NatCen to Lead Childhood Development Scheme Evaluation

In the UK, the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and a consortium of partners have been awarded a £215m contract to evaluate a programme focused on promoting good early childhood development called 'A Better Start', financed by The National Lottery Community Fund.

A Better Start is a ten-year (2015-2025) programme that aims to improve the life chances of babies and very young children by changing the way services are commissioned and delivered, involving parents as equal partners. Led by NatCen, the consortium of partners from University of Sussex, Research in Practice (RiP), the National Children's Bureau (NCB) and RSM will investigate if and how the programme has contributed to improving children's life chances, with a focus on diet and nutrition, social and emotional skills, and language and communication skills.

The evaluation will include recruiting parents and practitioners for panels, through which to provide advice and guidance to the evaluation team. Researchers will also explore the experiences of families and parents from diverse backgrounds who participated in the programme, and assess whether there is evidence that A Better Start has reduced costs to the public purse relating to primary school-aged children. Findings will be shared in the 'A Better Start - Shared Learning' newsletter, produced by NCB on behalf of The National Lottery Community Fund.

Sophy Proctor, Senior Head of Funding (Strategic Programmes) at The National Lottery Community Fund, comments: 'This evaluation, undertaken by NatCen and partners, will allow us to share with our stakeholders evidence demonstrating the contribution A Better Start has made to improving early childhood development. The evaluation will include families' experiences and insights, so that, together, we can improve early childhood services for the better'.

Web site: www.natcen.ac.uk .