Keep your kids healthy by giving them a cuddle that’s the message from Fife Council.
The local authority is launching a campaign to create better futures for children through prevention and early intervention.
The aim is to encourage parents to take more time to interact with their children by cuddling, playing, chatting and reading.
Kicking off the campaign is a series of adverts focusing on the physical and mental health benefits of a simple cuddle.
Evidence shows that children and parents can achieve long-term health benefits, reducing the risk of diabetes and stroke in later life.
Early years ambassador Willie Campbell said: “The message we want to give to parents, families, early years staff and voluntary groups is that making small changes can make big differences to a child’s development and have a significant impact on their future life chances.
“These changes can be small behavioural changes like giving cuddles, reading stories and sitting down to play … or they could be changes relating to a healthy lifestyle.”
The work is a priority for all early years services across Fife and aims to raise awareness of the importance of what parents can do for their young children.
With help targeted at the most vulnerable children under the age of three, the campaign will try to reduce inequalities to ensure that all children have the best start in life.
Fife Council will also invest £7.8m over the next three years in organisations which support families in the area.
The Fife Early Years Collaborative, supported by the Scottish Government, aims to improve services for children and families in the early years, by working together to share information, good practice and ideas.
“We want to break the cycle of deprivation by providing young families with the help they need as soon as possible,” Mr Campbell added.