Thrive at Five is delighted to announce we’ve appointed the Centre for Evidence and Implementation (CEI) to evaluate our work in Abbey Hulton and Bentilee in Stoke-on-Trent, and in future sites as we test and refine our approach.
The CEI is an independent, not-for-profit organisation and global team of research, policy and practice experts. Their mission is to “close the gap between what we know (research) and what we do (in practice), to identify what works, capture best practices, and map landscapes and systems.”
Leaders in early years research
The UK team – led by Managing Director, Jane Lewis – will draw on their deep expertise in early childhood development, place-based working, and implementation to explore the implementation and impacts of Thrive at Five, and help establish the framework for replicating our place-based approach in other locations.
The CEI is partnering with Professor Gabriella Conti from University College London, an international leader in early years research who was recently awarded the prestigious Philip Leverhulme prize in recognition of the quality of her work.
CEI’s developmental evaluation, with an emphasis on iterative adaptation and improvement, will help establish how a capacity-building organisation like Thrive at Five can best help communities to collaborate and collectively implement the evidence of what works to support children’s early development.
Connect, collaborate, replicate
We are excited at this opportunity to robustly explore the implementation and impacts of Thrive at Five as well as the potential for replicating Thrive at Five’s place-based approach to helping every child thrive and reach their potential.
Thrive at Five supports children in the early years to develop the strong foundations they need for life and learning. In each area where we work, our approach is anchored around an interrelated set of intermediate outcome areas.
These include children’s early communication and language development, parent-infant relationships, parental wellbeing, home learning environments, and early education and care.
Working alongside partners in each area, Thrive at Five’s local teams aim to ensure children and their families have access to a pathway of high-quality support from pregnancy to the end of reception.
Jane Lewis and her talented team at the Centre for Evidence and Implementation have impressed us with their thoughtful and analytical approach. Learning, evaluation and evidence are absolutely critical for Thrive and Five and we’re pleased to have such an experienced and committed organisation working with us, bringing a wealth of knowledge from their work both in the UK and internationally.
We’re thrilled to have won this contract and to be working with the team at Thrive at Five. At CEI, we’re committed to evaluating implementation and impacts in ways that prioritise collaborative learning and sense-making. We will make the evaluation a rich resource for Thrive at Five and their local partners that supports our ambitious, innovative and exciting work together.