Published on:
28
January 2013
A delegation from Clackmannanshire Council and the Clackmannanshire Alliance attended a ground-breaking event in Glasgow last week which aims to make Scotland the best place to grow up.
More than 750 people from all 32 local authority areas gathered at The Early Years Collaborative (EYC) which is a national, multi-agency quality improvement programme established by the Scottish Government and implemented locally by Community Planning Partnerships.
Councillor Ellen Forson, the Council's Champion for the Collaborative, said: "It was an intensive event and focused on what practical improvements people at the frontline can make to services for children and young people. The Clackmannanshire contingent came away from the event buzzing and ready to test out a range of new ideas."
The overall purpose of the Collaborative is quality improvement and translating principles into practical action to deliver tangible improvement.
Council Chief Executive, Elaine McPherson, who also attended the Collaborative, added: "Sometimes change doesn't happen because organisations don't implement their strategies or prioritise planning over doing. The attraction of the Collaborative is its strong focus on front line action which is taken quickly, tested and then applied more widely if it proves effective."
Some of the initial actions which are being taken forward locally will focus on increasing the take-up of antenatal care, supporting early intervention when there is a risk that a child's entry to school will be deferred and training staff in specific techniques to support vulnerable babies and parents.
The Collaborative will meet again in May when experience from across the country will be shared.
Councillor Forson added: "I am really looking forward to seeing the progress we can make in Clackmannanshire and hearing from other areas about what has worked that we can also seek to implement locally. It is a unique approach and has great potential to significantly improve children's life chances."