Research Library

This briefing summarises learning from the first year of the HeadStart programme, drawing on research interviews conducted with staff members at each partnership as part of the qualitative evaluation of HeadStart led by the Learning Team in the EBPU. Author: Stapley, E. (2017).

Evidence from low- and middle-income countries and developing nations on children and young people's mental health is generally missed in the international narrative. This scoping review aimed to add to the body of evidence by providing an overview of the available research from the English-speaking Caribbean region. Authors: Liverpool, S., Pereira, B., Pollard, M., Prescod, J., Trotman, C. (2021).

This briefing reports the findings from two qualitative studies conducted as part of the HeadStart Learning Programme (national evaluation). Authors: Stapley, E., Eisenstadt, M., Demkowicz, O., Garland, L., Stock, S., Deighton, J. (2020).

In this study, we focused on mental health problems and subjective wellbeing, which were measured in Year 8. We measured mental health problems with the emotional and behavioural difficulties subscales of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (2022).

In this briefing, we aim to illustrate the range of targeted interventions offered by six local authority led partnerships through the HeadStart programme. We also investigate whether these interventions reached young people with higher needs in terms of their mental health and wellbeing (2022).

This briefing draws on table discussions at the HeadStart Learning 2020 conference, which took place in February 2020. The event was a collaboration between the HeadStart Learning Team and The National Lottery Community Fund, with substantial input from young people involved in HeadStart from across the six partnerships (2020).

We give an overview of the types of activities and strategies that young people described using and finding helpful in relation to dealing with difficult feelings and situations. The briefing draws on interviews with young people across three years (2020).

Eight interviews relating to perceptions of sustainability and systems change were conducted with representatives from the six HeadStart partnerships, the HeadStart Learning Team, and The National Lottery Community Fund (2019).

Five types of interventions for young people that have been put in place by HeadStart partnerships are outlined in this briefing. They may be a useful way of considering other community interventions being trialled to compare across initiatives (2019).