New Early Years Centre opens in Eyemouth

An innovative new model of integrated early years' service provision has been opened by Scottish Borders Council (SBC) and NHS Borders in Eyemouth.

The Early Years Centre is based in Eyemouth Primary School and will offer a range of drop-in facilities and programmes for parents and children aged from birth to 8 years from the local area.

The services that will be available include early learning and childcare, midwifery, family support, home school link, financial help in the early years, adult learning, health visiting and school nursing. Volunteering and training opportunities will also be offered.

The Centre will be available during the day and throughout the school holidays excluding Christmas and New Year.

Councillor Sandy Aitchison, SBC's Executive Member for Education, said: "This is the fourth Early Years Centre to be opened in the Borders with the Langlee, Philiphaugh and Burnfoot communities already experiencing the wide range of benefits that these centres provide.

"I am delighted that young children and their families in east Berwickshire are now able to access all these benefits as well, and would encourage them to make full use of this excellent facility. Being a parent today can be a challenging experience but one fo the key strengths of this type of facility is that staff from a range of relevant services are brought together under the one roof. From that one central point of contact, they are able to provide guidance and support on a variety of issues, thereby doing what they can to encourage positive parenting experiences for the families in their local area."

Dr Allyson McCollam, NHS Borders, Chair of the Joint Early Years Group, said: "The opening of the Early Years Centre in Eyemouth is a great opportunity for services to work even more effectively together in supporting families in the area with babies and small children. The Centre builds on lots of good initiatives already going on locally and will give a further boost to our commitment in the Scottish Borders to give children the best possible start in life."

To find out more about the Eyemouth Early Years Centre, phone 01890 750785 or visit them at the primary school. Information about the range of events that will be provided can be found on the Eyemouth early Years Centre's Facebook page.

The opening of the new Early Years Centre took place as part of Family Learning Fortnight at Eyemouth Primary when staff and pupils from all classes invited parents to participate in a range of fun and interesting learning activities and experiences for themselves what it is like for their child at school. The two weeks culminated in a special outdoor festival, aptly named the Fest-Eye-Val, which featured a family picnic, pupil concert and numerous activities including storytelling, zumba and a sing-a-long of Eyemouth's famous "Bantry Song".

Councillor Aitchison added: "It was very appropriate that this opening took place as part of Eyemouth Primary's Family Learning Fortnight when parents and carers were being given the chance to see for themselves what their children's educational experience looks like on a day-to-day basis, thereby enabling them to be more understanding and supporting of their child's learning.

"There is strong evidence to suggest that the earlier this type of intervention is provided, the more engaged a parent is likely to be throughout a pupil's school years, yet another reason that I would encourage parents of young children in the Eyemouth area to make the most of the facilities now available to them."