Involving Parents in Sure Start Local Evaluations Patrick Myers National Coordinator Support to Local Programme Evaluations National Evaluation of Sure Start
Introduction Sure Start National Evaluation of Sure Start Parental Involvement National Evaluation of Sure Start Research Plan Parental Involvement in Evaluation Some Stories
The Sure Start Project Children 0-4 in areas of greatest challenge and need 524 Programmes 700 Children Integrated Service Delivery Ethos Collaboration Participation Parents and Carers at the heart
The Sure Start Project Improving health Improving children's learning Improving social and emotional development Strengthening families and communities
The National Evaluation of Sure Start impact local context implementation cost-effectiveness support for local evaluations
In Pursuit of Evidence….. The Evidence Base Sure Start Objectives The National Evaluation Local Evaluation
Building the Evidence
Outcomes INPUTS Resources ACTIVITIES What is done with resources Resources ACTIVITIES What is done with resources OUTPUTS The Direct Product OUTCOMES Benefits or changes
Local Evaluation What are the results of what we have done? Impact What are we doing? Process Monitoring Productivity
Evaluation is not just about proving something, it is about improving.
Motivation Utility Influence Beneficiaries
Research Plan Questionnaire Study Interview Study Parents Evaluators Commissioners and Funders Secondary Data Analysis Annual and Findings Reports
Parental Involvement Ensures pertinent issues are evaluated Assists in conducting culturally sensitive evaluation Acquire skills Access Hard to reach The right thing to do?
Parental Involvement A continuum Terms of level of involvement Terms of motivation for inclusion
Some Stories
Methods Postal survey of households Survey 1 – spring 2001 Survey 2 – autumn 2003 Survey sent to wider community and sure start households Wider community as control group Analysis of other locally available data Monitoring data from SSB Health and social needs database
Results 2001 response rate – 53% (2400)
What Next? Early days Gains and losses Political timescales Programme timescales
I myself have been privileged and proud to have been a part of this very important report and hope that all who read it will enjoy the read and get something positive out of it