Lambeth Early Action Partnership has reached 15,374 families, exceeding its original aims
Laura McFarlane, Director of Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP), shares the key findings from LEAP’s latest data.
A conversation I have often had with parents and carers is about the challenges of navigating the early years system. They have told me how difficult it can be to know what is available, when, and where – particularly if you are new to an area, are a first-time parent, or you have English as an additional language.
Since 2015, the Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP) has funded and supported more than twenty local services to meet the needs of families through pregnancy and the early years of childhood.
I am proud that over the lifetime of our Programme, LEAP has reached a total of 15,374 families. We have exceeded our original aim to reach more than 10,000 families, and feedback from families about LEAP services has been extremely positive.
Despite the challenging context for many families in Lambeth, our work has had a beneficial effect on outcomes for children. LEAP’s parenting services have helped parents and carers to feel more knowledgeable and confident about their parenting. Analysis shows that children whose families engaged with LEAP were 40% more likely to have reached expected levels of development at age two and a half.
Reach and engagement
Our latest data, published in our second Annual Learning Report, provides a deep understanding of the patterns of reach and engagement between families and LEAP services. It shows that LEAP has reached a total of 15,374 families, including 14,028 children and 15,254 adults.
Participation in early years services is particularly beneficial for children facing disadvantages, for example, children from low-income families, children in care, children with disabilities and those with special educational needs. However, uptake among these families is lower than average. If services do not effectively engage with families, there is a risk that the development and educational gap between children from poorer backgrounds and their peers may widen. Outreach and engagement with local families is therefore a core aspect of our work.
Thousands of families have participated in the wide range of services and activities we have offered which help improve outcomes for very young children, and which support parents and carers. Overall, LEAP has engaged an estimated two thirds of the children under 5-years-old living in the areas of Lambeth where LEAP works. LEAP has also supported workforce development. We have delivered 208 training sessions, seminars and webinars to 1,807 early years practitioners working in Lambeth or neighbouring boroughs.
Engaging our priority population
We are aware of the external context and challenges that many families face in Lambeth. The area where LEAP works is home for around 64,800 people, around 2,300 of whom are aged under 4-years-old. It is a diverse and culturally rich inner-London community. Seventy percent of residents do not identify as ‘White British’ and 19% of residents speak English as an additional language (40% of 5-year-olds.) Economic disadvantage impacts the lives of many, with 43% percent of LEAP neighbourhoods classified as the ‘most deprived,’ and 68% of children living in ‘very deprived’ neighbourhoods.
LEAP’s ‘priority population’ refers to families who live in the LEAP area who are from Black, Asian and Multiple Ethnic Groups and/or live in more deprived areas in Lambeth. Analysis of linked Health Visiting and LEAP engagement records found that 78.9% of children whose family participated in a LEAP service had characteristics consistent with LEAP’s priority population criteria.
By defining and monitoring our engagement of a priority population across the programme we have assessed whether services and activities have been accessible, welcoming, and appropriate for the local community.
Family feedback
Feedback from families about LEAP services was very positive. Of the 1,383 responses to LEAP’s Family Feedback Form, parents and carers strongly agreed that LEAP services were welcoming (92.7%), and that LEAP staff were knowledgeable (88%), helpful (90.3%) and trustworthy (85.6%). In most cases, respondents said that they would highly recommend LEAP services and activities to their family or friends.
Families report improved knowledge and confidence after attending LEAP services, and analysis of medium-term outcome data shows that:
- LEAP’s parenting services helped parents and carers to feel more knowledgeable and confident about their parenting.
- LEAP’s communication and language development services increased parents’ and carers’ knowledge and confidence around supporting their child’s early communication, language, and literacy development. Findings suggest that these services have been particularly beneficial to families with English as an additional language.
- LEAP’s Community Activity and Nutrition service helped parents and carers to feel more knowledgeable and confident about leading a healthy lifestyle.
Finally, our LEAP programme is drawing to a planned close in September 2024. We have worked to secure sustained support for families beyond the end of the LEAP programme. Most of LEAP’s services will continue to be provided by Lambeth Council and other partners, offering continuity for families.
LEAP’s Learning Reports can found here: https://story-of-leap.leaplambeth.org.uk/
About LEAP
Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP) is one of five local partnerships which make up A Better Start (ABS), a national ten-year (2015-2025) test and learn programme funded by The National Lottery Community Fund that aims to improve the life chances of babies, very young children, and families. LEAP is supported by the National Children’s Bureau charity (NCB) and works with a wide range of families, practitioners, and organisations across Lambeth.
About A Better Start
A Better Start is a ten-year (2015-2025), £215 million programme set-up by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.
Five A Better Start partnerships based in Blackpool, Bradford, Lambeth, Nottingham and Southend are supporting families to give their babies and very young children the best possible start in life. Working with local parents, the A Better Start partnerships are developing and testing ways to improve their children’s diet and nutrition, social and emotional development, and speech, language and communication.
The work of the programme is grounded in scientific evidence and research. A Better Start is place-based and enabling systems change. It aims to improve the way that organisations work together and with families to shift attitudes and spending towards preventing problems that can start in early life. It is one of five major programmes set up by The National Lottery Community Fund to test and learn from new approaches to designing services which aim to make people’s lives healthier and happier
The National Children’s Bureau is coordinating an ambitious programme of shared learning for A Better Start, disseminating the partnerships’ experiences in creating innovative services far and wide, so that others working in early childhood development or place-based systems change can benefit.
Sign-up to join our mailing list
Visit the A Better Start website to find out more.