Families and Schools Together Preschool (FAST Preschool) is a schools-based intervention for families with a child attending preschool and nursery. Parents and children attend eight weekly sessions delivered by a trained, multi-agency team of school staff, members of the community, and parents. During these sessions, parents and children participate together in activities aimed at strengthening family relationships, promoting positive child behaviour, and improving children’s academic success.
The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
3 to 5 years old
Group
Families and Schools Together (FAST) Preschool is a group-based intervention designed for parents of preschool children who want to support their child’s development and become more engaged in their community. While it can be offered universally, it is more commonly delivered on a targeted basis to families living in disadvantaged communities.
FAST Preschool consists of eight weekly sessions, each lasting 2.5 hours. The initial FAST weekly groups are led by a trained, multi-agency team of professionals from health, education, and social care, with parents from the participating school as partners. The team must be culturally representative of the families being served in the groups.
Families recruited into the FAST intervention meet in groups of up to 10 called ‘hubs’ organised by the FAST team.
Each hub meets separately and engages in activities aimed at building stronger relationships between the parent and child, the parents as a couple (if couples attend), families and the school, and families and the community. Family learning is promoted through ‘table-based coaching’ whereby practitioners pass all instructions for children and other family members through the parent.
Each session is structured by the following six elements:
After the eight weekly sessions, the families who have participated in six sessions or more attend a graduation ceremony.
Parents are partners at every level of the FAST intervention – planning, training, and implementation and post-graduation – and are supported to set their own agenda for multi-family group meetings, called FASTWORKS. The ongoing meetings sustain the relationships which have been built during the eight weekly sessions.
With team support, parents design the FASTWORKS agenda to maintain FAST family networks and identify community development goals. All FAST models include FASTWORKS as a voluntary component.
Preschool – 3 to 5 years old
Parents of preschool children with an elevated risk of child behavioural problems.
Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
Science-based assumption
Children growing up in disadvantaged communities are at greater risk of poor school engagement and behavioural problems as they develop.
Science-based assumption
Strong relationships between the parent and child, family and school, and school and community can protect children from the risks associated with community disadvantage.
Science-based assumption
Preschools are well placed to strengthen positive relationships between children and parents, parents and schools, and schools and communities.
Intervention
Children and parents attend eight weekly after-school sessions.
At these sessions, parents and children engage in activities aimed at promoting:
Parent–child communication
Positive relationships between parents
Improved engagement between parents and the school
Improved parental engagement with the community.
Short-term
The parent–child relationship is strengthened
Parents and children experience greater self-efficacy
Parents and children feel more connected to their schools.
Medium-term
Children feel better about themselves as a learner
Children are more likely to feel positively about their schools and community
Children engage more positively with others at school
Children are better able to self-regulate their behaviour.
Long-term
Children are more likely to achieve academic success at preschool and primary school
Children are at less risk of behavioural problems when they grow older.
Parents of preschool children living in disadvantaged communities.
Families and Schools Together Preschool (FAST) is delivered in eight sessions of 2.5 hour’s duration each by teams made up of representatives from the community, previous group members, and school staff.
This intervention is delivered by teams made up of preschool staff, representatives from the community, previous FAST parents, and health professionals.
N/A
Intervention fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
Website: https://www.familiesandschools.org/
*Please note that this information may not be up to date. In this case, please visit the listed intervention website for up to date contact details.
FAST Preschool’s most rigorous evidence comes from a single study conducted in the United States consistent with Foundations’ Level 2 evidence strength criteria.
The study observed statistically significant pre–post intervention improvements in FAST Preschool parents’ reports of their children’s behaviour and parents’ reports of depression.
Families and Schools Together Preschool has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome, but we cannot be confident that the intervention caused the improvement.
| Identified in search | 2 |
| Studies reviewed | 1 |
| Meeting the L2 threshold | 1 |
| Meeting the L3 threshold | 0 |
| Contributing to the L4 threshold | 0 |
| Ineligible | 1 |
| Study design | Pre–post study |
| Country | United States |
| Sample characteristics | 49 parents with a child in preschool |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities | Not reported |
| Population risk factors | Not reported |
| Timing | Baseline, post-intervention and 6 months follow-up |
| Child outcomes | Improved behaviour (parent report) |
| Other outcomes | Reduced symptoms of depression (parent self-report) |
| Study rating | 2 |
| Citations | McDonald, L., Payton, E., Sayger, T. & Whitfield, H. (1998) Increasing protective factors for mental health in Head Start children through outreach and multi-family FAST groups. |
The following studies were identified for this intervention but did not count towards the intervention’s overall evidence rating. An intervention receives the same rating as its most robust study or studies.
McDonald, L., Doostgharin, T. & Doostgharin, S. (2014) Families and Schools Together (FAST): Evaluation of community-based FAST for 2-4-year-old children and families living in poverty in 3 CRAS in 3 favelas in Brasilia for the UNODC family skills project. United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime Brazil FAST Aggregate Report.
Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to Foundations’ terms of reference (or the Early Intervention Foundation's terms of reference), and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the intervention provider.
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.
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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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