Enhancing parents' ways of supporting their children's early learning through participation in an early-intervention project in the UK: The Early Learning Partnership Project

Journal article

This paper describes the effects of a complex intervention programme entitled the 'Early Learning Partnership Project' (ELPP) which was rolled out across nine voluntary and community sector (VCS) agencies within the United Kingdom during a period of Government reform. It focused on parents of children aged between 1-3 who were at risk of learning delay, and aimed to increase parental involvement within children's learning as a precursor to reducing the later effects of disadvantage. A mixed methods evaluation examined the influence of ELPP. This paper reports specifically on a sample of parents from twenty 'exemplar' sites participating in the programme. Parents took part in a selection of structured observations (HOME and Book-sharing Observation) and structured questionnaires (Home Learning Environment, Parental Feelings Questionnaire and Father Involvement Questionnaire) across two time points. This paper shows that a short intervention with parents can influence parenting practices, personal beliefs and affective relationships with children. The findings suggest that through ELPP, a UK-based intervention, it is possible to improve levels of parental involvement and broaden the quality of the home learning environment via an early intervention project in a minimum of three months.

Authors: Goff, J; Evangelou, M; Sylva, K

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: ZEITSCHRIFT FUR FAMILIENFORSCHUNG
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 160-177
• Publication date: 2012-01-01
• ISSN: 1437-2940
• Language: English
• Keywords: early years; evaluation; support child's learning; Parental involvement; early intervention