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The Hexagon: An Exploration Tool
The Hexagon can be used as a planning tool to guide selection and evaluate potential programs and practice for use.
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Core Components
The Peep LTP is a universal programme, for children from birth up until 5 years of age, that can also be targeted to families living in areas of greater socio-economic deprivation, and/or for families facing additional challenges. It aims to help parents and carers to:
Value and extend learning opportunities in everyday life
Improve the quality of the Home Learning Environment
Develop secure attachment relationships with their babies and children
Gain nationally-recognised qualification units based on supporting their child’s learning and development
The programme has a detailed curriculum which is comprised of five distinct strands:
Personal, social and emotional development
Communication and language
Early literacy
Early maths
Health and physical development
The programme aims to improve the development of the child across these strands, including the improvement of children’s mental health and well-being, and parent-child relationship. The personal, social and emotional development, as well as the communication and language strands are most explicitly focused on mental health and well-being.
The programme incorporates a strengths-based approach and is shared with families through conversations and joint activities, focusing on different aspects of children’s learning and development. It focuses on ‘doing with’ rather than ‘doing to’ parents. Although there is flexibility in the delivery of the programme, in relation to the specific topics that are shared with families, and the manner in which topics are explored in the sessions, a Peep LTP session must include:
Talk time (discussion with parents)
Songs and rhymes
Sharing books/stories
Things to try at home
Incorporate the ORIM model (opportunities, recognise, interact, model) upon which Peep is based
The Programme provides parents with information and practical ideas about the simple, no cost activities which they can do with their children to enrich the home learning environment and to encourage positive, playful, nurturing interactions.
The Programme also provides parents with the opportunity to gain qualifications via the Peep Progression Pathway (a suite of credit-rated units at SCQF Levels 3, 4 and 5).This aims to help parents to build a positive learner identity and recognise and extend their knowledge and skills in supporting their child’s learning, development, health and wellbeing.
Practitioner materials include:
Strand Map of 5 strands, sub-strands and specific topics
Topic Aims map – which states the overarching psychological aims for each topic
Strand key ideas – clearly articulates the rationale for the strand and which underpin every topic
74 Topic Key ideas – Provides more detailed information and ideas to support delivery of session.
The strand and topic key ideas are shared with parents to support them to understand more about how their child is developing and how they can help through everyday activities at home.
Session Plan – Concise summary of session covering content and mode of delivery. These are clearly written which articulate the rationale, mechanism and content of programme.
Parents materials include:
Topic Handouts – Brief summary of the topic, explaining the importance of the topic and suggested activities
Activity Sheets – for use in session or at home. These are also available from Peep social media
Tips Sheets – simple messages for parents, written in accessible language, available for different levels of literacy
Modifiable Components
The programme is designed to be used flexibly by practitioners who have undergone the accredited training in order to meet the needs of local families. It can be used to focus on any, or all of the five developmental strands, and with all developmental stages (babies, toddlers and preschool). The personal, social and emotional development, and the communication and language strands are the elements of the programme that most explicitly support the improvement of mental health and well-being outcomes. Choice and number of topics is decided by the Peep practitioner. Topics can be delivered on a 1:1 basis at home, or via drop-in group sessions, more formal group sessions, and stay and play sessions. The duration can vary from one-off sessions, to year-round weekly sessions.
There are several case studies of Peep LTP being tailored to different groups, such as fathers in prison, and working with families in areas of high deprivation. Peeple (the programme developers) provide training on working with South Asian families, particularly the importance of using and valuing the role of home language in the home learning environment. Facilitator materials include prompts to consider cultural/language needs of participants. Multiple versions of high-quality materials are available to match the language/literacy skills of participants.
Fidelity
Peep LTP provides suggested lesson plans that practitioners can follow, as well as handouts that can be given to parents to accompany the sessions. Guidance around modifications and adaptations to the programme are highlighted during practitioner training but no fidelity monitoring tools have been developed for the programme. However, City and Guilds accreditation involves a reflective portfolio, session plans and observation.
Support for Organisation / Practice
Implementation Support
Peeple are the programme developers for the Peep LTP and provide assistance with the implementation of the programme, predominantly via training. This organisation is based in the UK and are able to provide training across the UK. During the commissioning of training Peeple will undertake discussions with service commissioners around implementation of the programme, including the aims of particular site, and how this aligns with the Peep LTP. The practicalities of implementation are discussed in training with practitioners. The fit between Peep LTP and other initiatives is discussed during the training, and local managers are strongly encouraged by Peeple to attend this part of the training.
If a site enters into a Training and Support Agreement with Peeple, they then have local staff become trainers in Peep LTP, who become part of the training pool. These local trainers often take on a role as the local Peep Coordinator. Sites that have a training and support agreement in place with Peeple are required to submit an annual report to Peeple.
Peeple also provides training for practitioners in the Peep Progression Pathway (PPP), an additional element of the programme where parents attending the group can work towards submitting a portfolio that is assessed and leads to a qualification. This is an optional element to Peep LTP, and is not required of all sites delivering Peep, nor all families attending the programme. Peeple provides the External Quality Assurance for the Pathway; individual sites become delivery centres who carry out assessment and Internal Quality Assurance.
Ongoing support for practitioners is available through the practitioner’s online account, where they can share ideas and questions with other practitioners. Peeple can help link practitioners with other networks of practitioners delivering Peep. There are three implementation support staff members based in Scotland to support the implementation of Peep in Scotland.
Licence
There are no licence requirements to deliver the Peep LTP. Delivery areas that have entered into a Training and Support Agreement with Peeple are required to complete an annual report that is sent to Peeple.
Start-Up Costs
Two days of training in the Peep LTP costs £395 plus VAT per practitioner, including City and Guilds accreditation and online access to the full programme, with downloadable child development topics, session plans, handouts etc.
Building Staff Competency
Qualifications Required
Peeple recommend that practitioners are trained to the equivalent of SCQF6.
Practitioners trained in Peep LTP have the opportunity to complete a City and Guilds qualification (although this is not a requirement of delivery). In order to undertake this, practitioners are required to complete a portfolio, which is assessed by Peeple.
Training Requirements
Training is provided directly by Peeple, or by trainers hosted in local sites (where they have a training and support agreement with Peeple, and trainers have been trained and quality assured by Peeple). Practitioners are required to attend a two-day training. This training is accredited by City and Guilds. Completion of training also gives access to the online programme resources, at no further cost (including session plans for all topics).
Further top-up/ refresher days can be commissioned from Peeple, at a cost, or organised locally, if the local network has Peep accredited trainers within its workforce. This is not a required part of the implementation of Peep.
A further 1-day training is available to be trained in the Peep progression pathway, to become an assessor for the parent qualification, and detailed guidance on becoming a delivery centre for this is provided by Peeple. A further 1-day training, which focuses on working with South Asian families, is also available.
Supervision requirements
Peep does not have a model of coaching or supervision as part of the delivery model. There is an expectation that local managers would take on the role of observing sessions delivered by practitioners and providing supervision.
Theory of Change
Peep LTP is based on the understanding that the quality of the home learning environment, and the quality of the attachment relationship between parents and children have an impact on children’s development, across all domains of development.
Two strands of the programme link particularly with mental health outcomes for children; the Personal, Social and Emotional development strand and the Communication and Language strand. Within these strands, individual topics have aims of increasing parental understanding the importance of secure attachment between parents and their children, promoting the development of children’s self-regulation, self-esteem, confidence and emotional literacy.
Infants and Toddlers: 0-36 months - Rating: 4
Research Design & Number of Studies
Two studies have been identified as having the highest evidence available on the Peep LTP in relation to mental health outcomes. Both studies were a quasi-experimental design (QED).
The strongest evidence in relation to children aged 0-36 months comes from the Evangelou, Brooks, Smith & Jennings, (2005) study, which included children who took part in the programme from birth and followed them until they started school.
Outcomes Achieved
Parental participation in the Peep programme was associated with:
Child Outcomes
Improved self-esteem across a number of self-esteem dimensions, including an overall measure of self-esteem, when children were 5 years of age
Parent Outcomes
Improvements in parent’s self-reported view of their parent-child interaction when their child was aged one-year.
Key. References:
Evangelou, M., Brooks, G, Smith, S., & Jennings, D. (2005). The Birth to School Study: A longitudinal evaluation of the Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP) 1998-2005. London: DfES Publications
Evangelou, M. & Sylva, K. (2003). The Effects of the Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP) on Children’s Developmental Progress. Research Report 489. London: DfES Publications.
Preschool: 3 to 5 years - Rating: 4
Research Design & Number of Studies
One Quasi-Experimental Design (QED) study which was conducted by the programme developers with parents with children aged 3-5 years was identified. In addition, the evidence presented above included parents of children aged 3 years old, and remains relevant.
Outcomes Achieved
In addition to the outcomes already stated, parental participation in a Peep LTP group, in comparison with waiting list control was associated with significant increases in:
Child outcomes
• One dimension of self-esteem (maternal acceptance) at 4 years of age
• Two dimensions of self-esteem (cognitive and physical competence) between 4-5 years of age
Reference
Evangelou, M. & Sylva, K. (2003). The Effects of the Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP) on Children’s Developmental Progress. Research Report 489. London: DfES Publications.
Need
Comparable Population
Although Peep is a universal approach, it is often used as a targeted intervention to families living in areas of higher socio-economic disadvantage, and/or for families facing additional challenges. There is evidence to show that Peep is effective with families living in higher socio-economic disadvantage and/or facing additional challenges.
Are families with children under 5 years, who are living in areas of multiple deprivation, and/or facing additional challenges an identified population of particular concern to your organisation? Desired Outcome
Are the improvements of children’s development, learning and mental health priority outcomes for your organisation? Do you have other existing initiatives that would be supportive of addressing this need and achieving these outcomes?
Need Score
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Fit
Values
Peep is guided by principles of empowerment and self-efficacy and is a strengths-based, relationship focused intervention.
Does working in a strengths-based approach align with the values of your service? Does your service value the importance of practitioners building positive relationships with parents? Is the delivery of universal services aligned with the key values and priorities of your organisation? Priorities
Is working with parents of babies and young children (under 5 years of age) in an early intervention approach a priority for your organisation? Existing Initiatives
Is the delivery of targeted services to families living in areas of highest socio-economic deprivation aligned with the key values and priorities of your organisation? Does your service already provide early intervention programmes aiming to improve child development and mental health outcomes?
Fit Score
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Capacity
Workforce
To deliver Peep, two practitioners are required, however, the developers recommend that more practitioners are trained.
Do you have at least two practitioners who would be available to deliver this programme? Do your practitioners have time to dedicate to programme related activities (3-4 hours per week, inclusive of the 60-90 minutes of direct group time), including recruitment and promotion? Are these practitioners trained to level SCQF6? Do these practitioners have experience working with parents and/or children? Do these practitioners have experience in delivering groups to parents and/or children? Technology Support
Do you have the technology to support practitioners to download, print and photocopy the materials they need to deliver the programme? Do you have the technology and support to collect data about the delivery of the programme? Administrative Support
Do your current administrative procedures support your practitioners to implement a programme like this? Do you currently have facilities that will allow the running of groups for parents and babies and young children? Financial Supports
Do you have the finances to pay for practitioners to attend this training? Do you have the finances to pay for the printing of worksheets, leaflets and handouts for the delivery of the programme?
Capacity Score
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