All families with toddlers in Scotland should have access to health visitors, the Scottish Conservatives have said following the publication of childcare proposals.
While the bill has been broadly welcomed, the party will be pushing to have measures included which would see every family with children up to age two handed access to health visitors.
That would boost health in the early years, meaning the overall long-term wellbeing of the country would improve, and give parents the chance to raise concerns and access help sooner and more easily.
The Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill also sets out a statutory entitlement of 600 hours of funded care for three and four-year-olds.
The Scottish Conservatives have called on this pledge to be extended to include two-year-olds from poorer backgrounds, similar to measures in place in England and Wales.
Nanette Milne, Scottish Conservative MSP for the North East said:
“The Scottish Conservatives welcome the principles of this bill, but we will also be pressing the Scottish Government to include an additional measure to ensure all families with children between birth and age two have regular access to a health visitor.
“Virtually every piece of evidence which is available points to the fact that the most crucial time for children’s development is these very earliest years, and that health visitors can play a vital role in helping parents care for their child and also quickly identify any problems which might require additional support.
“The Scottish Parliament recently supported a Scottish Conservative amendment on this matter, so I hope we can now have it included in the bill.
“The other key issue for us is the provision of nursery and childcare.
“We welcome the extensions announced but we want to see Scotland enjoy at least the same benefits which are now provided in England and Wales.
“South of the border hundreds of thousands of two-year-olds from the poorest families will be entitled to free childcare.
“Yet this bill provides only for looked-after two-year-olds.”