Labour Leader Wendy Alexander has launched a raft of proposals designed to support Scottish families today saying that: "No Scottish child should be left behind."

‘A Positive Start for Every Child’ was launched at The Yard – an adventure playground in Edinburgh, highlighting the need for safe places to play. The document proposes a number of key measures around developing early years policy for Scotland’s children.

Proposals include, supervised play areas for children, guaranteed nursery places for all vulnerable two-year-olds, a Charter of Support for families with disabled children (guaranteeing respite care) and a telephone support line for every Scottish parent.

It also proposes a network of family learning centres where parents can access childcare, get help and support with parenting skills and also obtain return-to-work training.

The document also asks for view on these policies from parents, teachers, children and voluntary organisations. Responses will assist in informing the debate on what is required to ensure that Scotland is a great place for children to grow up.

Some of the key policy initiatives will be:

· A plan for Scotland’s playgrounds in conjunction with organisations such as the Forestry Commission and Play organisations, to create and open up more green space to give children safe and exciting places to play. Also to provide safe, supervised play areas in communities across Scotland.

· Nursery places for the most vulnerable two-year-olds to give them a head start. Ensuring that no child gets left behind.

· Joint working between nurseries and primary schools to ease the transition. This will ensure that children’s progress is not stunted as they move through their school career.

· A renewed focus on basic skills such as communication and social skills to provide the building blocks to assist every child to get the best start in their education. Ensuring that no child gets left behind.

· A Charter of Support for families with disabled children including respite care and funding for short breaks. Ensuring that disabled children get the support they need.

· More parental support advisors to help parents do the best job possible. Also telephone support for every parent in Scotland. Ensuring that all parents can get the support and advice they need when they need it.

· A network of family learning centres providing childcare, parenting skills and back-to-work training for parents.

Launching the plan Wendy Alexander said:

"We all want the very best for our children. Scotland's future as a prosperous country depends on giving our youngest citizens the best possible start in life. That is why Scottish Labour intends putting the needs of families, children and young people at the centre of our policy agenda.

"If we are to prosper as a country we must put Scotland’s children first.

"We have deliberately started by proposing positive family-friendly policies in the early years as we know that progress made in the first formative years will reap great benefits for Scotland’s children and parents in the years to come.

"Our vision is of a Scotland where no child gets left behind and parents get the help and support they deserve. Kids need safe places to play and parents need to know they can call on support when they need it. That’s why Labour will provide supervised play areas and a national telephone support line for every parent.

"We will take action on key skills in the early years by promoting communication and social skills and ensure that every family with a disabled child has a Charter of Support with guaranteed rights of respite care.

"This is the right approach for families and it’s the right approach for Scotland. In a climate of cuts in family support it’s time that families were put first."

"We owe it to all of our children to give them a headstart in life."