Thrive at Five has today signed the contract for a new programme site in West Dunbartonshire, our first in Scotland.
As with our programmes in England, Thrive at Five will bring together and work alongside local communities, families and partners to join up and strengthen the local early years system, providing capacity to support children to thrive from pregnancy to five.
Figures show by the time children start primary school aged 4 or 5 in West Dunbartonshire, over a quarter (27%) are reported as having at least one developmental concern compared to the Scottish annual average of 19 per cent.
Eleanor Passmore, Thrive at Five’s Scotland Director, said: “West Dunbartonshire is already leading the way in its work on early language. We look forward to working alongside the council, parents, carers and everyone in communities who are already doing so much to support children in those critical early years. Through our work in other parts of the UK we have drawn from the best available evidence about what works and there are lots of great examples of practical ways we can support families to give their children the best start in life.”
Councillor Michelle McGinty, Convener of Educational Services, said: “I welcome this new initiative which will offer targeted support to our families in the first five years of parenthood, which is a critical time in their child’s development. I look forward to the programme progressing and seeing firsthand the difference this is going to make to families in West Dunbartonshire.”
Councillor John Millar, Vice Convener of Educational Services, said: “This is great for parents who I know will welcome and embrace this news. Anything we can do to support our children to not only meet their milestones but exceed them is to be commended. I am also pleased that along with supporting families, this initiative will also create jobs locally for up to 10 people in the first phase of the programme.”
Work now starts to recruit a local backbone team and begin the full discovery phase.