'5000 reasons to invest': Improving children's speech and language outcomes by 7%

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2014 - 2019 Strategic Partnership (Early Years) [Science Based Innovation]

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Face to Face delivery model - Communication and Language Workstream

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#EarlyIntervention #EarlyPrevention #UniversalProvision

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My role: Service Design and Research Lead

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💎 Key skills used:

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• Service Design (end to end)

• Developing a Theory of Change (ToC) and Logic Models (LMs)

• Impact Mapping for evaluation

• Co-chairing stakeholder workshops and steering groups

• Baselining and developing appropriate metrics and outcomes

• Service scoping and mapping (Service Blueprinting)

• Initiating 'test and learn' deliveries and pilots

• Creating and costing the service offer and specification

• Establishing the evidence and science base

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The Brief: 

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To design services and programmes to the satisfaction of the funder, so that:

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Children will:

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• Increase the level of attention where they can pay attention to the people around them

• Develop age appropriate comprehension, and in spoken language

• Be able to take part in age appropriate play

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Parents can:

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• Increase their knowledge and application of good parenting practices that will improve their babies communication and language development

• Regularly talk to their children using a wide range of words, and sentence structures including songs, poems and rhymes

• Engage positively with their children

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The gaps that were identified in the provision were as follows:

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• 0-2 years

• Engaging 'vulnerable' families and those not accessing the services of speech and language therapy

• A baseline and progress assessment and screening method used consistently

• A phased workforce development programme for everyone supporting parents and children

• Universal provision (available to all)

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The process that was followed was as set down in the Service Design Framework for the portfolio of services and the work I undertook included:

 

• Discovery Research (with stakeholders and service beneficiaries (including facilitating task and finish groups, in addition to desk research of the evidence)

• Defining the specification and having it agreed and signed off through governance through the strategic partnership and the funder

• Producing a theory of change and solution, and logic models to inform the delivery

• Undertaking 'test and learn' activities for innovation, and modifying the specification as required (including observations of delivery)

• Costing the future scaling of the services

• Working with parent champions to ensure acceptability and governance

• Making an assessment of wider system readiness, advising on policies and procedures, and on potential risks and unintended consequences

• Producing and documenting the design in accordance with the framework

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 ​​Key Results and impact of the delivered solution:

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• The Service Design was approved by the funder as a model of good practice

• ​Outcomes from design: 7% improvement in children's speech and language outcomes

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Extract from the finalised Service Design documentation:​​​​​​​