Impact Study

Impact Evaluation
Impact Study Methodology Report September 2002
Frequently Asked Questions Impact Module

Early Impacts of Sure Start Local Programmes on Children and Families - Full Report - 2005

A principal goal of Sure Start Local Programmes is to enhance the functioning of children and families by improving services provided in the local programme areas. As a first step in assessing the impact of SSLPs on child and family functioning, the Impact module of the National Evaluation of Sure Start (NESS) is studying 9- and 36-month old children and their families in 150 SSLP areas and in 50 comparison communities (i.e. areas designated to become SSLP later). This report discusses some early findings.
Early Impacts of SSLPs on Children & Familiesfor the Full Report. - 2005

Variation in Sure Start Local Programmes Effectiveness: Early Preliminary Findings

The Impact module of NESS has found that SSLPs show considerable variation in the effects that they apparently have upon child and family outcomes. This report examines the variability among SSLPs in their implementation proficiency and whether such variability is linked to the variation in their effects upon child and family outcomes.
Variation in SSLP Effectiveness: Early Preliminary Findings for the Full Report. - 2005

Understanding Variations in Effectiveness amongst Sure Start Local Programmes

This study investigated what made Sure Start Local Programmes more effective and what made them less so. It will be key in informing the implementation of children’s centres.
Full report Understanding Variations in Effectiveness amongst Sure Start Local Programmes. -2007
Summary of the report Understanding Variations in Effectiveness amongst Sure Start Local Programmes. -2007

The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on Three Year Olds and Their Families - 2008

In 2005 we reported on the Early Impacts of Sure Start Local Programmes on Children and Families , where we had compared 9-month-old and 3-year-olds and their families in Sure Start Local Programme areas and Sure Start-to-be areas. Those reports are accessible above.

Nine thousand of the children and families seen when the child was 9-months-old, have been followed up when the child was 3-years-old. These children and families have been compared with children and families from similarly deprived areas, not having SSLPs, where data exists from the Millennium Cohort Study. This enables NESS to provide an evaluation of the impact of well-established SSLPs upon children and families where fully functioning SSLPs have been in existence for the whole life of the child. This 2008 report discusses findings from this comparison.
Full Report on The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on Three Year Olds and Their Families. -2008
Summary of The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on Three Year Olds and Their Families. -2008

The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on Five Year Olds and Their Families - 2010

In 2005 we reported on the Early Impacts of Sure Start Local Programmes on Children and Families, where we had compared 9-month-old and 3-year-olds and their families in Sure Start Local Programme areas and Sure Start-to-be areas. Those reports are accessible above.

Nine thousand of the children and families seen when the child was 9-months-old, were followed up when the child was 3-years-old, and the report is available on this website (2008). We have followed up these children at five years old now.  These children and families have been compared with children and families from similarly deprived areas, not having SSLPs, where data exists from the Millennium Cohort Study. This enables NESS to provide an evaluation of the impact of well-established SSLPs upon children and families where fully functioning SSLPs have been in existence for the whole life of the child. This 2010 report discusses findings from this comparison.

Full Report on The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on Five Year Olds and Their Families. -2010
Summary of The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on Five Year Olds and Their Families. -2010

The quality of group childcare settings used by 3-4 year old children in Sure Start Local Programme areas and the relationship with child outcomes - 2010

For around 1000 of the children in Sure Start Local Programme areas who have been followed up to five years of age, we were able to examine their childcare received when they were 3-4 years of age.

This report provides a description of the characteristics of that childcare and examines the relationship between childcare quality and child development at five years of age.

Full Report on The quality of group childcare settings used by 3-4 year old children in Sure Start Local Programme areas and the relationship with child outcomes. -2010
Summary of The quality of group childcare settings used by 3-4 year old children in Sure Start Local Programme areas and the relationship with child outcomes. -2010

The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on Seven Year Olds and Their Families - 2012

In 2005 we reported on the Early Impacts of Sure Start Local Programmes on Children and Families, where we had compared 9-month-old and 3-year-olds and their families in Sure Start Local Programme areas and Sure Start-to-be areas. Also in 2010 we reported on the children and families when the children were 5-years-old. Those reports are accessible above.

Nine thousand of the children and families seen when the child was 9-months-old, were followed up when the child was 3-years-old, and the report is available on this website (2008). We have followed up these children at five years old and that report is available on this website (2010).  Five thousand of these children and families have now been followed up when the child is 7-years-old.  These children and families have been compared with children and families from similarly deprived areas, not having SSLPs, where data exists from the Millennium Cohort Study. This enables NESS to provide an evaluation of the impact of well-established SSLPs upon children and families where fully functioning SSLPs have been in existence for the whole life of the child. This 2012 report discusses findings for 7-year-olds from this comparison.

Full Report on the impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on seven year olds and their families

Summary report on the impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on seven year olds and their families