The study, carried out by the National Centre for Social Research for the DCSF, looked at different outreach strategies used by local authorities and children's centres in a pilot scheme to encourage disadvantaged families to access free childcare for two-year-olds.
It found that a personalised one-to-one approach knocking on doors in disadvantaged areas was most successful in reaching families not in contact with services.
Writing to eligible parents first and following up with several home visits was also found to build a relationship of trust.
When outreach workers approached parents on the street, the report said, 'on occasions they faced hostility from parents about why they were being singled out, or about why they were being asked personal questions, for example about family income and benefit status'.
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