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Rural areas to gain from integration

Ways to implement the Scottish Executive's revised integrated early years strategy in rural areas from this summer have come under the scrutiny of early years professionals. At a two-day national conference in Troon last week, called 'All aboard: Implementing the integrated early years strategy in rural Scotland', delegates discussed the strategy's implications for planning and delivering services for families and young children across the country.
Ways to implement the Scottish Executive's revised integrated early years strategy in rural areas from this summer have come under the scrutiny of early years professionals.

At a two-day national conference in Troon last week, called 'All aboard: Implementing the integrated early years strategy in rural Scotland', delegates discussed the strategy's implications for planning and delivering services for families and young children across the country.

The conference was organised by Children in Scotland in association with South Ayrshire council and supported by the Scottish Executive and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Children in Scotland's chief executive Bronwen Cohen said, 'Given the current demographic changes facing rural areas in Scotland, a more joined-up approach to services for children offers a creative way of tackling the challenges. The development of integrated community schools, as the site of multi-functional services, will bring new possibilities to rural areas.'

The conference included visits to local projects in South Ayrshire, including the Girvan Family Connections Project. The shared campus includes a nursery school, a primary school, after-school care and health and family support facilities. Delegates also heard how schools in rural areas in Norway and the United States act as a hub for community services.

Deputy minister for education and young people, Euan Robson, said the conference marked the start of a year-long programme of work by Children in Scotland, funded by the Scottish Executive, to support the strategy in rural areas. He added, 'We expect to see some international comparisons, but I'm not looking to follow any one specific type of route.

'Rather, I want people to see what is going on elsewhere, and what we might take from one or more of these countries, and adopt it here to suit the Scottish people and environment.'

Speakers included Bente Laugerud, project manager of the new Borgen School Community Centre in Norway, a school for children aged 13 to 16 which opened a month ago and offers leisure facilities, a specialist refugee unit, a 70-place nursery, a church and outdoor activities.

Ms Laugerud said, 'We are trying to integrate public services in the same building. Integrating minority groups is the main challenge.' The pupils speak 22 different languages and include refugees from Afghanistan.