Conference believes:

1. That early years’ learning is of vital importance in the development of children and in enhancing opportunities in later life.
   
2. That every child should have access to high quality care from parents, wider family, carers, or childminders and local authority, voluntary and private service providers.
   
3. That play is a vital part of childhood, which is fundamental to the healthy development and well-being of children.
   
4. That Scotland should have an early years sector which has the highest quality education and care provided by a skilled, professional and respected workforce.
   
5. That Scotland should aspire to universal provision of early years’ learning for under-5s, but rejects a system of identical
   provision for each child.

Conference welcomes:

1. The achievements of the Scottish Executive in delivering an entitlement to a free, part-time pre-school place for all three- and four-year-olds, and in widening the availability of childcare;
   
2. The continuing improvement in the quality and professional expertise of the early years’ workforce in public, private and voluntary sector provision;
   
3. The increasing recognition that parents should have the choice of caring for children at home, returning to work or study or a combination of both.

Conference calls for:

1. An integrated early years’ and childcare strategy designed to provide over 10 years a comprehensive availability of flexible education and care, giving children new opportunities for improved learning and communication, and parents the opportunity of affordable childcare between 8am and 6pm in local schools or other purpose-built facilities.

2. A Scottish Play Strategy:
   
   1. To reinvigorate the status of play and playgroups and to give children greater opportunity to learn through play.

   2. To recognise the importance of professional playworkers and encourage the involvement of parents and carers in playwork.
   3. To create an entitlement for all 2 year olds to have 15 hours a week in a supervised playgroup, if their parents wish.
   4. To ensure that provision is delivered locally and is able to accommodate children with additional support needs.
3. Nursery provision for three and four year olds to be extended to at least 15 hours a week by adding half an hour to existing daily provision for children to experience socialising and eating together.
4. Widened and improved provision in existing nurseries to enable flexible additional care from 8am to 6pm where demand exists.
5. A major programme of improvements to buildings and facilities for early years’ provision, with more green space and child friendly designs, which are attractive and sustainable for activity and learning, with the priority on piloting early years’ centres in the most deprived areas of Scotland
6. allowing P1 to become a transitional year, treating early years’ education and care for 2-6 year olds as a phased introduction to school, and making the pre school curriculum more stimulating for the child in ways that assists their development.
7. Reform of training and development to create a highly skilled workforce across the sector, encourage new professionals, particularly men, into the sector, develop a new qualification for nursery management, and give consideration to underpinning the position of teachers in nursery facilities with a statutory requirement
8. work with the private and voluntary sectors to develop innovative ways to deliver wraparound care beyond the statutory entitlements, and
9. encouraging more use of outdoor learning for young children.