Early Years and Family Support: Evidence, Need and Impact

Inspiring Communities provides free, face-to-face support for parents and carers with children from birth to five across Stirling. We work in Raploch, Plean, Cowie, Cornton, Fallin, St Ninians, Bannockburn, Cambusbarron and the wider Stirling area, including communities among the 20% most deprived in Scotland.

The families we support often face overlapping pressures, including low income, isolation, food insecurity, caring responsibilities, reduced income during maternity or family transitions, transport barriers and digital exclusion. Providing support locally and without charge helps remove financial and practical barriers to participation.

Evidence shows that children living in Scotland’s most deprived communities are more likely to experience developmental concerns. Our work also reflects local priorities around child poverty, family wellbeing, mental health and helping children reach their potential.

Our activities include Stay and Play, Twinkle Stars, baby massage, Inspiring Senses, Messy Mondays, parent and toddler groups, family learning and school and library-based activities. Families can also access practical hardship assistance and trusted signposting to other services.

We work alongside schools, nurseries, health visitors, Stirling Council Family Support Teams, libraries and community organisations. This enables us to identify needs early, reach families through trusted local relationships and complement specialist health, education and family support services.

In 2025 to 2026, our National Lottery Community Connections programme delivered 253 sessions and recorded 1,717 attendances across Raploch, Fallin, Plean and Cowie. Reported outcomes included reduced social isolation, improved family cohesion, increased skills and stronger wellbeing and resilience.

Between April 2023 and March 2026, funding through the Scottish Government’s Investing in Communities Fund enabled us to deliver 200 weekly parent and toddler sessions and 305 family learning sessions.

During 2025 to 2026, the Corra Foundation Household Hardship Fund also enabled us to provide more than 160 awards to over 100 families and individuals. The main needs were food, children’s clothing and footwear, essential household items, reduced household income and travel to essential services. Support was provided through trusted early years, school and community relationships, helping families address immediate pressures while remaining connected to wider support. This practical approach will continue through funding from the Ashworth Charitable Trust, providing voucher-based assistance to families over three years.

Our early years work supports children’s social and emotional development through parent and child bonding, responsive caregiving, play, communication and routine. It also helps parents build confidence, connect with others and find support before difficulties escalate.

Our approach is informed by Getting it right for every child, Realising the Ambition: Being Me, Scotland’s Play Vision, trauma-informed practice, attachment and responsive caregiving.

We believe early years support works best when it is available early, locally, without cost and without stigma. Through trusted relationships, we help strengthen family wellbeing, reduce isolation, support positive parent and child relationships and connect families with wider help when needed.