Support programmes for parents

Central to young children’s learning is high-quality adult interactions and a challenging and stimulating learning environment, both at home and in early years settings.

The initial survey of need for ELI, conducted by the Dartington Social Research Unit, found that while local parents had high educational aspirations for their children, they were not confident that they had the skills to help their children achieve in school. Therefore, the main focus of ELI’s programmes has been on helping parents to develop their children' social, language and thinking skills from an early age and thereby, ensure that their children enter school ready to learn, with the skills they need to be successful throughout their education.

All the evaluations of ELI’s work show that:

  • All of the ELI’s strategies for increasing parental involvement are well received by parents
  • Parents are more engaged in their children’s development and are developing the understanding, skills and knowledge required to support their children’s educational journeys
  • Learning is being perceived by children, young people and their extended families as enjoyable and something to be shared
'It helped me to understand simple things I can do at home with my child to help improve his numeracy skills. It helped me realise the things I was not doing and wasn’t aware I should be doing with my child to work on those skills'
Parent from PCHP Programme

Objectives

  • To increase parental involvement in their children’s development and education
  • To increase parental skills, knowledge and engagement in all areas of their children's development, and learning, particularly in oral language, literacy and numeracy
  • To ensure continuity and progression in learning for children moving from home to early years settings to the local schools
  • To develop parents' educational capital such that they can successfully monitor and support their children's progression through the education system and on to employment, thereby helping their children to achieve their educational, career and life goals

Support for Parents