Information session – Open Kindergartens in Scotland’s early years landscape

The Open Kindergarten Information sessions series is available to professionals and organisations who wish to know more about this successful approach to whole family early years support. This training is fully funded by Scottish Government’s Whole Family Wellbeing Fund, as part of Phase 4 of the Open Kindergarten project led by Parenting Across Scotland, Midlothian Sure Start and Children in Scotland.

The Open Kindergarten approach originated in and has been widely adopted across the Nordic countries and has been tested and developed in a Scottish context since 2019.

Open Kindergartens offer infants, children and parents together a drop in space at designated venues in their local community to connect to play opportunities, infant and child health advice and links to specialist services with a practitioner available to listen and respond to the needs and worries of the families who attend.

These sessions delve into the history, culture and benefits of the Open Kindergarten approach and offer input, tools and support to practitioners and leaders considering starting or extending their current provision.

We recommend completing our free eLearning module, Supporting families with Open Kindergarten, ahead of attending these sessions. To access this you must register with a free account on the Children in Scotland eLearning hub.