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A national “summer of play” to provide access to activities.

Funding of £20 million will deliver a range of activities for children and young people and their families over the summer, ensuring they are provided with opportunities to socialise, play and reconnect within their local communities and environments.

In particular this will provide support for those children and young people who may otherwise struggle to access such experiences during the holidays.

Working with local authorities and partner organisations including sportscotland, Creative Scotland, Play Scotland, Education Scotland and others, the funding will support existing provision of community-based services while also widening access to other local facilities, such as school estates and local sports facilities.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney recently said:

“We do not underestimate the physical and mental health impacts which children and young people have experienced throughout the pandemic, and that the impacts have fallen unequally across society.

“This enhanced range of summer experiences for children and young people will help address the impacts associated with extended periods of isolation and reduced participation in normal activities. This offer will have children’s rights and needs at its heart, and will provide opportunities to socialise across a range of activities, combined with broader support where needed.

“This will build on local summer offers, recognising the need for flexibility to deliver using local assets and connecting with wider offers from partners.

“Over the next few months we will continue to develop further all aspects of our education recovery strategy with our partners and stakeholders. Following periods of disruption to in-school learning, this will include how we can intensify and deepen support for children and young people’s progress in learning, including in key areas such as literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing.”