Big Lottery Fund Research Issue 55. New opportunities for quality childcare: evaluation summary

Transcription

1 Big Lottery Fund Research Issue 55 New opportunities for quality childcare: evaluation summary

2 New opportunities for quality childcare Evaluation Summary Stock code: BIG-NOQCevalsum ISSN (Print) ISSN (Online) Print C&R Print Services Photography Gail Blackwood, Steve Brock, Peter Devlin Written by Sarah Cheshire Further copies available from: Phone: Textphone: general.enquiries@biglotteryfund.org.uk Our website Accessibility Please contact us to discuss any specific communications needs you may have. Our equality principles Promoting accessibility; valuing cultural diversity; promoting participation; promoting equality of opportunity; promoting inclusive communities; reducing disadvantage and exclusion. Please visit our website for more information. We care about the environment The Big Lottery Fund seeks to minimise its negative environmental impact and only uses proper sustainable resources. Our mission We are committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need. Our values We have identified seven values that underpin our work: fairness; accessibility; strategic focus; involving people; innovation; enabling; additional to government. The Big Lottery Fund is committed to valuing diversity and promoting equality of opportunity, both as a grantmaker and employer. The Big Lottery Fund will aim to adopt an inclusive approach to ensure grant applicants and recipients, stakeholders, job applicants and employees are treated fairly. Big Lottery Fund, July 2009

3 Executive summary This summary highlights the main findings from the evaluation of the New opportunities for quality childcare programme. It is our interpretation of the findings from the full evaluation report, which can be found on our website at: Key findings show that the programme has: XXHelped to support workforce development in order to increase the skill level and qualifications of those working in the childcare sector leading to a beneficial effect on the quality of provision. XXDeveloped the skills and confidence of childcare staff to include children with additional support needs (ASN) into mainstream childcare provision. However barriers still remain including transport difficulties, staff recruitment, and resistance from some mainstream providers. XXImproved the environment for children to play and learn through the refurbishment of childcare facilities and outdoor play areas, and through the purchase of toys and equipment. XXEnabled parents and families to develop parenting skills and have an increased choice of settings for children with ASN. XXFunded a wide range of activities and projects, although findings on the sustainability of projects are mixed. Voluntary sector providers, in particular, are still experiencing problems in sustaining themselves once funding has ended. 3

4 Background to programme The New opportunities for quality childcare (NOQC) programme aimed to support the development of a vibrant, sustainable and good quality childcare sector by funding quality developments in new and existing childcare projects in Scotland. In September 2002 the Big Lottery Fund launched its 15.3 million programme to increase quality of existing childcare, rather than the number of spaces available in Scotland. It closed for applications in June The programme set out to deliver three outcomes, which were addressed by a number of priorities. These are outlined in the table right: Outcome To improve the quality of new and existing childcare provision Increase access to childcare for disadvantaged groups Demonstrate a holistic approach by combining different activities in after school care Priority Capital support for childcare projects Outdoor play support Workforce development Childcare projects which support children with ASN Childcare projects which provide support to families Projects that combine care and learning Supported workforce development to increase skill level and qualifications of those working in the childcare sector 4

5 Background to evaluation In 2005 we commissioned SQW Consulting and the University of Stirling to undertake a three-year evaluation of the NOQC programme. The aim of the evaluation was to investigate the impacts of the programme against its outcomes and priorities. The research methods used for the evaluation included: an analysis of the NOQC project data, a policy and literature review, a postal survey of all grant holders, and telephone interviews with Local Childcare Partnerships. The evaluation also included visits and telephone interviews with 12 case study projects, and a focus group with six projects that supported children with disabilities. In parallel to the evaluation, SQW also completed an evaluation of Capability Scotland s Play 4 All project in Inverclyde. This was a national demonstration project funded under the programme to provide integrated childcare support for disabled children. 5

6 Findings Improving the quality of childcare Although there is no single, recognised definition of quality in childcare, the literature review from the evaluation showed that certain elements are important to the quality of childcare. These include the skills and qualifications of staff, size of group and age range within each group, a warm and nurturing environment, staff to child ratio, and catering for a diverse range of children. The evaluation found that although the programme was not directly set up to address these specific elements, it did enable providers to improve the overall quality of the childcare. This was done through funding workforce development, the construction of new buildings so they were more fit for purpose, and childcare for children with ASN. The survey of grant holders captured the range of ways that projects were trying to improve the quality of the childcare. The majority of projects said that they were focusing on enhancing the experience that children have in existing settings. Another important factor in the quality of provision was for projects to improve joint working between childcare providers and other agencies. Findings showed that new links were established with other organisations as a result of developing their projects. For example, over one third of survey respondents reported that new links had been developed with other organisations such as local authorities, other childcare providers, and local companies. This suggests a move towards better joined-up working within the sector. The survey found that 42 per cent of voluntary sector projects developed new links with other organisations as a result of the programme. Research in recent years has highlighted the need for the voluntary sector to increase its capacity through improved networking and collaboration. The evaluation explored the range of partnerships and external organisations involved in the design and delivery of the projects. One of the most notable features was the extent to which parents and children have been involved in designing projects. Parents were involved in the design of 80 projects (nearly half of all projects) and children in 63 projects. This is potentially a very positive finding however further work would be needed to find out the nature of this participation across the board. Capital support The programme has supported a total of 78 capital projects, which include the: creation or refurbishment of premises creation or enhancement of outdoor play areas support of mobile provision purchase of equipment or fittings purchase of toys and play equipment. The success of this capital support element has been mixed for projects. On the whole the funding has produced some great benefits for childcare providers, parents and children. However some projects have faced problems. The benefits to childcare providers include gaining a fit-for-purpose environment in which to deliver services. Parents and families have gained an improved environment for their children s care, and increased choice of settings for children with ASN. Finally children have gained a wider range of activities than previously available, and improved access to indoor and outdoor environments where they can play and learn. Delivering capital projects can be very complex and demanding, particularly when the project is run by an inexperienced voluntary sector organisation. The majority of projects did not experience any technical or logistical problems setting up their project, but some difficulty was experienced by 29 per cent of capital projects. 6

7 The programme has supported the creation of outdoor play areas and purchase of equipment

8 Findings The barriers projects faced tended to fall into three categories namely: dependence on partner organisations to make decisions or negotiate contracts; physical or logistical obstacles such as land contamination or poor weather affecting construction; and regulatory issues. Generally speaking it would appear that the majority of problems encountered were unforeseen and beyond the control of projects. Several projects, notably those in the voluntary sector, found it very difficult to work with their local authority. However findings show that 43 per cent of capital projects received specialist or technical assistance from their local authority, such as architectural services. Of these, almost all reported that they were satisfied with this assistance. Outdoor play In September 2007 a BBC report stated that children s health was suffering because they were not spending enough time outdoors. Excessive TV, computer games and unsafe neighbourhoods were said to be the cause of the problem. In addition the decline in unstructured, loosely supervised play was cited as adversely affecting children s mental health. The funding from NOQC could be used to encourage children to spend more time outdoors through building outdoor play areas, purchasing furniture and fittings, or by increasing the skills of play workers in outdoor play. The evaluation was unable to identify any significant or valuable findings in relation to outdoor play as it seems to be taken for granted that it should exist. Many projects, however, stated that the funding enabled them to purchase space or equipment that would have not been possible without a grant. Workforce Development The programme has supported workforce development to help increase the overall skill level of people working in the childcare sector. A total of 85 projects (half of all respondents) included an element of workforce development. Eighty-one per cent of these projects said that their project supported workforce development through enhancing the skills of the existing childcare workers and 44 per cent of projects said that it helped to fund training. The evaluation also found that projects were developing their staff through training, workshops, observations, job swaps and access to new equipment. The programme has made a significant contribution to the development of the childcare workforce in Scotland. In addition to a range of accredited training, many hundreds of workers have been trained in playwork or outdoor play; arts or creative activities; inclusion and disability awareness; and specialist training on disability issues. The survey identified at least 5,700 training outputs have been achieved. The programme has made a valuable contribution to government policy. While full childcare qualifications (SVQs) have been funded by the Scottish Government, NOQC funding has provided the workforce with additional skills, confidence, and expertise. This has added significant value to the wider training activity that was already taking place and represents a very real contribution to workforce development. Several case studies demonstrated the importance of building the confidence of childcare workers to deliver play and learning activities without the aid of a specialist. A number of projects initially used the funding to employ a specialist art worker to deliver arts based activities to children. This activity is continuing beyond the lifetime of NOQC because playworkers themselves are now able to deliver them. 8

9 Findings Case study: ArtsPlay Hebrides This project aimed to stimulate pre-school children s creative abilities from an early age by involving them in workshops with experienced local artists. The project aimed to empower children with new experiences and confidence, and to unlock their creativity. The children and artists worked together in a play situation within the arts rather than within a formal learning setting. Childcare playworkers benefited from collaborating with artists and developed new skills and techniques that they could use later in the playgroups. Participants were introduced to new approaches to arts delivery; confidence building in delivering workshops in their own environment and increased knowledge about the value of arts in the sector. Increasing access to childcare Increasing access to childcare for disadvantaged groups was one of the outcomes for this programme. Funding was available for childcare projects to provide services for families and also to support disabled children. Supporting families The evaluation found that 92 projects funded stated that they had provided support to families in the following ways: eight projects provided support to families through the provision of parenting skills or other activities such as parents groups ten projects provided childcare to allow parents to access employment or training nine projects provided respite to families with children with ASN five projects provided support to vulnerable families, including children and parents who have experienced domestic abuse eleven projects provided some other form of family support, such as visiting families at home as a result of a referral. Together these projects represent less than 40 per cent of those projects providing family support. Although there are a number of good projects that provided parenting classes or adult support, the majority of projects believed that they were providing support to families simply by providing childcare. As outlined in the Scottish Government s Early Years Framework and joint statement with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities there is a move towards increased support to families who are reluctant or not able to engage, support to parents to help them help themselves, and in particular offering help to those children and families requiring higher levels of support. The extent of links developed through the NOQC programme should help to facilitate this engagement in some areas. Case study: Parenting Classes, Lochaber This project was developed to provide childcare and family support services in the Lochaber area. It delivered parenting classes known as the The Incredible Years course, based on a model originating from the USA. It develops skills for parents to increase their child s abilities; through play and praise it encourages parents to help children reach their full potential. Many participants are from vulnerable or disadvantaged groups and are referred by partner agencies including social workers or health visitors. It is therefore vital that the right people deliver the course. While parents attend the classes their children are looked after at the project crèche. Good joint working meant that a steady flow of referrals was achieved. In addition the NOQC funding was used to purchase a video camera, which was used to film four sessions being delivered. This will be used as part of the accreditation process with the US franchiser, so that the project leader can be trained to deliver the same training to others. 9

10 Findings 10 Supporting children with additional support needs Although this was just one of six priorities of the NOQC programme, it has achieved considerable success and has been one of the most interesting elements of the evaluation. However there are complex and severe challenges that go beyond the scope of the NOQC programme and should be regarded as having national importance. In part, the supporting children with ASN priority has worked hand in hand with workforce development. Many projects have aimed to increase the capacity of mainstream providers to include children with ASN, which they have done through training and awareness raising. Likewise, many capital projects, particularly refurbishments, have involved improving facilities so that children with physical disabilities can be accommodated. Findings showed that 75 per cent of the projects aimed to improve the quality of existing provision for children with ASN, however much of this takes place in specialist, rather than mainstream settings. Fifty seven per cent of projects aimed to help children access mainstream childcare provision. A tailored approach to mainstreaming the care of children with ASN has been delivered by several organisations, including Enable Scotland and Capability Scotland. Findings showed that this approach is highly resource intensive and requires staff with a wide range of skills. It involves assessing a child s needs individually, identifying a mainstream setting that will suit them, and supporting the child into that setting. Recruitment for these posts can be difficult as many are part-time or have variable hours and are not highly paid. There are many successful examples of children with ASN participating in mainstream childcare as a result of NOQC funding. In many cases, mainstream childcare workers do not need specific training to include children with ASN (although this is important), but instead require confidence building and learning through observing or doing. Findings from the case studies confirm that projects providing support for children with ASN are additional to what would have happened anyway. Local authority budgets are under severe pressure and this kind of activity suffers as a result. The evaluation explored the barriers to including children with ASN in mainstream settings and identified good practice to overcome them. These are outlined below. It found that although the programme has done much to address these barriers they continue to persist in some areas. Lower take-up than expected this could be due to a time lag between researching the local need for the project and actually getting the project up and running. This can mean that the target audience changes, the children s or family s needs change or the family has found another provider. XXGood marketing is crucial to attracting people to the project. This includes the importance of researching the local need and other provision offered in the area, building relationships with key local people or networks, communicating information to schools, and encouraging parents to spread the word. Staff recruitment projects have found it difficult to recruit sufficient staff with the right set of skills. A typical support worker would require negotiation skills; communication skills; patience; tact; ability to identify and solve problems; flexibility; and capacity to develop new ideas. Ideally they should also have appropriate qualifications and experience. Staff who meet all these requirements, and who are willing to take up short-term contracts, work part-time and varying hours are hard to find. XXOne solution is for projects to work more closely with local colleges and training providers. Students working towards qualifications in childcare or social

11 Findings care may be a pool of untapped resource. It may be possible jointly to identify work-related placements for students that will meet the requirements of the individual student, the training organisation, and the childcare project. Resistance from mainstream providers to include children with ASN in their provision. This may be due to cost implications, or lack of confidence in dealing with children s physical or learning disabilities. XXTraining is the most obvious method of increasing mainstream providers capacity to include disabled children. However, building the confidence of staff is key. Job swaps to enable staff to observe different settings and work with projects that include children with ASN may also be useful. Transport to and from venues, and a lack of flexible transport routes or provision by local authorities continues to be a major problem for some projects. There is a need to gather evidence of good practice across Scotland to highlight this issue at a national level. Combining care and learning The aim of this priority was to combine both out of school care and learning for older children through joint planning, development and co-location. However, most projects have used funding to enhance pre-school and primary childcare provision by bringing in learning elements. Despite this move away from the original aim, the programme has delivered some useful and imaginative projects to pre-school children in daycare services. Although not all aspects of the combining care and learning aim were met, many funded projects were able to incorporate a greater amount of learning activity into their provision than they would have otherwise done. Activities relating to this aim have also enabled projects to be self-sustaining: as childcare workers skills and confidence, and the capacity of childcare providers has been raised, so support in learning can continue after NOQC funding ends. Case study: Castle Nursery music development programme This project is a voluntary sector playgroup offering sessional pre-school education to children aged three to five years old. The nursery has been the lead in a consortium of pre-school education and care providers that were awarded NOQC funding for a music development programme. The project employed a music specialist, and purchased musical instruments for all participating playrooms. Typically, each setting received a weekly visit from the specialist who worked with the children. The children took part in activities to introduce them to the pleasure of music-making, concepts such as beat and rhythm and the expressive function of music. The project manager believes that this kind of project, which combines care, play and learning, is the way to go in terms of quality childcare. In particular, music is a subject that meets various care and educational objectives: it improves motor skills, creativity, arithmetic and social skills, in addition to being enjoyable. 11

12 Capability Scotland: Play 4 All As part of the NOQC programme BIG awarded Capability Scotland a grant for a national demonstration project to provide integrated support for children with disabilities based in Inverclyde. SQW undertook an evaluation of this project in parallel with the wider NOQC evaluation. Background The project, Play 4 All, was developed in partnership between Inverclyde Council and Capability Scotland with the aim to support disabled children to access affordable mainstream out of school childcare. Where this was not possible, due to the needs of the child, families were offered a choice of specialist and inclusive settings. The project offered four strands of support for out of school care, including: a service to support families to access mainstream childcare, to help integrate the child and provide training for staff a specialist care service for children with complex, predominantly physically related support needs a specialist care service for children with language and communication disorders, who may present challenging behaviour an inclusive care service for year olds with a range of ASN and their peers. Key findings The evaluation has highlighted a number of challenges faced by the project. Attitudes of parents and providers Findings showed that parents of children with ASN, particularly those with complex medical needs, are very reluctant to give responsibility for their child s care to other people. In many cases the parents would have been the child s primary carer for the first five years of their life and would have to make a significant adjustment when the child started school. For parents it was a further challenge to consider another group of people taking care of their child after school. 12 Findings also show that one of the main barriers preventing mainstream providers from taking on children with ASN is fear, lack of confidence and misconceptions of staff. Play 4 All has been designed to overcome this challenge through the provision of training and support workers to build capacity and confidence, but changing attitudes and perceptions takes time and is an on-going challenge. Due to staff turnover training will need to be ongoing and parents will continue to need support to make the transition to allowing other people to care for their children. Travel costs Transport has proved to be a barrier to participation for a number of families. Children who attend after school childcare will have to miss the free transport home from school provided by the council. So additional transport has to be provided by the project, which can be costly. The project has been able to secure a voluntary transport service to take children home from the summer playschemes but this has not been available during term-time. Achieving sustainability It was decided at the start of the project that the costs charged to parents for the childcare service should be in-line with those charged in mainstream services. This means that the provision is heavily subsidised by the project, especially the service that provided care for children with acute needs who often require one to one care. To be able to continue the project will require further funding, as parents would not be able to afford the real costs of provision. Despite these challenges, Play 4 All has made some real achievements: XXResponding to need The project was developed following a review carried out by Capability Scotland that identified a clear need for more appropriate out of school care for children with ASN. The project then went on to locate the two specialist services in schools where specialist equipment

13 was already in place. This reduced the need for the project to fund extensive equipment and facilities. XXDeveloping the mainstream workforce One of the greatest achievements of the project has been in building local capacity of the mainstream childcare workforce. The project has provided specialist training and the opportunity to work alongside specialist workers. This has enabled mainstream staff to address their concerns, build their confidence and skills, and overcome perceived or real challenges. If Play 4 All is unable to secure continuation funding the project will have left a legacy of increased capacity of the workforce. XXA model for integrated support The project has developed a successful model for integrating children with ASN into mainstream childcare and ensuring the needs of all parties are addressed. It has supported children to settle into provision that has confident and skilled staff to support the children. In addition it has enabled the children to participate in provision and for the parents to feel confident that their children are being well cared for. The high quality of care through addressing the individual needs of the children provided by Play 4 All has been a significant achievement. The model of support has been successful and has been has been adopted by other Capability Scotland projects. XXPartnership working Findings showed that the success of the project is down to the effective partnership developed between Capability Scotland and Inverclyde Council Childcare Partnership. Capability Scotland has brought very specific skills to the project including the ability to develop a service which has met local needs and national priorities. It has also set up, and delivered the project with specialist skills. In return the Childcare Partnership has supported the project in accessing premises, facilities, and transport links. 13

14 What next? We are particularly interested in sharing learning and good practice from this evaluation and the findings will be used to inform our future funding developments. The Big Lottery Fund will continue to share lessons learnt on the impact of its funding across a range of sectors. 14

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