A TOP children's charity is calling on keen knitters to help provide baby booties to support young families.

For every pair knitted, NSPCC Scotland will donate one pair to families it works with in Glasgow and the other it will use to raise awareness with MSPs about the importance of investing in early childhood.

Through its Fight for a Fair Start campaign, the charity says investment is needed in specialist services to help a child’s development.

Evelyn Hart, a volunteer counsellor, has already been busy with her knitting needles and has completed her first pair of booties.

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She said: “I want to help the NSPCC in this campaign because I know that it is so important that families receive all the support they need, so children can grow up feeling safe and nurtured.

“If we can prevent some of the trauma and hardship that some children face by giving them a better start in life, then I want to do what I can to help - and knitting a couple of pairs of booties is a small task.”

Last year, around half of the children on the child protection register and over a third coming into the care system in Scotland were younger than five years old.

Joanne Smith, policy and public affairs manager for NSPCC Scotland, said: “A baby’s experiences can have a profound impact on the rest of their life. Yet, this is a stage of life that is too often overlooked and under-supported."

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“We recognise that advances in early years policy have been made in the last decade in Scotland but this needs to be matched with funding. Providing early support to families can help build positive relationships that prevent harm and, in turn, change life trajectories. This is fundamental to transforming childhood and creating equality in Scotland.

“People don’t need to be seasoned knitters to support our campaign, in fact they could even sew or crochet the booties. And we will appreciate all the support we can get to help us fight for a fair start for every child.” Visit the charity's website for details on how to get involved with knitting.