The Open Kindergarten learning programme
The Open Kindergarten learning programme provides fully-funded training for early years professionals across Scotland to develop their practice in supporting families, funded through Scottish Government’s Whole Family Wellbeing Fund. The programme is part of Phase 4 of the Open Kindergarten project which is a collaboration between core partners, Parenting Across Scotland, Midlothian Sure Start and Children in Scotland.
As well as providing further information about setting up and running Open Kindergartens, the learning programme has been designed to provide skills development of universal benefit for early years practitioners working in a variety of different settings. In line with the Open Kindergarten model, the training focuses on delivering holistic, non-stigmatising parent and carer support.
The Open Kindergarten model
The Open Kindergarten model of whole family support, used widely in the Nordic countries, provides universal, holistic, preventative support for families with very young children, and is rooted in the National Principles of Whole Family Support.
More information
- You can find out more about the Open Kindergarten model through our free, eLearning module, Supporting families with Open Kindergarten.
- If you’d like to find out more about setting up an Open Kindergarten, please see our Implementation Framework for setting up an Open Kindergarten.
- If you have any questions about the learning programme, please contact: events@childreninscotland.org.uk
Five key benefits of the Open Kindergarten model
1. Open Kindergartens are free and accessible to all (without the need for referral), helping to reduce stigma and extend support to all families
2. Sessions are parent and child-led, and not structured, so they are tailored to those attending
3. They explicitly aim to improve early parents’ mental health by reducing feelings of isolation and overwhelm. Sessions are planned to allow peer support to flourish and new friendships to build in local communities
4. Open Kindergartens provide low-cost, early intervention to children and their families through the supportive nature of their low-threshold provision
5. Skilled practitioners lead the group and are crucial in creating a warm, supportive environment – this is why we are delighted to have received funding from the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund to provide training to early years professionals on the Open Kindergarten model
History
The Open Kindergarten project has been running since 2018, with phases 1 and 2 (2018-20) being co-developed by Children in Scotland.
In 2018, Children in Scotland, Parenting Across Scotland and the University of Stirling completed a feasibility study to explore whether the Open Kindergarten model could be adapted to Scotland to improve outcomes for children in the early years.
Between April 2019 and April 2020, the three partners worked with Midlothian Sure Start and the City of Edinburgh Council to pilot the project at two contrasting early years settings based in Edinburgh and Midlothian.
The pilot project involved free, twice-weekly drop-in sessions as well as community outreach work to overcome barriers to parental participation. The key objectives were to reduce social isolation among parents of very young children (0-3 years), support effective parenting, and contribute to optimising child wellbeing in health, learning and development.
The University of Stirling conducted an evaluation of the pilot project which concluded that Open Kindergarten filled a gap in early years services and had a positive impact for both parents and children.
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Midlothian Sure StartMidlothian Sure Start supports infants, young children and their families to ensure that they are building best beginnings. It runs six family learning centres and offers a range of services in the local community.Find Out More -
Parenting Across ScotlandParenting Across Scotland is a network of charities which offers support to children and families in Scotland. The network works together on issues that affect parents and families.Find Out More
