Getting children off to a positive start in life is one of my Government's priorities for the coming year.
In fact, early years have never been higher on the agenda. Under the historic new working arrangements recently established in Scotland between central and local government, we are working to develop an early years strategy, increase nursery provision and provide free school meals for our youngest pupils. We know that tackling problems early makes a difference.
We all know that through play, children develop their social skills and build up the confidence they need to get involved in activities, try new things and learn about themselves and the world around them. Play supports emotional and physical development and teaches children about relating to each other and it provides an opportunity to learn about risk.
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