Relationships gain from early learning scheme
Parents have been getting involved in their children's learning thanks to the Early Learning Partnership Programme, aimed at disadvantaged parents whose children are at risk of learning delay.
The project was led by the Family and Parenting Institute, whose report found that parents who took part became more confident and aware of the factors that influence healthy child development, creating a more positive learning environment at home.
The report, which complements an evaluation of the project undertaken by Oxford University's Department of Education in 2008 (News, 3 July 2008), draws on final reports and case studies from each of the individual projects involved.
Mary MacLeod, chief executive of the Family and Parenting Institute, said, 'The work aimed to encourage parents to experiment with play, reading, exploring and singing to stimulate their children's learning and curiosity.
'The most exciting were the outcomes for many parents and children who had more enjoyment and fun together, which had a knock-on effect on their relationships with each other.
'As parents became more confident, so did their children, and the more time they spent with their children, the more they understood their needs'.
The Early Learning Partnership Programme was funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families to address inequalities of opportunity for children aged between one and three who are at risk of learning delay.
It aimed to help parents with complex and multiple challenges in their lives to become more confiden in engaging with their child's early learning and more receptive to addressing their child's learning needs.
Further information: www.familyandparenting.org
