Childminder-delivered Language Enrichment in the Early Years (CLE-EY)

What is this study about?
We know that strong language skills give children the best possible start in life. This study will explore how childminders currently support young children’s language development - and how we might work together to strengthen those skills even further before children start school.

As part of this research, we’ll examine whether structured language enrichment programmes that are effective in nursery settings can be adapted for use by childminders. One such programme is NELI Preschool (watch an overview of the NELI Preschool Programme here) which has been shown to improve language development in 3- and 4-year-olds through shared reading and guided play.

However, there is currently no evidence on how well NELI Preschool works in childminder settings, or what changes might be needed to make it practical and effective in that context. A key aim of this study is to find out whether this kind of structured support can work just as well in childminder settings as it does in nurseries.

The project will take place in two stages:

Stage 1: Exploratory research - Listening and Learning from childminders (Oct – Dec 2025)

In the first stage of the study, we want to learn more about what childminders already do to support children’s language development — and how they do it.

Stage 2: Formative Evaluation of NELI Preschool in childminder settings (Jan – July, 2026)

In the second stage of the project, we’ll work with around 15 childminders to pilot an adapted version of the NELI Preschool programme. This stage will explore how well the programme fits into everyday routines, how confident and supported childminders feel delivering it, and whether there are early signs that it supports children’s language and social development.

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The Team
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Dr Gill West, Principal Investigator - g.west@ucl.ac.uk
Dr Gill West is a researcher specialising in early language development, assessment, and intervention. Her work focuses on large-scale trials of school-based language programmes and understanding how evidence-based approaches can support young children’s communication and vocabulary before formal schooling. She previously worked at the University of Oxford and is now at UCL. Gill is also a Director of OxEd and Assessment Ltd, developers of LanguageScreen, an app for assessing children’s language skills in schools.
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Dr Charlotte Wray, Research Fellow - charlotte.wray@ucl.ac.uk
Dr Charlotte Wray is a developmental researcher with expertise in early childhood interventions and evaluation. She is currently a Research Fellow at UCL, having previously led research and evaluation at the Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP) to support children’s health, development, and school readiness. Charlotte has also worked at the University of Oxford and Royal Holloway, University of London, where she completed her PhD in developmental psychology.
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