Open Kindergarten evaluation finds that families benefit from non-judgemental support

An independent evaluation of the Open Kindergarten project undertaken by The Open University, and published today, has found that the project addressed a gap in support for families and provided them with a range of mental health and social benefits.  

Originating in Nordic countries, Open Kindergarten is a long-established model of parental and family support. Open Kindergartens offer welcoming spaces where parents, carers and their young children can meet regularly and be supported by highly qualified early years staff to build confidence, develop skills and strengthen relationships. 

The Open Kindergarten project was led by national parenting charity, Parenting Across Scotland, alongside Midlothian Sure Start as delivery partner, The Open University as evaluation partner, and Children in Scotland as learning partner. The project was funded by the Scottish Government’s Whole Family Wellbeing Fund (WFWF).  

In Scotland, work to introduce an Open Kindergarten model began in 2018, and in 2020 the project partners carried out successful pilots to test the approach in Midlothian and Edinburgh. In this latest phase, Open Kindergartens were trialled in 11 locations across the Lothians, involving over 225 families.  

The evaluation report identifies benefits for both the parents / carers and babies / young children taking part. It describes how the project ‘held’ parents in a chaotic season of life. One parent said simply that ‘My child plays, I can breathe’. Another said, ‘It is the only time in the week someone looks after me like that.’  

Building on this success, the project partners have been awarded further WFWF funding in 2026/27 to expand delivery and support other organisations to incorporate Open Kindergartens within their support offer for families.  

Marking the publication of the Open Kindergarten evaluation, Amy Woodhouse, Chief Executive of Parenting Across Scotland said; 

 ‘Parenting Across Scotland is proud to have led the latest phase of the Open Kindergarten project, bringing this supportive and inclusive model to new communities across the Lothians. Families consistently told us how much they valued having a safe, friendly and non-stigmatising space to meet, learn and connect with others. The insights from this phase show just how transformative the Open Kindergarten approach can be – offering a clear, evidence based blueprint for the kind of whole family support than could benefit families across the whole of Scotland.’ 

Cheryl Brown, CEO of Midlothian Sure Start said; “The Open Kindergarten approach fits in really well with Midlothian Sure Start’s relational and strength-based approach to delivering support to families in the early years. Families have told us how important these groups have been to them and this has been particularly the case for families where a less structured environment suits carers and/or children. Carers report that in addition to feeling connected they see the impact on their child’s development.” 

Dr Hannah Hale, Department of Psychology and Counselling, The Open University, said; 

 ‘The Open Kindergarten Phase 3 project highlighted both the strong demand for inclusive early years support and the programme’s ability to adapt across contexts and locations. Open Kindergarten was readily taken up by families and practitioners, reflecting widespread unmet need. For many parents and carers, it provided vital relief from isolation, poverty-related stress, and mental health challenges, helping families feel less alone and more confident in their relationships with their children. This phase generated valuable learning about how Open Kindergarten can be flexibly shaped to meet the differing needs of diverse communities, while retaining its core relational and rights-based values.’ 
 

Sophie Elliott, Senior Development Officer at Children in Scotland said; 

‘The evaluation of Phase 3 has demonstrated the positive difference that the Open Kindergarten model has continued to make for families across the Lothians. The report captures the voices of parents, carers and practitioners, who have continued to emphasise the importance of accessible and relationship-based whole family support. In Phase 3 of the project, Children in Scotland also supported the development of a new eLearning resource, which will continue to support wider implementation of this evidence-based model within the Scottish context.’ 

The Open Kindergarten Phase 3 report is available to read here.

Further information about the Open Kindergarten project can be found on this page.