SNP Support Children and Young People

Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banffshire & Buchan Coast this week asked the Minister for Children and Young People, Aileen Campbell, what the Scottish Government is doing to ensure that children get the best start in life.

The Minister responded, explaining funding that the Scottish government has introduced to Scottish childcare, she said:

“We have also invested about £500 million to expand free early learning and childcare to 475 hours for all three and four-year-olds and disadvantaged two-year-olds. We are recruiting 500 additional health visitors by 2018 to support parents in their children’s earliest years.”

Mr Stevenson welcomed this response and further asked what more could be done in the next parliament, the minister said:

“We fundamentally disagree with the changes that the United Kingdom Government currently proposes and we will continue to develop a Scottish approach to tackle and mitigate the impact of poverty. We are investing £14 million in 2016-17 through our new third sector fund to tackle inequality and help thousands of children, families and communities. We have fully funded free school meals for all primary 1 to P3 pupils, which will deliver a saving for families of at least £380 per child per year and benefit 130,000 children throughout Scotland.”