This project or publication was produced before or during the merger of What Works for Children’s Social Care (WWCSC) and the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF).
This independent evaluation of the Early Intervention Foundation’s (EIF) Early Years Transformation Academy (EYTA) outlines the programme’s context, structure and aims, and offers important findings and questions in relation to its achievements and impacts in terms of supporting evidence-use in systems planning and development.
EIF’s Early Years Transformation Academy (EYTA) was an intensive 12-month programme which ran between April 2019 and March 2020. The EYTA engaged with five local areas to support the development of integrated maternity and early years systems in which the latest evidence on early intervention and early childhood development was applied.
This formative evaluation was intended to capture early learning about the development of the EYTA, recruitment and retention of local areas, delivery of and participation in the programme, and the overall value of the EYTA.
This evaluation was conducted by the Centre for Evidence and Implementation for EIF as part of our test-and-learn approach to understanding what works to get evidence from research into the right hands and actively used in local decisions and actions. Learnings from the EYTA and other aspects of our programme of work on knowledge mobilisation have informed our briefing on key insights around supporting evidence-use for the What Works Network.
The evaluation involved qualitative interviews with the design partners (Better Start Bradford, Born in Bradford and the Staff College), and with local team members and senior sponsors in each of the five participating areas, and also used programme data on attendance at and satisfaction with the design workshops. In total nine representatives of the design partners and 28 local area participants were interviewed.
The report concludes that: ‘Overall it is clear the EYTA has been a very rich learning opportunity, and the evaluation points to clear strengths in the overall approach, content and delivery of the EYTA.’
On value for the participating areas, the report says: ‘There was clear value for participants in having taken part. The clearest impacts were the development of stronger relationships and partnerships, and systems thinking – particularly the understanding of shared goals and interdependencies. There was also some evidence of renewed recognition of the importance of evidence. There was some evidence of leadership capacity development and a new shared purpose among team members. If implementation plans are implemented as set out, they will lead to significant changes in provision and pathways, and in commissioning. These points indicate that most of the short-term goals set out in the theory of change were achieved, although medium- and longer-term goals (as expected at this stage) were not yet seen.’
Rated 1: Set up and delivery is low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.
Rated 2: Set up and delivery is medium-low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £100–£499.
Rated 3: Set up and delivery is medium cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £500–£999.
Rated 4: Set up and delivery is medium-high cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £1,000–£2,000.
Rating 5: Set up and delivery is high cost. Equivalent to an estimated unit cost of more than £2,000.
Set up and delivery cost is not applicable, not available, or has not been calculated.
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Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing child maltreatment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Enhancing school achievement & employment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing substance abuse: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing risky sexual behaviour & teen pregnancy: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing obesity and promoting healthy physical development: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Rated 2: Has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome from a quantitative impact study, but there is not yet evidence of causal impact.
Rated 2+: Meets the level 2 rating and the best available evidence is based on a study which is more rigorous than a level 2 standard but does not meet the level 3 standard.
Rated 3: Has evidence of a short-term positive impact from at least one rigorous study.
Rated 3+: Meets the level 3 rating and has evidence from other studies with a comparison group at level 2 or higher.
Rated 4: Has evidence of a long-term positive impact through at least two rigorous studies.
Rated 4+: Meets the level 4 rating and has at least a third study contributing to the Level 4 rating, with at least one of the studies conducted independently of the intervention provider.
Rating has a *: The evidence base includes mixed findings i.e., studies suggesting positive impact alongside studies, which on balance, indicate no effect or negative impact.
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