peep evidence base

Our work has been evaluated in a number of independent research studies by the Universities of Oxford, Queen's Belfast and Warwick. These show that Peep:

• helps children develop strong foundations for language, literacy, and self-esteem - improving outcomes for all, but with the greatest impact for the most disadvantaged,
• successfully reaches families and engages them in their children’s learning,
• helps parents become more aware of their children’s development and how to foster it,
• contributes to parents’ and children’s confidence in themselves as learners, and to parents’ employability,
• enables practitioners from a wide range of professions to develop new skills and fresh approaches to share ideas and unlock parents’ potential.

A Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) study of the Learning Together Programme was carried out by Queen's University Belfast, funded by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). The report was published in 2020; you can watch a short video or read an overview of what the study involves, and how it helps narrow the gap in educational attainment:

• Learning Together Study  
• 90-second video: Narrowing the attainment gap with the Peep LTP – findings from a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT)

Four formal research studies on the Peep Learning Together programme have been carried out by the University of Oxford:

• Birth to School Study
• Enabling Parents Study
• Foundation Peep Study
• Room to Play Study

Five of the families who were part of the Birth to School Study took part in a small Tracer study twelve years after they attended Peep, involving a semi-structured interview.

The University of Warwick has carried out the following research studies:

• Early Explorers: Integrating partner professionals to support parents with their children’s development from birth in child health clinics
• Reflective Parenting - Peep Antenatal Programme. This is a pilot report with interim findings.

Case studies from organisations using Peep programmes, around the UK and beyond, demonstrate some of the outcomes from using Peep in a wide variety of contexts and settings.

• This includes a report by the Learning and Work Institute into 'Increasing the employability of parents/carers', which includes a focus on family learning in Derby Peep.