We aim to explore the factors that either drive or hinder the successful expansion of parenting interventions in the United Kingdom, with a specific focus on interventions tailored to socioeconomically disadvantaged parents and aimed at fostering early childhood development from pregnancy to age five.
This initiative plays a pivotal role in our mission for equitable beginnings. It will guide the formulation of initiatives designed to bolster and amplify evidence-based parenting programs, ultimately contributing to our objective of bridging the gap in developmental outcomes between children from different socioeconomic backgrounds by the age of five. The insights gleaned from this research will be disseminated to bolster the efforts of stakeholders in this domain.
Collaborating with the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT), Nesta is engaged in a comprehensive review of existing literature and consultations with key stakeholders. This includes developers, implementers, and scalers of parenting interventions, as well as experts in the realms of research and policy associated with the scaling of such interventions.
By unraveling the enablers and barriers to the successful scaling of parenting interventions in the UK, we aim to conduct more targeted research into expanding effective parenting programs. This approach will help us steer clear of past pitfalls and discern the necessary steps—both for us and other entities aiming to scale such interventions—to achieve successful expansion of current or novel programs.
Central to our fairer start mission is the aspiration to diminish the developmental divide between disadvantaged children and the national average. Our focus is keenly set on supporting parents and caregivers of children under five. The early years of a child’s life constitute a critical phase that lays the groundwork for their future cognitive, social, emotional, and physical well-being. Interventions that bolster families during this formative period have the potential to significantly enhance children’s lives and pave the way for improved educational, occupational, and health outcomes in the long run.
This project will equip Nesta with insights drawn from successfully expanded parenting interventions, guiding the evolution of our strategy for scaling such programs while also enlightening the efforts of fellow stakeholders operating in this sphere.
In collaboration with the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT), Nesta is delving into the existing body of research on the scaling of parenting interventions and engaging in discussions with key stakeholders. These stakeholders include individuals and teams involved in the development, implementation, and scaling of parenting interventions, as well as experts entrenched in pertinent research and policy domains. Our methodology involves scouring databases for articles using specific keywords to pinpoint scaled interventions.
The research scope encompasses various types of parenting interventions, spanning home visits, group-based sessions, and digital programs. Of particular interest are interventions tailored for disadvantaged parents and those that bolster early childhood development from pregnancy to age five.
The outcomes of this research will be distilled into key insights regarding the requisite actions and infrastructure for effectively scaling parenting interventions, with the findings slated for publication on our website.
This project is further supported by the contributions of Andras Beszterczey, Cameron Knott, Rachel Lim, and Anna Bird—all hailing from BIT.