
Has your knowledge increased about why it is important
to play with and talk to your child?

25. Stay Play and Learn
What Parents Said….
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
YES NO N/A
Do you do new activities at home with your child that
you didn’t do before?

26. Stay Play and Learn
What Parents Said…..
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
YES NO N/A
Has your child's learning and development improved
(eg social skills, confidence, curiosity, problem-solving)?

27. Stay Play and Learn
What Parents Said…..
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
YES NO N/A
Has your child's language skills improved?

28. Stay Play and Learn
What Head Teachers Say….
I would like to say how valuable the stay, play and learn service is, both
to help our parents learn about what their child needs to grow and
progress, and also in the high quality experiences that are delivered by
the team. The parents all enjoy and value the sessions in developing good
home nursery links with play-based interventions.
I cannot praise this work and the value for parents highly enough.
Sandra Meighan HT Keppoch NS

29. Stay Play and Learn
Quotes from children
My best thing is
the ladies and
the snack
I love Stay and Play,
my favourite thing is
the toys and getting
to play with friends.
d Playing is
good

30. Stay Play and Learn
Quotes from parents/carers
She doesn't
stop talking
about it. She
really looks
forward to it.
P1 Dad
Now I have a social circle. I
am playing a more active
role in the school
It is free, the staff are
AMAZING

31. September 2014
EYS also provides the following services:
• Baby Massage in prisons and community settings
• EYS Family Visitor Centre in HMP Low Moss
• Facilitated Parent and Toddler Groups
What?
1. Working with Children and their Parents

32. Stay Play and Learn……..
One story of a family where the children are
currently being looked after away from home
and how Stay Play and Learn is part of the
support……..

33. Little Lyla, 4 days old
Born 18 April 2017
(9lbs 14 oz)
Thank you!