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Early Learning Partnerships

Early Learning Partnerships was a programme of grant funding from the DfES (now DCSF) operating from 2006 to 2008. Its aim was to test approaches to identifying and engaging parents of children aged 1-3 who are at risk of learning delay. The approaches identified support parents’ involvement in their children’s early learning. The focus was on parents who may not otherwise understand the value of their role in their child’s early learning, or would not know how to get involved.

There were three strands to this funding, all of which involve the PEAL project:
Strand 1 - delivery of demonstration projects
Strand 2 - evaluation
Strand 3 - workforce development: upskilling the workforce to build effective partnerships with parents to support their involvement in their child’s early learning

NCB was the lead partner in Strand 3. Strand 3 was designed to build sustainability into the Early Learning Partnerships programme. It did this by providing specialist training to equip the early years workforce with skills to engage effectively with parents, and support their involvement in their child’s early learning. The central element of Strand 3 was a large-scale rollout of PEAL. In addition the programme supported the following:

  • 15 sub-contracted organisations delivering additional training on parental support for young children’s learning
  • Potential accreditation for this training, against the new national qualifications and credit frameworks

 Further information