Problems at home are leaving some children almost two years behind in their vocabulary development by the time they start primary school, it has been claimed.
Now Dundee’s education director Michael Wood has backed a scheme that will see family development workers try to provide help for pupils to get back on track with their learning.
The city council plans to appoint 17 staff who will work with children and their parents or carers at nurseries and primary schools across the city. They will also provide support during school holidays.
Mr Wood said difficulties in home life for disadvantaged pupils could mount up, leaving them well behind their peers. He also warned ongoing welfare reforms could add to these problems.
“There has been a steady increase of children entering education with educational and social needs that require far greater levels of ongoing interaction with parents and families,” he said.
“The data indicates that the need for this support will accelerate over the next five years.”
The workers will be expected to help children and their families deal with difficult feelings and behaviour, introduce new ideas about parenting and point families to other council departments or agencies who can help them.
Mr Wood added: “The introduction of these posts will support the council’s aim to reduce the attainment gap that currently exists across the city by providing this important additional support for families,
“It will also allow school management to have a greater proportion of time to promote the quality of learning and teaching in particular.”
Councillor Laurie Bidwell, the Labour group’s education spokesman, said he supported the project in principle.
However, he found it “unpalatable” that £250,000 half the annual funding required was coming from not filling vacant support for learning posts.
These teachers aid children with learning difficulties in mainstream schools.
“I think the council should look harder at how they can fund this project, otherwise it would be merely robbing Peter to pay Paul,” Mr Bidwell said.
However, SNP education convener Stewart Hunter insisted hiring the development workers was the right way forward.
He said: “This a time for support for learners. This is about helping children who are in some of the most deprived areas of the city and who might be struggling.
“A lot of the issues these children face are home-based, not school-based. The young people of Dundee are the future of this city.
“I want to make sure that support is on offer so that factors like the impact of welfare reform can be reduced where it affects a child’s education because of family circumstances.
“Pupils must be helped to overcome any significant barriers to learning and take full advantage of educational opportunities. Early intervention can make a real difference to children from an early age, as well as their families.”
The benefits of the project are expected to include better educational performance for the children involved.
“Better communication between parents and schools is also a goal, as is preventing whatever difficulties families are having from escalating,” Mr Hunter added.
The development workers are expected to begin work in August.