Research
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The Pre-school Learning Alliance is involved in a range of research activities to support the work of early years settings and early years practitioners.
The research undertaken is of value to the work of the Charity because it allows us to examine aspects of good practice within early years settings and to evaluate the impact of policy, as well as contribute to the development of new practice and policy recommendations. The research projects have an emphasis on inclusion in the early years, central to the philosophy of the Alliance. Our research findings form the factual base from which the Alliance shapes its policies, campaigns, services and products and lobbies government on behalf of the early years sector.
Working with External Research Organisations
The Pre-school Learning Alliance has a strong track-record of working with independent research organisations/institutions to contribute further to awareness about the benefits of pre-school education and care when this is combined with the active participation of parents.
As well as contributing to reports from Demos, the Social Market Foundation and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the charity has worked with Dr Veronica McGivney from NIACE who was commissioned to follow-up her research report of 1999, The Contribution of Pre-schools to the Community. Her latest report, The Impact of Pre-schools in the Community A Follow-up Study, was published in 2004 and is available to buy from the Alliances publication catalogue and webpage.
Pre-school Learning Alliances Statistical Data and Findings
Each year, the charity conducts a survey of its member groups to provide a picture of the sector, this includes statistical information on fees, funding, staff, children and other key issues affecting the sustainability of early years settings.
The findings are published in a series of articles in our membership magazine Under 5 and are also available to download below.
Research Projects
Hard to reach? Engaging Fathers in Early Years Settings
As a result of recent research that shows that fathers play an important role in their children’s developmental
outcomes, the Government has supported initiatives to encourage family services – including early years settings
– to engage with fathers (as well as mothers and other female carers). This piece of research, carried out by
the Alliance in partnership with the Early Childhood Studies team at the University of Derby, focused on the
everyday experiences of fathers and practitioners (mostly female) in early years settings. About forty
practitioners and fathers talked about their thoughts and feelings around fathers coming to early years settings.
Please click on the link below to access the full report and a briefing with the summary of the research.
Hard to reach?
Where’s Dad? Exploring the views of children, fathers and mothers on involving fathers in early years settings.
As a result of the growing body of evidence showing that children’s outcomes are improved when their fathers
are involved with them, the Government is supporting initiatives to engage with fathers in family and education
services – including early years settings. But what do family members think of engaging fathers in these services?
This piece of research, funded by the Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) begins to ask fathers,
mothers and young children what they think about engaging fathers in family services. This enquiry suggests
some answers but also opens up the whole question of consulting with children.
Download the briefing and summary: Where's Dad?
Download the full report: Where's Dad?
Roles & Responsibilities of SENCOs in Early Years Settings
This project examined the roles and responsibilities of SENCOs
in early years settings. The research examined how early years settings were incorporating
legislative changes and aimed to identify any issues relating to the role that
may prevent the effective inclusion of children with special educational needs
and impairments.
Download the full
report: Roles & Responsibilities of SENCOs in Early Years Settings
Fathers Involvement in Early Years Settings
Currently men are playing an increasing role in the care of their children in
the private sphere, however, this increase of involvement is not reflected in a
growth in the numbers of men in the childcare workforce. In order to examine the
extent to which fathers were involved in early years settings the project explored
fathers involvement in pre-school settings, how settings currently involved fathers,
any future projects they would like to do, and the ways in which they require support
in involving fathers. Focus groups were held to elicit information on how settings
were perceived by fathers, the activities that are run for fathers and how these
activities are advertised, the flexibility of settings and what fathers would like
from settings.
Download the executive
summary: Fathers Involvement in Early Years Settings
Download the full
report: Fathers Involvement in Early Years Settings
Including BME Groups into the Childcare Workforce
This project examined the ways in which childcare as a career option could be
promoted for parents from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups that are interested
in returning to/gaining work and are considering childcare as a potential career
option. It explored the specific support structures that are needed to include
these groups into childcare careers. This appears all the more relevant given that
a significant percentage of children (10%) are from black and ethnic minority communities
and that these groups constitute a significant number (56%) of those that live
in the 44 most disadvantaged local authorities.
Download
the executive summary: Including BME Groups into the Childcare
Workforce
Download the
full report: Including BME Groups into the Childcare Workforce
Meeting the Workforce Challenge
Recent predictions suggest that the shortfall of childcare workers furthers the
need to recruit, train and retain a considerably larger qualified, integrated workforce,
one of the biggest challenges emerging from the Green Paper. The current Family
Learning project aims to give a greater indication of the national picture with
regard to both inclusion issues and to the accessibility of childcare training
and careers for BME groups. This research was launched in May
2005.
Download
the executive summary: Meeting the Workforce Challenge
Involving Fathers in Early Years Settings: Evaluating Four Models for Effective Practice Development
Following on from earlier preliminary research exploring fathers involvement in
pre-school settings, the current study set out to evaluate four models of father
involvement which had been developed to address the barriers to father involvement
in early years settings. Twenty-nine early years settings participated in the study
including sessional daycare settings, Parent and Toddler groups and Neighbourhood
Nurseries in rural, urban and inner-city locations. Early years practitioners and
parents completed questionnaires and audits which were designed to elicit information
about the effectiveness of the models and to examine factors useful in encouraging
fathers involvement in early years settings.
Download
the executive summary: Involving Fathers in Early Years Settings: Evaluating
Four Models for Effective Practice Development
Download
the full report: Involving Fathers in Early Years Settings: Evaluating Four
Models for Effective Practice Development
Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities Recognising Fathers Project
The Pre-school Learning Alliance has been a participant on the advisory committee for the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities Recognising Fathers Project. The first piece of research into recognising the role that fathers play in bringing up their children with learning difficulties was based on in-depth interviews with a small group of fathers of children with learning difficulties. The aim of this research was to understand the particular issues faced by such fathers. The Foundation is currently in the second stage of the research, using a postal survey that is being sent out widely to fathers of children with learning difficulties. This survey will inform the Foundation about the experiences of a greater number of fathers and explore some of the issues in more depth.
For more information please visit www.fpld.org.uk/our-work/family-support/recognising-fathers.