Since it launched in 2005, the Parents, Early Years and Learning (PEAL) programme has been delivered to around 9,000 participants, involving over a third of local authorities. PEAL training, which is delivered by the Early Childhood Unit of the National Children's Bureau, aims to inspire and equip practitioners to increase the involvement of parents and families in their young children's early learning and development.
Speaking at Talk to Your Baby's annual conference in London last week, Helen Wheeler, principal officer at the NCB Early Childhood Unit, said the scheme's impact was achieving long-term benefits.
'Evidence from practice and small scale evaluations highlight that children benefit from greater parental engagement,' she said. 'It has been demonstrated that parents initiate conversations more and talk is more focused on learning. When parents play and interact with children, they become more absorbed, showing more interest and improved behaviour.'
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