Early Years and Early Intervention Framework

Introduction to HMIE briefing May 2008

Purpose

1. This briefing document provides research and inspection information in relation to the Early Years and Early Intervention Framework. The papers cover HMIE inspection and task activities since November 2007 until the end of April 2008. They outline areas of good practice, identify some general issues in relation to the framework themes and offer some possible ways forward.

Focus

2. Since the HMIE Early Education Quality Group (EEQG) meeting in February 2008 with SG policy officers (Positive Futures Division), we have seen the launch of the policy framework document, 'Early Years and Early Intervention'. The draft document was available for consultation until mid April 2008. The EEQG and pre-school Associate Assessors have continued to gather evidence of areas of best practice covering the four key themes. We have now collated five case studies which focus on three of the four key themes. A copy of each case study is included in these briefing papers. Also included are further references to centres demonstrating best practice.

General issues from research

Developing Effective Parenting

• There are many parenting interventions/programmes operating in different countries that have been found to be effective in improving outcomes for children later in life. These include intensive home visiting programmes, parent training/parenting skills programmes, cognitive/knowledge development programmes, and programmes to tackle mental health amongst parents.

• Care should be taken in assuming that these interventions will have the same outcomes in Scotland where a different set of social circumstances prevail.

• The effects of programmes are not universal and the most disadvantaged families are least likely to benefit as they are least likely to become or remain engaged.

Creating Supportive Communities

• A 'one size fits all' approach will not work. Local circumstances play a critical part in determining the success or otherwise of a community. In our inspections, we consider the context of the school or centre. We are developing our inspection models to look beyond the school or centre to the neighbourhood and the linked support services. Inspections of Community Learning and Development and local authorities offer the width of information across the broad themes of the framework.

Delivering Integrated Services

• Targeted or universal services? This is a question which has no clear cut answer. Where there is a Child protection issue, services are better joined up. Key worker approaches are more successful in supporting more vulnerable families. Targeted programmes have had documented success at the higher end of the risk spectrum.

• Universal interventions are argued to be more successful in tackling common parental needs at the lower end of the risk spectrum.

• EAs have a tendency to work in isolation with little evidence of them sharing practice that is making a difference.

Developing a Suitable Workforce

• The early years is characterised by a diverse workforce with varying qualifications, pay and conditions.

• The status of early years workers and the public perception of the work they do are generally not high and undermine the importance of this sector.

• There are persistent recruitment and retention difficulties, particularly in the private/voluntary sectors and in rural areas and often related to pay and conditions.

• Supply and demand issues persist with regard to population demographics. Very rural areas have high unit costs where a small number of children attend services.

• Funding questions remain with regard to individuals accessing training and qualifications in the drive to develop a better qualified and more 'professional' early years workforce.

Suggested ways forward

• There is a strong research base to support the importance of identifying risk before birth. Maternal and parental behaviour during pregnancy is known to impact on a child's outcomes. The most promising services for pregnant women are therefore those offering high-quality social supports alongside antenatal medical care.

• There is evidence to indicate that good parenting can mitigate the disadvantages of growing up in a low income household or deprived neighbourhood. Approaches to parenting can be key in ensuring positive outcomes for children as well as preventing a range of problems in young people. Projects such as the 'Triple P' and the 'Incredible Years' programmes have been documented as being successful interventions.

• Improve cross-directorate working using intelligence on 'communities'.

• A combination of both targeted and universal interventions/programmes, resulting in a continuum of support is likely to be most effective and cost effective in supporting parents.

• Respond to findings of projects such as the High/Scope Perry Pre-school study and the paper, 'How Small Children Make a Big Difference' by building the findings into strategic Children's Services policy at EA level.

• Take account of the continuing EPPSE research showing the critical importance of high quality provision in nurseries on the impact for children now up to the age of 11 and ensure all pre-school services, 0-3, deliver best quality.

• Define the type of worker needed to deliver either very specialist support or more generic to deliver the policy framework, and identify the management structures required to integrate the workforce.

• Consider the pedagogue role for early years but with equal status to teachers as co-workers in the sector.

• Address the gender imbalance in the workforce.