Statewide Evaluation of Best Start Final Report Early Childhood Consortium Victoria Centre for Health Policy, Programs & Economics University of Melbourne

Overview of presentation Principal evaluation questions Reminder of main outcome indicators and other important measures Our main methodological instruments (briefly) Principal findings (partnerships, service cooperation, outcome indicators) (briefly) Conclusions, significance, implications (most importantly)

The principal evaluation questions for Best Start were 1: Have the enhancements to universal early years services and their liaison with education providers introduced through Best Start resulted in improvements in the outcome domains of Health and wellbeing, Education and schooling, and Housing/Child Protection? What local strategies were deployed to implement Best Start by each of the partnerships in order to improve outcomes in relation to the outcome domains as measured by Best Start outcome indicators? How successful were they? What local strategies were deployed to engage vulnerable children and families who are not currently using universal services? How successful were they?

The principal evaluation questions for Best Start were 2: Specifically, how successful was the Breaking Cycles Building Futures project in developing and implementing strategies to improve service access by children and families not currently using, or prematurely disengaging from universal services? Which were the most effective strategies? With regard to the effective strategies identified above, where and in what way can these strategies be more widely applied to other services and in other communities? What other improvements have been achieved as a result of Best Start? What are the characteristics of the partnerships that are associated with achieving better outcomes? Does the type of funding (category A, B, or C) have a bearing on the level of outcomes achieved?

Best Start Outcome Indicators Health and well-being Education and schooling Housing /Child protection Breastfeeding Women smoking during pregnancy Immunisation Attendance MCH 3.5 years visit Attendance ED child asthma & infant gastro Children ’ s diet & physical activity Community safety Parents reading to their children Enrolment kindergarten Absences from primary school Reading abilities Mobility/changes of housing for Office of Housing clients Re-notifications to child protection

Other outcomes and indicators Better access to child and family support, health services and early education an improvement in parents’ capacity, confidence and enjoyment of family life Communities that are more child and family friendly. Service planning and co-operation, (mobilisation of community resources) at both the levels of partnership and local project Community infrastructure such as playgrounds, libraries etc,

11 Best Start (disadvantaged) Sites +2 Indigenous

Eight main data collection instruments 1  Statewide Best Start Indicator datasets (plus MCH municipal datasets) (ongoing) Facilitator-derived profile of Site inc. of project implementation (6-monthly) Site visits and interviews with Best Start facilitators (3 monthly) VicHealth Partnership Analysis Tool (Early & Late) Service co-operation & co-ordination survey Tool (Early & Late)

Eight main data collection instruments 2 Omnibus survey of parents of three year old children (Early & Late) Vulnerable families strategy (including as part of the evaluation of Breaking Cycles Building Futures) (eg playgroup visits & informal interviews) Most Significant Change in Indigenous Sites

Characteristics of Partnerships Leadership & management Broad, active participation Broad based influence & control

Barriers Workload commitments Dedicated support & resources Parent engagement Historical & philosophical attitudes

Maintaining & Strengthening Partnerships Shared vision Developing a culture of collaboration Allowing time for development Getting the balance right Facilitating the process Widening the scope Recognising outcomes Adequate funding & resourcing

Partnership Survey

Systems & Services Joint Planning Cross Service Promotion Joint Projects Joint Professional Development Sharing Information & Cross Referral Sharing resources Child & family information sessions

Implementing service co-operation activities – the latest survey Comparing before Best Start with last 6 months of =Never, 4=All the time. Average of all responses.

How much was Best Start responsible for changes in the service co-operation activities?

Barriers Funding Resources Time

Better Transition Strategies (BTS) Informed staff about BTS, the benefits & how BTS are consistent with their own goals and values Helped staff understand why BTS should be implemented & the limitations of current practice Had professional leaders who were actively involved in BTS & demonstrated their success Recognised staff achievements & addressed barriers to implementation Provided staff training & on-going professional support for BTS Allocated staff time for BTS activities, included BTS in staff role descriptions & made BTS a part of programming advice/work plans

Projects and outcome indicators - strategies used in projects Promoting service co-operation (staff-related) eg joint professional development activity, (parent-related) development of service directories, locality-based network groups; Health promotion/social marketing eg community festivals project-based ‘expos’ New program infrastructure (for mainstream) playgroups and parents groups (for at risk) eg family resource centres in primary schools offering professional consultations; outreach services (eg lactation consultants),

Number of projects by indicator (Red hi; Blue lo) Health and wellbeing (65) Breastfeeding (30) Smoking (0) Immunisation (2) MCH (20) Attendance ED child asthma, infant gastro (1) Diet and Physical Activity (7) Community safety (5) Education & schooling (37) Parents reading (14) Preschool (7) Reading abilities (9) Absenteeism (7) Housing/Child Protection Changes of Housing (1) Re-notifications child protection (0) Subsidiary aims (57) Better access to services (19) Parents’ confidence (19) Communities child friendly (6) Service co-operation (13)

Early effects on outcome indicators Health and Wellbeing (7 areas) 3.5 year Ages and Stages MCH visit indicator set & omnibus survey Breastfeeding indicator set Physical activity omnibus survey (some evidence)

Early effects on outcome indicators Education and schooling (4 areas) None directly; however For parents reading to children - 2 of 6 literacy related materials (uses PC; enjoys playing adverts/junkmail) Omnibus survey

Early effects on outcome indicators Housing and Child Protection projects Little activity Parental confidence and Communities child friendly projects Community child-friendly Omnibus survey

Conclusions, significance implications Best Start has been a considerable success. Enthusiastic take-up of partnership arrangements across the early childhood sector. Contrasted with earlier experience of (most) agencies’ working in isolation or competition.

Conclusions, significance implications Working as a partnership led to: Action plans & new projects to meet service gaps with early positive effects as identified above; and enhanced service co-operation between agencies across the early childhood sector (beyond their involvement in Best Start alone)

Improved understanding in accessing vulnerable groups Not easy - “hard to reach groups are hard-to-reach” Staff should be approachable, trustworthy and above all non-judgemental. Project selection is important - should be geographically accessible & build on services already well regarded (eg the Patricia Smith Children’s Centre - Breaking Cycles project within the Parkside estate in North Shepparton)

Evaluation confirms the value of continuing Best Start in existing Sites & extending it to other disadvantaged communities. Best Start makes an important contribution to the state government’s children and equity agendas and local government Early Years Plans. points the way to better strategies of service co- operation, community involvement, improving parenting skills etc

Characteristics of successful Best Start Sites Role of the facilitator is central Role of the auspicing body is also very important Role of the partnership is important – experience shows most ‘settle-down’ & function harmoniously and productively.

Not only community partnership important but also Government-community partnerships Important for best funding, best evidence, best analysis of local needs; provided that medium-term stability in strategic direction maintained Avoid short-term chop and change Give agencies time to adapt to new partnership practices (replace existing own-agency practices not add to them)