Family learning in Perth and Kinross

A local authority case study

Transforming lives through learning 02

Background

This project was set up in partnership family learning within a Local Authority. between Perth and Kinross Council and The main aims of the project were Education Scotland to explore the issues therefore two-fold: around, and identify current practice in

To identify current practice in Family Learning 1 across Perth and Kinross.

To explore ways in which Education Scotland can be involved in Family Learning in conjunction with 2 a Local Authority. 03

Methodology

From November 2012 to March 2013 Education and Children’s Services Early 11 schools and centres were visited, Years Strategy. This sought to simplify and some on more than one occasion streamline the delivery of services with by a team from Education Scotland. increased collaborations in rural areas As Perth and Kinross Council has an based on the needs of the families and to established history in family learning, ensure the engagement of harder to reach the project started with representatives families. Due to the success of this model from the education authority suggesting the service was replicated in urban areas a number of Early Years Hubs and where need was identified. From this list, Extended Provision Nurseries across the project team selected centres and the authority which would be suitable for schools which were to be visited, ensuring gaining information. Perth and Kinross there was an appropriate balance between Early Years Hubs and Extended Provision rural and urban settings which constitute Nurseries were developed in line with the Perth and Kinross Council.

Through visits, the project team met completed and discussions had taken with school/centre staff, local authority place it was decided to focus this report staff, and partners such as social work, around three main case studies, Pitlochry health professionals and voluntary High School (3-16 years provision), St organisations and met with families. John’s RC Academy (3-18 years provision The discussions were firmly focused on North Inch Community Campus) and around the ‘Getting It Right for Every Child’ Goodlyburn Primary School (a Community agenda and the SHANARRI indicators. School).

It became clear at an early stage that there Essentially the project team wanted to was a consistency of approach to family identify family learning in different contexts learning across the authority and the (both rural and urban), which highlighted project team wanted to use this opportunity a consistent, needs-led approach being to explore this consistent approach further taken towards engagement and learning. and determine the precise impact on By adopting a needs-led approach children and their families. This became families are able to receive appropriate a major focus for the project. In order to and relevant support for their needs at do this, once visits to Early Years Hubs specific times. and Extended Provision Nurseries were 04

Context of Perth and Kinross

Perth and Kinross Council has a committed has continued to decline and is population of 149,520 and over the past at its lowest-ever level. 11 years, they have experienced the highest population growth in Scotland Children make up 17% of the population (10.8%) which is 2.8 times the national and they have approximately 17,450 average. Their population is projected school pupils. There are 10 secondary to grow by 32% by 2035 which is the schools, 76 primary schools, one second highest growth in Scotland. additional support needs school, one preschool centre and 45 nursery classes In 2010, there were 64,780 households within primary schools. Whilst attainment in Perth and Kinross Council and it is within Perth and Kinross Council schools predicted that there will be 89,030 by 2033. is high, they have had an increase in the As a result of an increasing population number of children in the more choices, there are challenges to service delivery. more chances category.

The Perth and Kinross Council population More Choices, More Chances is an action continues to have high life-expectancy plan to reduce the proportion of young and older people aged 65+ make up people not in education, employment 20% of the total. The number of older or training in Scotland. The number of people has increased by 14% since 2001. looked-after and accommodated children This trend is projected to continue. The has also increased. It is recognised that area remains a safe place to live. Over the key challenge is to enable young the last five years the number of crimes people to realise their full potential. 05

The economy of Perth and Kinross Council is dominated by small businesses which account for around half the workforce.

Tourism is a main contributor to the the previous four years and is reflected in economy, worth over £400 million a year the increase in pupil numbers with English and supporting 13% of employment. as a second language. This has an impact on services delivered to communities that Perth and Kinross is 6th in terms of levels have a high influx of migrant workers with of net migration from overseas nationals English as a second language and their out of the 32 Scottish local authority children. Over two million visitors a year areas. It is 5th in terms of net migration are attracted by the environment and the overall. In 2010/11 around 24% of their historic heritage of the area. As a result In-migration was from overseas nationals of this there is lower unemployment in the and correspondingly only around 10% of area compared to the rest of Scotland. their Out-migration was from overseas However, the average monthly earnings nationals which suggests a further increase for people in the area are below the of resident overseas nationals in the local Scottish average. population. This trend was replicated in 06

Family learning is an important approach to prevention and early intervention in Perth and Kinross Council. It is a key method for engagement with children and their families. The approach was highlighted by the achievement of a COSLA Gold Excellence Award for Perth and Kinross’s Family Support and Family Learning practice in 20101.

Family Learning has become increasingly the bottom up and the top down. Multi- important and widespread through the disciplinary sub groups deliver outcomes development of the Perth and Kinross related to parenting, family learning, Early Years and Parenting Strategies training, achievement of children (3-8) and the Community Plan/Single Outcome and prebirth to three. They have enabled Agreement as part of the Council’s sharing of practice and communication Transformational Change process. between agencies. Local Partnership groups coordinate early years parenting, The governance and planning structures of family learning and community capacity the Early Years and Parenting Strategies building. have brought community planning partners together to achieve a common outcome to The Government’s Early Years improve the lives of children and families Collaborative and the Perth and Kinross in communities. By enabling joint-working Community Planning Partnership’s across services such as health, education, project Evidence2Success research and social work, housing, culture, community implementation are further supporting and voluntary agencies, they have an existing approaches to parenting and integrated approach which works from family learning.

Family Learning work in Perth and Kinross is based on the following definitions: • Parents/carers and children taking and informal learning for more than part in activities together which are one generation. designed to enable them to learn together. • Parents/carers or children learning about family matters to enhance life • Parents/carers learning separately learning at home. from children, in order to engage in learning with their children or other • Parent/carers participating in adult family members. learning programmes which focus on core skills which will help them to • Intergenerational learning – formal support their child learning.

1 http://awards.cosla.gov.uk/2010/03/advancing-community-and-citizen-well-being-in-perth-and-kinross/ 07

Perth and Kinross Council context for Family Learning

Many services and teams currently Museums, Perth and Kinross Leisure, use Family Learning as a method of the Childcare Strategy Team, Home-start, delivery. Community Learning and Development, Community Link Workers, Gowans Child These include schools, nurseries and Family Centre and the two Early Years (including Early Years Hubs and Extended Teams which sit in Children’s Services’ Provision Nurseries), Active Schools, Arts and Education Services. Development, Libraries, Perth Prison,

The Communities Service has prioritised The Community Campuses, with their its delivery over recent years towards a emphasis on integrated working and preventative approach using Community flexible accommodation, particularly the Capacity Building, Adult and Family Campus libraries, provide ideal locations Learning, Youth work and Community- for the development of Family Learning. Link Workers to deliver family learning The combination of Community Learning and parenting in all Learning Communities and Development staff, Active Schools, often with staff from other professions. Community-Link Workers, school staff and Early Years Development Teachers This integrated model enables ongoing provide a basis for creative developments universal and targeted support to families throughout the year. Targeting of as well as progression to volunteering, additional Family Learning, in areas of training and employment. multiple deprivation, continues to embed early intervention, prevention and reduce The Family Learning programmes isolation for families. delivered range from Men and Children projects to Family Holiday Activities, Progression from Family Learning Family Swims, Bookbug, Rhymetime, includes Adult Literacy and Numeracy, Family Cooking, PEEP (Peers Early ESOL, accredited learning, parenting Education Partnership) Infant Massage, programmes such as Handling Children’s Messy Play, Family Clubs, Set4Sport and Behaviour, Handling Teenagers Behaviour, many others. volunteering training and employment. 08

Common Themes

Partnership working with other down barriers for some parents/carers to agencies and voluntary organisations access groups. is a strong and common feature. The range of agencies includes health A needs-led approach can be seen working professionals, police, housing, social effectively in one setting where there is a work and educational psychologists. Drop-In session for parents which is linked to other services. Various activities are In a number of the Early Years Hubs and delivered successfully such as a cooking Extended Provision Nurseries a multi- group, a health and wellbeing group for agency approach to family learning has dads, baby massage and work with a resulted in the creation of Family Clubs Homeless Unit. A parenting group is led and SPACE (Supporting Children and by a senior social worker and play leader. Parents Early) groups. Family Clubs This setting engages with families in a enable families to be involved in a variety supportive and meaningful way to build of activities which is needs-led and strong links and relationships. This type supports them to learn together of provision creates an open channel for communication and as the relationships Families accessing the SPACE groups grow stronger it is easier to signpost are on the whole referred to the service to relevant services and groups for the from colleagues such as a Health Visitor family. A needs-led approach is a strong or Social Work, which supports the family feature of family learning and is consistent as a whole through play activities during throughout the Authority. An open dialogue the first hour then supports the parent or and access to staff empowers parents to carer separately while their child enjoys become more actively involved in their crèche time with Playstart. Crèche child’s and their own learning journey. provision is provided which helps to break 09

Impact of involvement with Family Learning

The impact of a family learning approach to impact on their choices in relation to is threefold. It shows that it can have an health and wellbeing. impact on both the child and the significant parent as well as staff and services. Parenting groups throughout the authority give parents the skills to manage Parents reported that family learning has challenging behaviour. had an impact on the relationship that they and their child have with learning. One A multi-agency approach to family learning parent reported that due to coming to a facilitates easier sign posting to services if family learning project she is now creating a family requires specific support. more learning opportunities at home with her children. Working in partnership, staff have reported that they have increased their skills-base Parents are given the skills and knowledge and now have the flexibility to create more through healthy eating and sports clubs effective early intervention projects.

Case studies Family Learning was used as a method and staff within Perth and Kinross Council. of delivery in all of the Early Years Hubs This is highlighted using the case studies and Extended Provision. This was clear on the following pages. throughout our conversations with families 10

Case Study 1

Pitlochry High School (3-16 years with Hub Nursery)

Pitlochry High School is an all-through relevant projects. Pitlochry High School school for pupils aged 3-16 living in is in the Highland Perthshire locality with Pitlochry, Killiecrankie and the surrounding evidence of rural poverty which has a rural areas of Highland Perthshire. The migrant seasonal workforce due to the Early Years Hub and Extended Provision nature of the economy. This has resulted Nurseries is a conduit for different services in targeted support incorporating more to come together and support families ESOL provision than was found in more from the surrounding area. They work in urban areas due to the response to the partnership to identify needs within the needs led analysis by staff with local community and support the delivery of families.

The range of Family Learning activities is extensive and includes:

Impact human, which are then utilised effectively Families are more aware of health and ensuring the best outcomes for families. wellbeing issues and the impact on their choices. Parents reported that the Jellytots cookery project has developed their and This is a self-referred group for children 0 their children’s skills in the kitchen. to 3 and their parents/carer. It is advertised through the local paper, the nursery Families build relationships with a range and by word of mouth. It incorporates of staff both formally and informally which rhyme-time, peer support and offers an breaks down barriers for future access. opportunity for both the child and the parent/carer to socialise. A whole family Raising staff awareness of the range approach is used which gives parents/ of services available and how they link carers the skills and knowledge to support together. This allows flexibility of staff their child’s learning at home. between services and makes sure that staff skills are utilised appropriately. Impact Peer learning and support between A multi-agency approach can support families has had an impact on the different sectors coming together in engagement process and attendance of identifying resources, both physical and parents and carers. 11

Parents reported that this had an impact Impact on the way that they interacted and played Specialist resources and services can be with their child at home. identified for families when required.

Parents who lived in more isolated parts Families felt that this project had a of the community or who were new to the positive effect on daily family life. Families community valued the links and support reported that they utilise the skills they received from staff and parents. have learned in the projects at home and in their community life. Family Hub This service is led by the Community Link Staff are confident with linking and Worker based within the school and is referring to different services to ensure an all-day facility for families to access families have the most relevant support support when needed. This project is a needed at that time. link between home and school and is tailored to each individual family. 12

Case Study 2

St John’s RC Academy (3-18 years with Extended Nursery Provision on North Inch Community Campus)

St John’s RC Academy is at the heart a range of activities to choose from. An of the North Inch Community Campus, important strand of the school’s core providing education for children and beliefs is that partnership between pupils, young people from Nursery through to staff, parents and chaplains is at the heart Secondary sixth year. In November 2011, of their school community. The campus Nursery and Primary classes moved is available for use outside school hours into the campus and are now enjoying and offers an excellent range of facilities ‘state of the art’ facilities. Members of for local interest groups, organisations the community are also able to access and individuals. the facilities within the Campus and have

The range of Family Learning activities is extensive and includes:

Family Club and numeracy and cooking. The Family Club is a multi-agency approach to engagement and learning Children and parents worked closely for the whole family. It is run on a together which parents said had a positive weekly basis and involves a variety impact on communication and bonding of professionals including community with their child. workers, adult literacy and numeracy worker, art specialist, cookery specialist Family Club offers staff the opportunity and sports workers. There are a number to link in with colleagues from different of activities which are offered on a weekly services. This creates strong referral basis with parents and children choosing pathways and collaborative approaches. which ones they wish to participate in. In One member of staff commented that order to break any barriers to attending a she had a number of families being crèche is available if needed. successfully referred to other services when needed. Impact Families reported that the classes Handling Children’s Behaviour enhanced their skills in a variety of areas Parenting Course including arts and crafts, sports, literacy Handling Children’s Behaviour looks at 13

child development and types of behaviour to engage their children in budgeting for and aims to provide parents and carers food, preparing meals and cooking. Some with the opportunity to consider and talk families were cooking and eating meals about how best to manage children’s together for the first time which had a difficult behaviour, and to help to build huge impact on meal times at home. positive, confident and strong family relationships. Impact Families became more confident in trying Impact new food and making healthier choices at Families are able to communicate better meal times. Children were more likely to when a challenging situation arises. eat the food that they had prepared with their parent or carer. Parents and carers feel more confident about how they will challenge behaviour Cooking together had an impact on the and work out a positive solution so that overall communication between families conflict in the home can be avoided. and how they interacted as a unit.

Children feel safe and secure to voice Families also enjoyed cooking with others their opinion in a nurtured environment. in the community and meeting new friends who they can then go onto socialise with. Family Cooking Classes This is important for those families living in The main aim of the cooking session was isolation that they feel part of a community to enhance the skills that the parents and are supported. already have by giving them opportunities 14

Case Study 3

Goodlyburn Primary (a Community School with Extended Nursery Provision)

Goodlyburn Primary School is a area of deprivation which the school fully Community School providing education understands and works hard to support for children, young people and their their local community. The school works families. They accommodate an extended in partnership with a number of services nursery provision and primary provision, to address the needs of the community which includes Gaelic Medium as well involving projects using a family learning as community classes. It is situated in an approach.

The range of Family Learning activities is extensive and includes:

Homework Club Staff reported that working in partnership The homework club is an after school made it easier for them to refer at an early project set up to support not only the stage as they knew who to refer to and child but also the parent/carer. The school that the parent and/or family would be in and community-link worker work closely good hands. together to make sure that parents feel able to access support and help their child School staff reported that it had a positive at the same time. The system of home impact on their own practice in class and visits and referrals to other services, as also in volunteering after class. and when needed, works well and are an effective early intervention project. Men and Children Matters Community Learning and Development Impact and School staff set up a project to Parents reported that they found the club a encourage the significant male figure in a benefit to both themselves and their child. child’s life to engage and achieve learning It also encouraged learning at home and outcomes as a family. The project focuses with other siblings. on activities that men will take ownership of and enjoy with their children. This One child said that it was great to be able directed learning has resulted in a popular to spend time with his grandfather one-on- project that is now a constituted group. one. 15

Impact numeracy class amongst others. Parents Children are able to spend more time with and children can also be referred to the fraternal role-model in their lives. more intensive classes either together or separately as appropriate. Families’ Fathers are now engaging more with feedback to this was overwhelmingly projects in their community and forming positive and they believed it had a number stronger bonds with their children and of positive results for all of the family. Staff each other. also felt that it was a beneficial way of working which allowed them the flexibility By becoming a constituted group fathers to engage with families with specialist have taken ownership of the project and support from staff from other agencies if are now directing their own learning. needed.

Staff and families within this project have Impact built up a relationship of trust enabling Families are more aware of health and clear two-way communication. wellbeing issues and are able to develop strategies to help address these issues. Family Club The Family Club is a common feature Families build relationships with staff in many of the Early Years Hubs and formally and informally and enter into a Extended Provision Nurseries around trusting relationship. Perth and Kinross. The approach is to engage the whole family in a number Staff awareness is raised about the range of learning opportunities using a multi- of services available and how these agency approach. They can access services can complement each other for arts and crafts, cooking skills, health the benefit of the family. and wellbeing, sports and literacy and 16

Conclusion

Perth and Kinross has a strong history in culture, community and voluntary Family Learning. The education authority agencies. Families are aware that if they has ensured that Family Learning has moved throughout the authority support become increasingly important and would move with them and children successful through the development of and families would receive a similar the Perth and Kinross Early Years and experience. Central to the success of Parenting Strategies. This has enabled Family Learning is the needs analysis joint working across services such as approach, the integration of services and health, education, social work, housing, the consistency of joined up thinking.

Outcomes and benefits of Family Learning as identified by Perth and Kinross Council

• Improvement in children’s wider • Parents going on to address their achievement. own learning needs.

• Improvement in literacy, language • Children benefit from seeing their and numeracy skills of parents. parent as ‘a positive role model’ when the parent undertakes further learning • Improvement in parents’ ability to or employment. help their children learn. • The family as a whole spend more • Improvement in children’s acquisition time together and experience a wider of literacy, language and numeracy. range of activities.

• Enabling parents to access • Social capital generated through information and further skills to help better networks, can lead to them with their parenting role. friendships, reduced isolation, increased employment, improved • Increase in confidence and self- health, higher level of attainment at esteem of parents and their children. school and stronger communities. 17

However it should be noted that some if the school requested it. of the Early Years Hubs and Extended Provision Nurseries were clearer in The future of family learning within Perth the direction that they were taking and and Kinross Council is strong and the because of this had stronger links to foundations of this approach being used partner agencies. in a variety of settings are already there and in some cases flourishing. It would This could be down to staffing from partner be recommended that they continue to agencies connecting with the service or build on this success and nurture it in staff not realising the benefit of a multi- areas where it is not strong. Collegial agency approach and what that can bring partnerships are present but not as strong to the families in their area. Access to in all cases and where it is present this is space within the Early Years Hubs and where the most impact was seen. In these Extended Provision was good overall but areas, staff felt empowered by working in again, in some settings this was limited partnership and families expressed the and in some cases projects were asked to most impact on their lives. move or cancel for a night at short notice 18

Implications for Education Scotland

There are many areas from which Education Scotland can learn from this work and develop further its own delivery and awareness of effective practice in family learning. These include:

• Be clear about definitions of Family • Acknowledge the importance of the Learning. life-long learning journey approach taken with Perth and Kinross Council • Inform the development of inspection when working with other local and review of Family Learning authorities. nationally. • Recognise the very strong • Recognising and learning from the partnership working with other firmly established approaches to agencies and promote this when family learning within Perth and working with other local authorities. Kinross Council. • Acknowledge the strong impact that • Emphasise the partnership approach family learning can have on the lives to Early Intervention and the of children and their families. consistency across the authority.

• Recognise and promote the needs analysis approach taken at all levels within Perth and Kinross Council. 19

Evidence

Evidence for this report came from the following resources - discussions with families as a whole and separately, meetings with a range of local authority and voluntary personnel through visits to:

• Pitlochry High School • City of Perth Early Childhood Centre

• The Community School of • Our Lady’s RC Primary School Auchterarder • Letham Primary School • Crieff Primary School • St John’s RC Academy on North Inch • Crieff High School Community Campus

• Goodlyburn Primary School • Community Centres

• Errol Primary School • Documentation from the Local Authority • Gowans Child and Family Centre

• Inch View Primary and Nursery School on Glenearn Community Campus 20

Appendix 1

Project representation using the GIRFEC Wheel

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Appendix 2 - glossary

Active Schools parents through individual and group work Network of staff, and programme, who in home, school and community settings. provide quality opportunities for children and young people to participate in sport – Early Years Development Teachers before, during and after school. Seconded Early Years Teachers (currently 6.5fte) who are locality based and promote Community School sustainable ways of integrated working A school with very strong ties to the across the early years. community and with a multi-disciplinary team working within it and other local Though not class committed, they do work schools hands - on in schools, centres and a range of other settings to support development Community Link Worker work and share best practice e.g. focused Supports children, young people and work on transition / pre-birth to three etc.

Hubs + Extended Provision services in a seamless way. Progress Local authority nursery provision (including was kept under review and the early full time places) within which, and from, a positive outcomes secured built the case range of integrated services is delivered. for developing 3 further nurseries which were developed as hubs commencing Background: The Early Years Review August 2011. identified the need for the development of services outwith Perth City, eg pre 2009, Extended Provision: Also in 2011, the the only full time local authority nursery same model was developed within five provision was in Perth. Perth City nurseries and these were established in recognition that young Hubs: In August 2009, 5 nurseries, spread children and their families needed to be geographically across Perth and Kinross, supported within their local communities. were developed as nursery hubs; each This means that rather than the support with 8 full time nursery places which were that surrounds a full time nursery place allocated under Support for Children and being accessed elsewhere in the city, Families criteria. It was recognised that relationships with parents/ carers are now key to success would be the development established early within nursery classes of of integrated working both within the hub catchment primary schools. nurseries and also linking directly to other © Crown copyright, 2014.

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