Education Secretary, Michael Russell has announced the creation of a new Communities and Families Fund to assist local childcare and family support work, financed to the tune of £1.5 million a year over the next three years.
The Communities and Families Fund will help with: parenting and family support, community playgroups and crèches and community-led refurbishment of playgrounds.
This £4.5 million Families and Communities Fund is to be the first project from the Scottish Government’s £50 million contribution to the Early Years Change Fund.
Mr Russell: “We know that parents, families and communities have the biggest positive impact on children in their earliest years.”
“This fund will support projects that bring real, tangible, benefits for those children and their families. Giving our youngsters the best start in life and paving the way for successful futures.”
The Communities and Families Fund will invite communities to bid for a share of the £4.5 million to invest in local projects. The Education Minister signals that the fund is aimed at small projects but these can make a real difference to local communities:
“We know that sometimes small changes in a community can make a big difference. We want to empower our communities to shape the provision they need in their local area.”
Mr Russel encourages and recommends communities interested in issues around education to use the Scottish Government’s innovative Engage for Education website to communicate community interests, ideas and views.