A PIONEERING project for families in the Borders has been officially opened in Galashiels.

Scottish Borders Council and NHS Borders hopes to improve life for parents and their pre-school children by opening four Early Learning Centres across the region.

Last week the first held an open day at Langlee Primary School.And the range of drop-in facilities and programmes is already being well received.

Education councillor Sandy Aitchison is delighted with the additional resource. He said: “This is an exciting and much needed resource for young children and their families in the Langlee area. The main focus is on providing open door access and a safe, relaxing environment where people will feel comfortable dropping in for advice, information or to take part in one of the activities on offer.

“The range of knowledge and skills available to them will support families to give their children a good start in their early years.” The Early Years Centre is based within Langlee Primary School and is aimed at parents and children between nine months and eight-years-old from the Galashiels area.

It is hoped to expand with an outreach service in additional locations including the town’s other primary schools.

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.

Mandy Brotherstone, Scottish Borders Child Health Commissioner from NHS Borders added: “NHS Borders is committed to the delivery of services that place the child and family at the centre of care and decision making.

“We look forward to working with the Langlee community in this new development to improve outcomes for their children and families.” The Early Learning Centre in Langlee will be available during the school day and work is ongoing to enable the facility to be open throughout the school holidays. Plans are already under way to open further centres in Philiphaugh next January, Burnfoot in the spring of 2015 and Eyemouth by the end of 2015.