Breaking the link in the early years between disadvantage and low achievement highlights how leaders of early years services in local authorities, children's centres, schools and other settings can raise standards, using case studies and practical suggestions of different approaches.
Examples of good practice include Buddies children's centre in Barnsley, Yorkshire, which set up an outreach project to encourage traveller families to use its services.
The centre provided playgroup facilities on the travellers' site, giving family support workers the opportunity to build trusting relationships with parents and address barriers to their children's inclusion in early years settings and schools. Once parents had agreed that their children would attend the children's centre nursery, staff worked closely with them to make sure they settled in happily. Children from four families took up the offer of free nursery places, and staff have noted improvements in the development of children's speech, language and social skills.
Another project described in the report is the Child Development Programme pilot in Darlington, which aimed to narrow the achievement gap by improving the home learning environment. The programme is based on a resource pack for parents to encourage structured physical activities, and joint training for parents and practitioners and support from the early years settings for parents, such as a weekly drop-in session.
Children were assessed at the beginning of the project and then reassessed after six months to measure the programme's impact on physical development, thinking and language skills.
Further information
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