SCOTLAND'S children's minister says parents need to learn how to show love to their children.

Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Young People, told the Sunday Herald that mothers and fathers also have to focus on the basics when it comes to bringing up children.

The Scottish Government is currently consulting on a national parenting strategy, with details expected to be revealed in the autumn. In her first interview on the issue, Campbell said the initiative will aim to include all parents across the country rather than simply targeting the most vulnerable.

She pointed to the example of the Government's recent "Play, Talk, Read" campaign, which encourages mother and fathers of toddlers to interact with their children through "old-fashioned" nursery rhymes and games.

"All parents love their children, but maybe just don't know how to positively express that," she said. "Sometimes you need to go back to these things, which seem like no-brainers, to make sure that is happening.

"Around the world, I think it is universally accepted that early years should be a focus to make sure we can allow our young people to flourish. But certainly we do need to do these small, simple steps. Play, Talk, Read was quite simple, it was not rocket science."

Last week children's campaigners called for education programmes aimed at improving parenting skills to become as routine as antenatal classes. The suggestion followed the publication of a report into the death of toddler Declan Hainey in Paisley, who was killed by his drug-addicted mother, Kimberly.

The parenting strategy could include models such as setting up networks of parents to help support each other. She also said nurseries could have an important role to play by making sure staff talk to parents and have an awareness of what is happening in the child's family.

In cases where authorities have had to step in to help families cope, the strategy would also aim to "break the cycle" by preventing those children from repeating the same mistakes when they become parents, Campbell added.

"With 'looked-after' children [children in care], how do we prepare them to become parents and make sure their children don't get 'looked after' themselves?" she said.

"How do we make sure they are equipped as they possibly can be, to make a difference to their child's life?" she added.

Among the groups which are being consulted on the strategy is Families Outside, which supports children and parents affected by imprisonment.

The charity's chief executive, Nancy Loucks, pointed to statistics showing 16,500 children in Scotland experience a parent going to prison every year.

"There is a huge risk of loss of contact when someone goes into prison – about half of prisoners lose contact with their families completely."

Sue Palmer, author of Toxic Childhood, said the basics of parenting were often missed out.

"We have lost sight of simple things like how much sleep children need at night," she said.

"There is so much research showing that if families eat at least one meal a day together and sit and talk and communicate as a family it helps."

Neil Bibby, Labour spokesman for children and young people, backed the introduction of a parenting strategy, but added: "The strategy should focus on supporting parents to make positive choices to help their children reach their full potential – not a diktat or telling parents what to do."