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, 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 you
- Stage 2: Formative Evaluation – Delivering NELI Preschool in childminder settings
Stage 1: Exploratory research - Listening and Learning from You
In this part of the study, we want to learn more about what you already do to support children’s language — and how you do it. Through interviews, focus groups, and a national survey, we’ll be exploring:
- What language-rich activities already take place in your setting
- What helps or gets in the way of doing even more
- Your views on using a structured language enrichment programme with the children you care for
- What kind of training and support might make delivery of such a programme possible
We’ll also be speaking with local authorities, childminder agencies and other professionals to understand what support systems already exist — and how they could help scale up a structured language programme if it proves useful. This information will help us understand whether/how a structured language enrichment programme could be adapted for childminder settings, by exploring the perspectives of childminders and allied professionals on its relevance, feasibility, and fit within their working context.
Status: Actively recruiting
Stage 2: Formative Evaluation - Delivering NELI Preschool in childminder settings
In this second stage of the project, we’ll work closely with childminders to carry out a formative evaluation of an adapted version of NELI Preschool. These adaptations—developed in consultation with experts and sector advisors—aim to make the programme more workable for childminders, for example by offering greater flexibility to accommodate mixed-age groups and varied daily routines.
This stage of the research will focus on understanding how the adapted programme works in practice. We’ll explore:
- How confident and supported you feel delivering the programme
- How well it fits into your usual ways of working
- Any early indications that it could benefit children’s language and social development
- What parents think of the approach
- What further changes might be needed to improve the programme before considering a larger-scale study
Status: Actively Recruiting
