news & blogs

Oxfordshire resident Rod Nicolson is Bicycling for Books and fundraising for our local Dolly Parton Imagination Library!  On 20th August 2023 he will be cycling 1,200 km in 90 hours in the prestigious (and gruelling!) Paris-Brest-Paris cycling event - he hopes to raise £5000 in the process, and we'd love your support!

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a book-gifting programme, set up by Dolly to increase the number of children’s books in families’ homes. Each child receives a free book to keep, every month from birth to five, delivered directly to them at their home address. Having books at home makes a real difference to babies' and children’s love of stories and books, and gives them a flying start in learning to talk and read. Our Peep and Growing Minds Imagination Library provides books for children in the Leys, Berinsfield and Littlemore areas of south Oxford. 

Donate now to Bicycling for books 

Are you or your staff currently delivering Peep sessions?

Would you be interested in developing these sessions to support your parents to gain an SCQF credit-rated qualification?

We'll be holding a free information session on Thursday 31 August 4-5 pm.

You'll be able to find out more about using our Peep Progression Pathway across the UK, supporting parents' learning and employability.

Email us and we'll send you the Teams link:  pathway@peeple.org.uk 

The Learning Together Study was a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of a 20-week version of the Peep Learning Together Programme for three-year olds.  It was carried out by Queen’s University Belfast and funded by the Education Endowment Foundation, involving 1447 families from 139 nursery settings across England.

Improving children's outcomes...

We already knew that overall the Study found that the Peep Learning Together Programme made a positive difference of an additional two‑months progress over a five-month period to children’s early literacy development.

... and narrowing the attainment gap:

However, further analysis has shown that the Programme made the greatest difference to children eligible for Early Years Pupil Premium, who made an additional four months progress in core language skills and in communication, and three months additional progress in early literacy development.

The Peep Learning Together Programme is based on evidence that the quality of learning opportunities within a child’s home environment increases their chances of doing well at school and beyond.

> Read more...

It’s time to give huge thanks to our out-going chair of trustees Mark Harris, who was at the helm for six years, and a warm welcome to David Bailey, who’s stepping up from deputy chair, to become our new Chair of Trustees. David (pictured with our CEO Sally Smith) is an accountant and finance consultant who has worked with the NHS for more than three decades, as well as being a dab hand at entertaining babies.

“I’m delighted to help Peeple by becoming the new chair of trustees. We’re a dedicated group of people who want the best for our charity, and for all the families and practitioners that we serve with our Peep Programmes, training and local delivery. I’ve seen the impact that Peeple has, and look forward to supporting everyone to carry on making a difference. All charities face challenging times, and I know that with our committed group of trustees and Peeple staff we will carry on providing great services for a long time to come.”

Growing Minds is a collaborative project, bringing together established local service providers from education, health and family support to deliver tried-and-tested interventions to improve school readiness and support young children’s life chances. Oxfordshire Community Foundation developed the project, launching the pilot in two south Oxfordshire communities in January 2020.

In April 2022, the leadership of Growing Minds was taken on by a partnership of third sector organisations who were involved from the start: Peeple, HomeStart Oxford and the Berin Centre. Growing Minds was made possible by Our Common Good and is supported by a consortium of donors.

>  Find out more about the pilot, and about how it could be rolled out in other areas

CBeebies’ The Toddler Club is on TV every weekday morning at 10.20 during April, and you can also catch up on the BBC iPlayer. 

We had great fun meeting new presenter Gemma Atkinson late last year as her Toddler Club journey began, to talk all things working with toddlers and families. And it was fantastic to be back as educational consultant for the filming, with Gemma, Nigel, Bailee and Benjee (Peeple's Helen pictured between them) and the whole Baby and Toddler Club team! 

> Read more

We welcome the government’s commitment to rolling out Family Hubs and its Start for Life programme more widely across England. The value of intervening early to support parents and their babies and young children from all walks of life has long been recognised.

The Family Hubs will build on the foundations created by children’s centres, enabling a joined-up approach and inclusive support for families, across education, health and social care. In Peeple’s extensive experience of training and working with practitioners in children’s centres and family hubs, we have seen how Peep and other parenting programmes can be used in groups or outreach to engage families in non-stigmatising ways, and improve child outcomes.

As well as providing parents with useful child development information and ideas, Peep practitioners consistently report how the sessions facilitate peer support amongst parents (much missed during the pandemic) and improve parent/carer mental health. They also provide an effective way of signposting families to other services within the hub, which will now include a much needed increase in parent-infant relationship and perinatal mental health support. We hope that Family Hubs will go on to be rolled out in every local authority, so that all families have access to the support that they deserve and need.

As we all know, mealtimes with young children - at home or in a setting - can be stressful but also have many social and learning opportunities.

Find out how an early years setting made the most of these opportunities by inviting parents and carers, and combining Peep with Marvellous Mealtime sessions in this new case study - read more

“I had never really thought about how maths and writing skills can be taught at meal times.” (Parent)

Our Peep Antenatal Programme Training is available online, with one-day courses for practitioners coming up soon. You'll get online access to the Antenatal Programme resources and session plans to use with expectant families, for delivering either online or face-to-face, in groups or one-to-one. 

Our new 'Antenatal Peep for families online' case study demonstrates how expectant parents appreciated getting to know other parents and practitioners through their online sessions, as well as sharing ideas and getting to know their baby during pregnancy and beyond - read more. 

Liz Ersoy on how the Peep Learning Together Programme Training has adapted in response to Covid, and Peep-trained practitioners have worked creatively to value and build on the brilliant ways that parents and carers support their babies and children's development. 

>  Read the Nursery World article

We're pleased to be working with Dr Alexandra Hendry, a psychologist from the University of Oxford, on the new START programme, developed for toddlers with a family connection to autism or ADHD. Research indicates that they may benefit from additional support to promote the development of strong thinking, attention and regulation skills.

The START team are now recruiting families with a child born between February - July 2020 to take part in free parent and toddler play sessions in Littlemore, Oxford, starting Thur 28 April 2022. 

Find out more, and sign up to take part: www.startproject.info  email: start@psy.ox.ac.uk  or tel  07310 876421

If you're a parent or carer with a baby or young child, we hope you'll enjoy some of the activities we've shared in our new Parents Area section. They're quick and simple to fit into day-to-day life, and free or low cost. You can also find out more about what Peep is, and how to find out if there are any Peep groups near you.

If you're a practitioner working with families, please feel free to share the page link with families.

We were very sad to hear about the death of our former Chair of Trustees, friend and educational visionary, Martin Roberts.  Martin joined the Peep Advisory Board in 2005, becoming a trustee the following year.  He was chair of trustees from 2009 to 2013, before retiring from the board in 2016.

'Martin’s contribution to Peeple cannot be underestimated. He did so much to ensure that Peeple survived and thrived, both to serve families in some of the city’s most disadvantaged areas and as a national organisation, training and supporting practitioners around the UK and beyond. Personally, he was an extraordinary mentor and friend.'  Dr Sally Smith, CEO, Peeple.

'In Martin’s role as Head of Cherwell School he developed a sound belief in the importance of supporting learning from the earliest age. He loved the Peep Learning Together Programme and the resources, which he enjoyed doing with his own grandchildren. A very positive thinker and wise counsel, he was completely discrete, trustworthy and loyal as a valued fellow trustee, helping to guide the board in a thoroughly consultative way.'  Dr Alison Street, Trustee, Peeple

Martin is pictured above with Peeple CEO, Sally Smith, and fellow trustee, Teresa Smith. We were delighted that he could attend the official opening of our Little Peeple Nursery in 2019, and honoured by his on-going commitment to the work of our charity. Martin is pictured here with Sally, current Chair of Trustees Mark Harris, Nursery manager Lindsey Hart and - cutting the ribbon - our local MP Anneliese Dodds. 

We were delighted to host a presentation at the 2021 festival, which celebrates creatively brave thinking in education, and gives space for practitioners to reflect, rethink and transform the way we educate and learn.

Nigel Clarke (CBeebies' The Baby Club and Dadvengers) introduced our session,  with a brilliant explanation of how play, laughter and social interaction are not only fun and beneficial for mental health, but also an integral part of the way children learn - well worth watching:   >  video (5 mins) of Nigel Clarke on learning through play

We also had great presentations from the Peep Champions in West Dunbartonshire and South Ayrshire, sharing how they'd used the Peep Learning Together Programme with families during the pandemic - read more... 

Watch this lovely video that celebrates the work of students from Ayrshire College who have been delivering virtual Peep sessions for parents, carers and children during the pandemic. 

Prior to the pandemic early learning and childcare students from the College facilitated Peep Learning Together sessions each week for families with young children.  In response to Covid restrictions they have found creative, exciting and effective ways to deliver Peep sessions virtually.

Children’s early STEM development grows from their natural curiosity and engagement in real-world experiences and play. We are thrilled to have received the support of the charity of Sir Richard Whittington as part of the Mercer’s Company Early Years Special Initiative, to work on this, in collaboration with the University of Oxford, the Institute of Employment Studies (IES) and Sheringham Nursery (who lead the East London Research School).

Our three-year project is to develop, pilot and evaluate a 10-week programme to upskill Early Years practitioners with the confidence, knowledge and skills to help parents encourage the foundations of STEM through everyday activities and interactions, and to support STEM skills in their settings.  Read more…

We are delighted to announce that we have signed an agreement with Playgroup Victoria giving them exclusive licence to distribute the Peep Learning Together Programme and deliver Peep LTP training to practitioners in Australia.  Danny Schwarz, CEO of Playgroup Victoria: "The values and purpose of Playgroup Victoria focus on the benefits derived by children's and parents’ participation in play-based experiential opportunities and learning. Our partnership with Peeple will have significant and positive impacts for the lives of Australian children and their families."

Read more...

We are delighted to welcome Professor Mary Wild to our board of Trustees. Mary is Head of the School of Education at Oxford Brookes University. She has a depth of experience in the Early Years as both educator and researcher. It is a privilege to have her on our board and we look forward to working with her over the next three years.
Dr Sally Smith, CEO and Mark Harris, Chair.

Read more...

We have adapted our Peep Learning Together Programme (LTP) Training for practitioners so that we can deliver it live online, whether you're working from home or back in work.

We are running 'open' online LTP courses on Zoom (or Teams) which anyone can book onto - see www.peeple.org.uk/dates  - or contact us if you'd like us to arrange a course for your staff.

> Read more here or contact us with any questions: training@peeple.org.uk  or  tel 01865 39797

There is no doubt that we are all experiencing challenging times, and local authorities, early learning and childcare settings across Scotland have worked incredibly hard to ensure a safe return for their staff, children and families.

Since August, it has been very busy for our team and we are delighted that by the end of this year, 120 staff from 9 local authorities will have received training in the Peep Learning Together Programme, all funded by the Scottish Government’s Family Learning Scotland Programme.

The remaining 23 local authorities will have staff trained from January onwards and we look forward to supporting every local authority in delivering Peep sessions and reaching families across the whole of the country.

read more...

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has been widespread, affecting the lives of every baby, child and young person in the country. This generation of children face unprecedented threats to their childhoods. They deserve an unprecedented response.

We are joining 150+ organisations in a call to Government to put babies, children and young people at the heart of the coronavirus response. The Prime Minister must make this generation of children as central to the nation’s Coronavirus recovery plans as health and the economy.

As well as the disruption to children's family lives, education and childcare caused by the crisis, they have been growing up at a time where services protecting children and families are under intense pressure.

With family budgets taking a hammering from lockdown, organisations including Action for Children, Barnardo’s, National Children’s Bureau, NSPCC, The Children’s Society, Peeple and many others, have joined forces to urge the government to prioritise and protect vulnerable children and young people, starting with the Chancellor’s mini-Budget expected in early July.

Those working with children will be essential in getting the country back on its feet and investment in this must play a central part of the Chancellor’s plans, including funding for local authority children’s services that step in early to help children before families reach breaking point, as well as mental health and wellbeing support for children returning to school.

<<< READ THE FULL STATEMENT AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE 150+ SIGNATORIES >>>

Find out more about the campaign on social media using the hashtags #ChildrenAtTheHeart and #PowerOfYouth 

Families Count – and every family should be able to count on help - now more than ever. We've launched a #FamiliesCount campaign - both to raise awareness that it really is the little things that families do with their babies and children that make a big difference to their learning, and to raise funds to help us reach more families during the Covid-19 crisis, and still be there for them when it's over.

This week our CEO, Sally Smith and Project Manager, Helen Stroudley are interviewed on Early Years TV by Kathy Brodie.

They talk about our role as educational consultants on the CBeebies programme, The Baby Club,  and the spin off book, Play and Learn with Your Baby  (published by DK) 

The new series of The Baby Club at Home, filmed at home with presenters Nigel Clarke and Giovanna Fletcher and lots of families, starts on the BBC on Saturday 6 June. 
It's full of lots simple, everyday activities that have great benefits for babies and young children – just like Peep!

Sally also explains more about the ORIM framework (developed by Peter Hannon and Cathy Nutbrown from the University of Sheffield) and how we use it in the Peep Learning Together Programme and Training.

Free access to the interview until 6pm Fri 12 June, then available to Premium members.

During this period of the Coronavirus outbreak and lockdown, we at Peeple are doing the following:

Families

• Join us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter (all @PeepleCentre) - lots of Things to do at Home ideas, Peep tips, Song sheets and videos - and do share yours! 
• Peep practitioners around the UK, Ireland and Australia are staying in touch with their own local families, by phone, online sessions and/or sharing info and ideas on social media. Our own Peep practitioners in south Oxford are doing online Zoom Peep sessions and Facebook group for local Peep families - local families can contact us on families@peeple.org.uk. 

Peep practitioners

• Online delivery support:  We hope that you find our social media helpful too, along with the new Members Area web-pages with online/ remote Peep Delivery tips, and updated City & Guilds (for practitioners) and Peep Progression Pathway (for parents/carers) info.
• Training (face-to-face and online):  We're not able to deliver face-to-face training yet, but we have been piloting online delivery of our Peep Learning Together Programme Training - please get in touch if you'd like to discuss this option.  

The Training, Accreditation and Support Team can be contacted on our usual email addresses and mobile numbers, including:
training@peeple.org.uk or tel. 01865 397976  ~   Family Learning Scotland project: familylearningscotland@peeple.org.uk or 07483 119866  ~  all other Scotland training: 07767 169539.

We hope that you and yours are staying as well as possible during these challenging times!

Children's Minister Maree Todd was given a warm welcome by Peep families, practitioners and CEO Sally Smith at the official launch of Family Learning Scotland (FLS) in Midlothian on 12th March. We are delighted to have secured the tender for the project, set out in Scotland's Programme for Government. The aim of the Family Learning Scotland contract is 'to help parents learn about early childhood development and how to support children’s learning, and also to support parent’s own capacity for learning to help them take up training and employment opportunities.' It will be integrated with the current expansion of early learning and childcare. Peeple will train and support 432 nursery practitioners nationally over the next two years, covering all 32 local authorities in Scotland. 
Read more... 

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) funded a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of a bespoke 20-week version of the Peep Learning Together Programme for three-year-olds in Nursery settings. It is known as the Learning Together Study, and the results are published today, 25 February 2020. The large-scale, independent evaluation was carried out by Queen's University Belfast and involved 1,447 families from 139 settings across England.
We are very pleased that the Study found that the Peep Learning Together Programme made a positive difference of an additional two-months progress over a five-month period to the children’s early literacy development (secondary outcome).       Read more….

We're delighted to be working as educational consultants again on the third series of CBeebies' The Baby Club, with presenters Nigel Clarke and Giovanna Fletcher.  It's a great programme, sharing simple play ideas, songs and stories with parents and their babies, and it's built up a loyal following with families. If you haven't seen it yet, you can catch the first two series of the 15-minute episodes on the BBC iPlayer: The Baby Club.   > Read more...

We're also proud of our CEO Sally Smith's contribution as Consultant Editor on The Baby Club's new book for parents: 'Play and learn with your baby - simple activities with amazing benefits'. It's full of bite-sized activities for exploring everyday objects, songs, stories and conversations with babies. There are lots of ideas from the Peep Learning Together Programme, including short explanations of why the activities are so helpful for babies' development. The book is released on 6 February 2020, published by Dorling Kindersley. 
> Read more...

Nuzhat Abbas is a Peep Practitioner who works for Peeple in Oxford. She is also an internationally recognised poet and musician.

During a recent visit to Australia she was interviewed on HAAN JI Punjabi Radio in Sydney. She talked about her work with Peeple, Peep Learning Together resources in Urdu and Punjabi, and about her own poetry and short stories.

In this clip she is talking in Punjabi about Peeple, the importance of the Home Learning Environment and explains about day-to-day learning using the ORIM Framework.

Find out more about Nuzhat's songs, loris and stories on CD/mp3/booklet or email info@peeple.org.uk for any further information.

The inspector was very positive about the warm relationships and learning through play within the nursery, during our first Ofsted inspection.

'Staff ensure that children have lots of fun while also learning and developing new skills.'   Read more, or find out about booking a place for your child.

We are joining 140+ organisations in a call to all political parties to put children and young people at the heart of this General Election.  We need to re-balance spending so that more can be done to support families early, before  crisis point is reached. 
Read more...

Benalla, a city in Victoria, has been using Peep and a strong collaborative, multi-agency approach over the past few years to make a significant difference to young children's outcomes, espcially their communication skills and their physical health.  Read more...

BBC Bitesize have been busily adding to their Starting Primary School collection of info and tips to support young children, before and during their first few months at school. It includes contributions from our own Helen Stroudley, Peeple Early Years Consultant, including practical tips on toilet training, boosting children's learning in everyday life and developing independence skills. You can still hear Helen and Vibha (a parent of siblings with different responses to starting school) sharing tips and promoting the campaign on BBC Sounds Woman’s Hour podcast (from 32 minutes in, to 49 mins).

There's an excellent interactive game to play with your child to prepare for them starting Primary School.

Watch a trailer for the campiagn here (see if you can spot Helen's one liner).

@bbcbitesize  #StartingPrimarySchool  bbc.co.uk/startingprimaryschool

“I gained useful skills through the programme that will help me day-to-day when I’ve been released from prison. It gave me a better understanding of parenting and what can help my child.”

Find out how the Peep Progression Pathway is enabling fathers in Inverness Prison to bond, play and learn with their baby or young child, and to reflect on this in their portfolios - read more

On Saturday 8 June 2019, our CEO Sally Smith and her 3 children will be swimming across Lake Windermere to help raise money for our Peep Imagination Library Appeal. 

Having books at home gives babies and young children a flying start in learning to talk and read. It makes a lasting difference to their love of stories and books and their confidence as a reader. However, not all families can afford to buy books and not all parents are confident to share books with their children. In partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, we send a free book each month to 554 children aged 0-4 who live in the Leys in south Oxford where we are based, and we also offer ideas and activities to support families' book-sharing. 

We urgently need funds to enable us to continue this valuable work. If you'd like to support the Appeal through Sally and her family - from a dry distance - then please donate now. Thank you!

Our Little Peeple Nursery in Littlemore, Oxford was officially opened by our local MP Anneliese Dodds, on Saturday 11 May. In her words: "I am delighted to have been invited to the official opening of Little Peeple Nursery. I'm pleased to see that Peeple works collaboratively with other agencies, including childminders and the local children and family centres, to provide much-needed support for young families in Littlemore and the Leys."

Thanks to all the local families and friends of Peeple who came (and brought the sun!), including Nigel from CBeebies' The Baby Club, and special guest Baby Bear.

Little Peeple is a 44-place day nursery and pre-school providing early education and care for babies and young children from 6 months to four years. It's a new, purpose-built setting on the site of The Oxford Academy, built as a joint project between the school, the County Council and Peeple. It is run by Peeple, a charity which has been providing support for families with young children in The Leys, Rose Hill and Littlemore since 1995.

Lindsey Hart manages the nursery: “We are here to support parents, carers and children to learn together by valuing and building on the wonderful job that parents already do. Whether you are returning to work, preparing your child for school or want your child to socialise with other children, we are here to work with you to meet the needs of you and your child.”

Dr Sally Smith, Peeple CEO: “We want Little Peeple to offer children a home from home. We are open to all families from the community and to staff at the Oxford Academy. We are particularly pleased to provide opportunities for the students to gain work experience with us – they are the parents of the future!”

Please get in touch if you'd like to visit another time or arrange a place for your child to attend: t 01865 397972  or e littlepeeplenursery@peeple.org.uk.  Little Peeple Nursery, Northfield Close, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 4NH.

The Baby Club, Cbeebies' first programme for parents (as well as babies and children!) - was a hit with families when first shown in March - so is now being repeated. Our very own Helen Stroudley, along with colleagues from the Foundation Years Trust and the University of Sheffield, were proud to be consultants on this ground-breaking show - read more

Peep practitioners and families in Midlothian welcomed Maree Todd, the Minister for Children and Young People, and two of her colleagues to their Peep group this week. The session focus was on ‘helping children to feel good about themselves’. Parents' achievements were also celebrated - one of the parents was moving on to paid work as a Peep leader with Midlothian Council. Thanks to all the staff and families at Newtongrange Nursery who were involved, and to the visitors for taking time to come along and join in with the singing and discussions.

Families and Children's Centre practitioners in Nottingham welcomed local MP Alex Norris and Councillor Mellor to their 'Peep Watch me grow' baby group. Both visitors have a particular interest in supporting parents in the early years, so were keen to hear about Nottingham children's centres' work in the Peep baby groups, Peep Inbetweenies and Peep Getting ready for nursery sessions. Parents shared their enthusiasm, both for the ideas and information shared during the sessions, and for the friendships that they and their children have made. 
read more...

 If you or families you work with are Urdu-speakers, then do download or share our new ORIM leaflet in Urdu. It describes four practical ways that parents and carers support their children’s learning and development: Opportunities, Recognition, Interaction and Modelling. Read more...

We were delighted that the Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds and Minister for Early Years, Nadhim Zahawi, joined parents and children in their Peep group in Rothesay Nursery, Luton recently. The visit coincided with their announcement of new government funding to promote social mobility and the Home Learning Environment. The government’s commitment to this aim is very much welcomed; it has been the main focus for Peeple and the Peep Learning Together Programme for over 20 years.

On Wednesday 21st March, The Duchess of Cambridge will convene a symposium on the importance of early intervention to provide solid social and emotional platforms for children in their early years, helping them to become healthier and more resilient later in life. It's great that this important issue is receiving high-profile recognition.

Our CEO, Sally Smith, has been invited to attend. This follows on from a roundtable discussion that Sally was part of earlier in March with the Duchess of Cambridge, and Oxford-based charities Family Links and Oxpip, on the importance of supporting families during a child’s early years. This is all part of the Royal Foundation's involvement in raising awareness about mental health. 

Our joint report focuses on the importance of supporting the home learning environment at a strategic and practical level, and on the range of ways that were put into practice as part of this project. It emphasises the need to raise awareness about how simple but effective it is to enhance the home learning environment. Read more or please read and share the report 'Home matters'.

> Check dates and book a place - A two-day course to build on your skills and understanding in supporting parents/carers with their children's learning and development from birth to school, using the Peep Learning Together programme (LTP), including online access to the complete Programme (74 topics with 200+ session plans etc).

The UK government asked for peoples' views on it's green paper 'Transforming Children and Young People's Mental Health Provision'. There is concern amongst some charities and experts in child development that the paper, which will influence government policy, ignores the impact of childhood adversity and social deprivation. Psychologists for Social Change have written an open letter detailing their concerns about the Green paper.
> Here is Peeple's response.

You might be one of the half a million people who’ve seen the clip of a recent interview with Paloma Faith talking about the realities of motherhood. Her experiences make a great case for the importance of groups like Peep, both for creating a safe space to talk openly about the highs and lows of being a parent with people who understand what you’re going through, and also to share child development information and ideas (including the fact that babies CAN see from birth, contrary to Paloma’s misunderstanding…). Follow the link for Peeple's take on it.

Find out about Susannah's Chambers presentation on singing across the generations at the University of Portsmouth's Organisational Storytelling seminar - including the benefits of singing for people with dementia, and how Peep groups with older people can be a win-win for everyone. Susannah is the Project Manager for the Learning Together Study. 

The Peep Learning Together Programme is based on the ORIM Framework. ORIM stands for Opportunities, Recognition, Interaction and a Model. It provides a way of working with parents which recognises and values all they already do, and then extends these things to support parents to do more. The guiding principle is that all parents provide the four elements of ORIM and that once this is recognised and celebrated, they can be encouraged to do so more meaningfully, purposely and frequently.

The ORIM film shares the origins of the ORIM Framework and how it is used to support children and families. 

A report announced today highlights the tremendous achievements of over 100 Scottish charities working with children, young people, families and communities. In just a 12-month period, over 1 million people have been helped thanks to a £15m Scottish Government Fund. This has been administered and supported by the Corra Foundation, one of Scotland’s leading grant-makers whose vision is for a society in which people create positive change and enjoy fulfilling lives.

 Mr Mark McDonald, Minister for Childcare and Early Years launched the report at a Baby Peep Learning Together group at Mayfield Nursery, Midlothian.

Dr Sally Smith (CEO, Peeple) said ‘The Fund has been vital in increasing our capacity to support home learning, parental employability and to develop the early years workforce across Scotland.  It is wonderful, through local partnerships, to support children and their families to have the best possible start.’

In January 2017, Mark McDonald, Minister for Early Learning and Childcare, and MSP for Aberdeen Donside, and Councillor Angela Taylor met with the Aberdeen Peep team and Peep parents, carers and children. Both visitors enjoyed joining in with a Peep Babies group, and learning about the Peep Learning Together Programme. In Aberdeen, the Peep Programme is part of Children and Families Social Work. Examples of local practice include: Peep delivery with parents/carers of care-experienced children; Peep with parents/carers experiencing low mood; and Learning Together Programme training for all Contact Centre staff.

The first Review of Family Learning in Scotland assessed research evidence, case studies and consulted with partners, to see what works well in Scotland, and internationally. The Peep Learning Together Programme and Peep Progression Pathway are included as a case study in the section 'What Excellent Family Learning Looks Like'. 

The Review's Executive Summary defines the significance of Family Learning as 'supporting, equipping and building capacity amongst Scotland’s parents - to capitalise on children’s opportunities for learning is key in raising attainment and closing the poverty-related attainment gap. A family learning approach can also be a catalyst in helping adults take up adult learning and training opportunities, gain employment or attain new skills. This in turn positively impacts on children’s individual attainment, their aspirations and personal learning journey.'  This focus on both the child's learning opportunities and those of the parent - in their own right, as an adult learner - is one which Peeple advocates and demonstrates in Peep delivery.

In February 2017, Sally Smith our CEO, and Peep trainers Marie and Lisa went to Melbourne, Australia to work with the Brotherhood of St Lawrence, an Australian not-for-profit organisation. The Brotherhood are about to pilot a new project called Growing Learners which brings together a number of evidence-based programmes to support some of the most disadvantaged families in the state of Victoria. They conducted an international search for an early intervention programme focusing on the home learning environment which incorporates adult qualifications and employability routes. They reported that only the Peep Learning Together Programme fitted the bill!

Marie takes being 'Down Under' a touch too literally!

The Family and Childcare Trust and Joseph Rowntree Foundation have published their report: Creating an anti-poverty childcare system. The report contrasts the research evidence and policies - which say that high quality childcare improves outcomes for children - with the reality of our current system which is failing to deliver for the poorest families. The report highlights that:

• only half of eligible two-year olds receive their entitlement to free childcare in a graduate-led setting (an important indicator of quality)
• families in the poorest areas are the least likely to have access to flexible childcare, which restricts opportunities for parents to work or access training
• the system of support for the cost of childcare is complicated for parents and fails to incentivise those on low incomes to work.

The report recommends:

• investment in a more qualified early years workforce, paid in line with staff in schools who currently earn up to 68 per cent more
• investment in local services to deliver an entitlement to flexible daycare
• more of the state subsidies directed at service providers, as the most effective way to deliver access to high quality childcare.

Dr. Sally Smith, Chief Executive of Peeple, welcomes the report. She says:

“There is no question that better quality and more accessible and affordable childcare will directly improve child outcomes and provide the means to allow families to work their way out of poverty. Quality settings also engage effectively with parents to support them with ideas and information about how they can encourage their children’s learning and development as part of everyday life at home – because the home learning environment makes a big difference to how well children do.”

“However quality doesn’t come cheap – early years professionals need excellent training, not just in working with children but also with parents – and they need to be paid fairly. This is simply impossible with the current level of funding for childcare. If the recommendations in this excellent report are to be met, then the Government needs to move beyond its rhetoric about the importance of early years and make a serious investment in our sector.”