Evaluation of the 'You First' Programme for Young Parents - Appendices

APPENDIX 7: DISCUSSION GUIDES FOR QUALITATIVE RESEARCH WITH PARENTS

Discussion Guide 7 (a)
Depth interview with Parents who completed

Introduction

Introduce self and Ipsos MORI.

Thank participant(s) for taking part, should take about an hour.

Explain that Ipsos MORI is a research company. Because You First is a new type of programme, we've been asked to look at it and see whether it's something that should be set up in other parts of Scotland, and, if so, things that are good about it and things that could be improved.

We're talking to lots of different people who have been involved with You First, and we're talking to other parents like yourself who have taken part in the programme.

As with any research we do, everything you say will be completely confidential. We'll write a report for the Scottish Government but we won't use your name or write anything that could identify you. And we won't tell anyone from You First, or your Health Visitor, or social work, or anyone else what you, as an individual, said.

Obtain permission to record discussion.

Just to stress, I've not had anything to do with the design of You First or the running of it, so if there were things about it that you didn't like, please tell me about them. Because if there was something you didn't like about it, it's very probable that some other parents wouldn't like it either, so it's really useful for us to know the bad things as well as the good things.

Background

(Brief chat if this hasn't already happened:

Tell me about your baby - what's his/her name? how old is he/she now?

How long have you lived in this area?

And how long have you been in your house/flat?

And who do you live with?)

Apart from your baby, who do you spend time with these days?

• Do you have family nearby that you see?
• Do you have any friends with a young baby?
• How have things changed since you've had the baby - do you see less of some people? Is there anyone you see more of?
• Has this changed at all since you started You First?

Can you just tell me a bit about You First and what it was like?

• What did you like most about it?
• it is there anything you didn't like about it?

Initial reactions and aims

How did you first hear about You First?

• Who told you about it?
• Do you remember what they said about it?
• Did someone from You First come and talk to you about it?
• Was your health visitor also there?

Can you remember what you thought about it at that point?

• Did you like the sound of it or did you think it wouldn't be very good?

Why did you think you were being invited to it?

What did you think it would be like?

• What did you hope it would be like?
• What was different to what you expected?
• Was anything better than you expected?
• Was anything worse than you expected?

What did you hope to get out of it?

• for yourself?
  • meet others?
  • learn more about parenting?
  • qualification?
• for your baby?

And did you?

At the beginning, did you get to choose what things you wanted to do at You First?

• How did that work?
• Did you find it easy to choose?
• Were there many things you wanted to do?
• Was there anything that wasn't on the list that you thought might be good?

Can you remember how you felt before you went to the first group session?

• and was it how you expected it to be?

Practical aspects

Tell me about the place where the group met.

What was it like?

• Was it a nice place to be?
• Was it a good place to hold the group?
• Was it comfortable?
• Did it have the right facilities and equipment?
• Can you think of anywhere that would be a better place to have it?
• What did you think about the crèche?
• Did your baby enjoy going to the crèche?
• Did your baby enjoy the lunch? What facilities were provided for your baby's lunch
• Did your baby enjoy the afternoon sessions?

How easy was it to get to?

What was the lunch like?

What about the start and finish time?

• Was the day too short or too long?
• What time would you have preferred it to start? and finish?

What day of the week was it?

• Was that ok for you or would another day have been easier?

What about the fact that it was one day a week for 16 weeks?

• Is that too often or not often enough?
• Is 16 weeks too long or not long enough?

If you smoke, were you able to smoke when you were at You First?

• Could you smoke whenever you wanted to?
• Was this ok?

Content of the sessions

What kind of things did you learn about at You First?

Which were the best things you learned about?

• Tell me about this session?
• What was good about it?
• Was it the topic?
• Was it the way the session was given?

And which things did you not like?

• Tell me about this session?
• What did you not like about it?
• Was it the topic?
• Was it the way the session was given?

Who decided what you did each day?

Did you feel you got to cover the things that you wanted to cover?

• Were the things covered within the topics the kind of things you expected them to be?
• Was there anything that you really wanted to cover but didn't get to?
• Was there anything that you had not mentioned when you made your choices at the beginning, that you realised later would be good? Did you get to cover that?
• Is there anything else that you wish you could have covered?

Which bit of the day did you like best?

• Morning/lunch/afternoon?

In some You First programmes, the babies are in the crèche in the morning and in some they are in the crèche in the afternoon. Which do you think is best?

Was there anything you had to do that you didn't like? Or didn't agree with?

These days, some mothers say they feel they are constantly being criticised and people are always telling them what they should be doing. Did you ever feel like that when you were at You First?

• Was there any time in particular?

Did you miss any sessions?

• Why did you miss these sessions?
• What happened when you missed a session?
• Did you feel you had missed really important things?
• Were you able to catch up on what you had missed?
• How did you feel about going to the next session, after you'd missed one?

How did you feel about the text reminders that you got before each session?

• Were they useful or annoying?

Facilitators

Check - was it xxx and xxx who were the facilitators?

What were they like?

• How would you describe them to someone who hadn't met them?
• How did they make you feel?

What were the good things that they did?

What were the things they did that you didn't like/found annoying?

How did you get on with them?

Did you ever talk to them privately about anything?

• Did you feel you could have if you'd needed to?

I understand that sometimes other people came in to talk to you too?

• What were these sessions like?
• Was there anyone that you particularly liked?
• Have you since used any of the services that people talked to you about?
• Did you prefer having someone else in to talk to you or did you prefer it when it was just the facilitators there?

Did your health visitor ever come to You First?

• Did you like having them there?

Do you get on well with your health visitor?

Some people have suggested that health visitors might be able to facilitate the You First programme. How would you feel about having your health visitor doing that?

Who would be the best sort of person to be a facilitator?

Trying things at home

Were there things that you learned about at You First that you tried at home?

• How did that go?

Was it harder to do some things at home than others?

Were there things that you didn't try?

Did you talk to anyone else about things that you found out about at You First?

• Family/partner/friends/health visitor?
• How did they react?
• Did you give any one else tips and advice that you had picked up?

Is there anything that would make it easier to try things at home?

Group dynamics

Tell me about the other people in the group?

• Who were they?/What sort of people went?
• What were they like?
• Were they older or younger than you?
• Did you feel you had much in common with them?

Did you know any of them before?

Did some of them already know each other?

Were they friendly?

How did they make you feel?

Was there anyone who you became particularly friendly with?

Was there anyone that you feel didn't fit in as well with the rest of the group? (reassure that don't have to say their name if don't want to)

• Why do you think that was?
• What was she like?

When you were at the group, did it feel like other situations you have been in?

• Did it feel like school?
• Did it feel like you were out with a group of friends?

Would you have preferred it if it was a smaller group? or a bigger group?

Was it better or worse on days when there weren't so many parents there?

Did you feel comfortable asking questions in front of the group?

Did you feel comfortable talking about any problems you were having?

Did you feel you could trust them not to talk about you outside the group?

What were the other babies like?

• Were they older or younger than your baby?
• Does it matter that there's a spread of ages?
• Would you have rather gone when your baby was younger or older?

Having been to You First and met new people, do you think you'd be more happy to go to something similar in the future?

Do you know what other groups you could go to and when they are on?

Financial incentive/budgeting

I understand that you got £20 for each session of You First that you went to. Did you choose to defer the money till the end or did you get it after each session?

• How important was the money in your decision of whether go to You First at the beginning?
• How important was the money in your decision to keep going to You First and complete the programme?
• What did you do with the money you got?

Did you talk about money more generally at You First?

• What financial advice did you receive?
• Did you make a budget plan?
• Have you tried using it?
• Have you found it easy or difficult to stick to?
• Did you discuss any benefits that you might be entitled to?
• Are there any benefits that you are receiving now that you did not receive before you went to You First?
• Would you like any more advice about money or benefits?
• Do you know who you could speak to if you had any questions about benefits you might be entitled to in the future?

Qualification

Tell me about the qualification that you are working towards (Youth Achievement Award/Dynamic Youth Award)?

• Do you know how the qualification fits in with any others?
• Did you enjoy that aspect of You First?
• How did you feel about learning before You First? Do you feel differently now?
• Was that something that attracted you to going in the first place?
• Do you know what you can do with the qualification? What?
• Do you want to do any more qualifications or courses?
• Do you know how you could find out about other qualifications or courses that are available to you?
• Do you need any more help to find out about courses that are available to you?

Potential benefits

Card sorting exercise

I'm going to give you a pile of cards. On each card is something that You First might - or might not - make a difference to. For each one, put it in the pile for 'agree, 'disagree' or 'neither'.

Cards will be randomly sorted but have:

My baby feeds better
My baby sleeps better
My baby cries less
My baby is happier
My baby is better behaved
I have more fun playing with my baby
I am more confident about doing things to help my baby learn things
I know more about where I can go for advice and support with my baby
I feel a more confident mother
I have a healthier lifestyle now

I have made good friends
I feel more confident
I feel happier
I feel less stressed
I have a clearer idea about what I want to do in the future
I feel more in control of my money
I didn't learn very much

I wish I had never gone to you First
I would go to something like You First again

The money was one of the best things
I didn't like leaving my baby in the crèche

POTENTIAL PROBES:

Tell me more about that
Why do you say that?
Why do you think that is?
Is that because of You First or something else?
What's different? What's changed?
What used to happen? What happens now?

Has anything else changed?
Have there been any other benefits?
Were there any other things you didn't like?

Looking to the future

Did you discuss what you wanted to do in the future when you were at You First?

• What kind of things did you talk about?

Did the facilitators come to visit you after the programme had finished?

• What kind of things did you discuss?
• Was it helpful?

Did you complete the Self Assessment form (show copy) again at this point?

• Did you think you'd made progress from the first two times you'd completed it?
• Did you discuss your progress with the facilitators?

Did you come up with a future plan?

• What was in it?
• Are you happy with it?
• Do you think you'll be able to follow it?
• Does it include going to any other programmes, groups or services?
• Does it include doing any further qualifications?
• Does it include anything about getting a job or getting a new job?

Do you know if you will be getting any help or support with looking after your baby now that You First has finished?

Is there anything else that wasn't covered in your action plan that you'd like to happen now that you've finished You First?

What do you think should happen when people finish the You First programme?

Did you make any plans to see the facilitators again?

Have you seen anyone from the group since the last session?

• Do you think you will stay in touch with them?
• Will this be with all of them or just some?
• How often do you think you'll meet up?

Summing up

How do you feel about having taken part in You First?

What was the main thing, if anything, that you gained from it?

Would you go to something like You First again?

If a friend said they were thinking of going to You First, what would you say to them?

What would you change about it to make it better?

Do you think it should be rolled out to other places in Scotland?

Is there anything else you want to say about it that we haven't covered?

• Good things?
• Bad things?

Thank and close.

Discussion guide 7 (b)
Focus group with Parents who completed

Introduction

Introduce self and Ipsos MORI.

Thank participants for taking part, should take about an hour and a half.

Explain that Ipsos MORI is a research company. Because You First is a new type of programme, we've been asked to look at it and see whether it's something that should be set up in other parts of Scotland, and, if so, things that are good about it and things that could be improved.

We're talking to lots of different people who have been involved with You First, and we're talking to other parents like yourself who have taken part in the programme.

As with any research we do, everything you say will be completely confidential. We'll write a report for the Scottish Government but we won't use your name or write anything that could identify you. And we won't tell anyone from You First, or your Health Visitor, or social work, or anyone else what you, as an individual, said.

Obtain permission to record discussion.

Just to stress, I've not had anything to do with the design of You First or the running of it, so if there were things about it that you didn't like, please tell me about them. Because if there was something you didn't like about it, it's very probable that some other parents wouldn't like it either, so it's really useful for us to know the bad things as well as the good things.

Introduction

I know that you all know each other already but if you could just tell me your name, your baby's name, how old he/she is and who you live with that would be great.

Background

Can you just tell me a bit about You First and what it was like? (write on flip chart)

• What did you like most about it?
• is there anything you didn't like about it?

Practical aspects

Is this where the group met each week?

Was it a good place to hold the group?

• Was it comfortable?
• Did it have the right facilities and equipment?
• Can you think of somewhere that would be a better place to have it?
• What did you think about the crèche?
• Did your baby enjoy going to the crèche?
• Did your maybe enjoy the lunch?
• Did your baby enjoy the afternoon sessions?

How easy was it to get to?

What was the lunch like?

What about the start and finish time?

• Was the day too short or too long?
• What time would you have preferred it to start? and finish?

What day of the week was it?

• Was that ok for you or would another day have been easier?

What about the fact that it was one day a week for 16 weeks?

• Is that too often or not often enough?
• Is 16 weeks too long or not long enough?

If you smoke, were you able to smoke when you were at You First?

• Could you smoke whenever you wanted to?
• IF NO, was this ok?

Before and after exercise

Ok, I now want us to try and think about how a young mum might feel about things before and after going to You First. Let's see if we can come up with an imaginary person who might go to You First. So, what shall we call her? and what shall we call her baby? how old is she? how old is her baby? where does she live? who does she live with? Does she have family nearby?

IT THEY STRUGGLE TO COME UP WITH SOMEONE, USE GEMMA

Gemma is 18 and lives in Newbattle. She has just had a baby girl called Sophie. She lives on her own and has an on-off relationship with Sophie's father. Her parents live nearby. Her Dad is not in good health and her Mum works full time in a care home. Imagine you've got to describe her life to someone who wouldn't have a clue what it's like to be in her situation - like a 50 year old American man!

How does she feel about her life?

What does she do on a normal day?

How would you describe her parenting skills?

Does she have any support with looking after her baby?

Does she know how to get support?

How are her relationships with her friends?

How are her relationships with her family?

How is she coping financially?

How does she feel about going to a group with other mums and babies?

How much does she know about the kind of things she can do to help her baby learn things?

How does she feel about the future?

(Flip chart) Can you come up with a list of reasons why name/Gemma should go to You First - what she'd get out of it she did? And also a list of reasons why she shouldn't go.

It's now about 6 months later and name/Gemma and name/Sophie have just completed the You First programme in Newbattle.

How does she feel about her life?

What does she do on a normal day?

How would you describe her parenting skills?

Does she have any support with looking after Sophie?

Does she know how to get support?

How are her relationships with her friends?

How are her relationships with her family?

How is she coping financially?

How does she feel about going to a group with other mums and babies?

How much does she know about the kind of things she can do to help her baby learn things?

How has she changed since six months ago?

How does she feel about the future?

Content of the sessions

What kind of things did you learn about at You First? write on a flip chart

Which were the best things you learned about?

Focus on the best session or best couple of sessions mentioned by most participants

• Tell me about this session?
• What was good about it?
• Was it the topic?
• Was it the way the session was given?

And which things did you not like?

Focus on the worst session or worst couple of sessions mentioned by most participants

• Tell me about this session?
• What did you not like about it?
• Was it the topic?

Who decided what you did each day?

Did you feel you got to cover the things that you wanted to cover?

• Were the things covered within the topics the kind of things you expected them to be?
• Was there anything that you really wanted to cover but didn't get to?
• Was there anything that you had not mentioned when you made your choices at the beginning, that you realised later would be good? Did you get to cover that?
• Is there anything else that you wish you could have covered?

Which bit of the day did you like best?

• Morning/lunch/afternoon?

Was there anything you had to do that you didn't like? Or didn't agree with?

These days, some mothers say they feel they are constantly being criticised and people are always telling them what they should be doing. Did you ever feel like that?

• Was there any time in particular?

Did you miss any sessions?

• Why did you miss these sessions?
• What happened when you missed a session?
• Did you feel you had missed really important things?
• Were you able to catch up on what you had missed?
• How did you feel about going to the next session, after you'd missed one?

How did you feel about the text reminders that you got before each session?

• Were they useful or annoying?

Facilitators

Check - was it xxx and xxx who were the facilitators?

What were they like?

• How would you describe them to someone who hadn't met them?
• How did they make you feel?

What were the good things that they did?

What were the things they did that you didn't like/found annoying?

How did you get on with them?

Did you ever talk to them privately about anything?

• Did you feel you could have if you'd needed to?

I understand that sometimes other people came in to talk to you too?

• What were these sessions like?
• Was there anyone that you particularly liked?
• Have you since used any of the services that people talked to you about?
• Did you prefer having someone else in to talk to you or did you prefer it when it was just the facilitators there?

Did your health visitor ever come to You First?

• Did you like having them there?

Do you get on well with your health visitor?

Some people have suggested that health visitors might be able to facilitate the You First programme. How would you feel about having your health visitor doing that?

Trying things at home

Were there things that you learned about at You First that you tried at home?

• How did that go?

Was it harder to do some things at home than others?

Were there things that you didn't try?

Did you talk to anyone else about things that you found out about at You First?

• Family/partner/friends/health visitor?
• How did they react?
• Did you give anyone else tips and advice that you had picked up?

Is there anything that would make it easier to try things at home?

Group dynamics

Apart from your baby, who do you spend time with these days?

• Do you have family nearby that you see?
• Do you have any friends with a young baby?
• How have things changed since you've had the baby - do you see less of some people? Is there anyone you see more of?
• Has this changed at all since you started You First?

Did any of you know each other before?

When you were at the group, did it feel like other situations you have been in?

• Did it feel like school?
• Did it feel like you were out with a group of friends?

Would you have preferred it if it was a smaller group? or a bigger group?

Was it better or worse on days when there weren't so many parents there?

Would it be better if all of your babies were the same age when you started or was it good that there's a spread of ages?

• Would you have rather gone when your baby was younger or older?

Financial incentive/budgeting

I understand that you got £20 for each session of You First that you went to. Did you choose to defer the money till the end or did you get it after each session?

• How important was the money in your decision as to whether to go to You First at the beginning?
• How important was the money in your decision to keep going to You First and complete the programme?
• What did you do with the money you got?

Did you talk about money more generally at You First?

• What financial advice did you receive?
• Did you make a budget plan?
• Have you tried using it?
• Have you found it easy or difficult to stick to?
• Did you discuss any benefits that you might be entitled to?
• Are there any benefits that you are receiving now that you did not receive before you went to You First?
• Would you like any more advice about money or benefits?
• Do you know who you could speak to if you had any questions about benefits you might be entitled to in the future?

Qualification

Tell me about the qualification that you gained?

• Do you know what level the qualification is?
• Did you enjoy that aspect of You First?
• Was that something that attracted you to going in the first place?
• Do you know what you can do with the qualification? What?
• Do you want to do any more qualifications or courses?
• Do you know how you could find out about other qualifications or courses that are available to you?
• Do you need any more help to find out about courses that are available to you?

Potential benefits

What do you think the benefits of going to You First are for you and your baby?

IF THEY STRUGGLE TO COME UP WITH BENEFITS, USE THE CARD SORTING EXERCISE TO PROMPT

Card sorting exercise

I'm going to give you a pile of cards. On each card is something that You First might - or might not - make a difference to. For each one, please discuss and decide which pile it should go in and put it in the pile for 'agree, 'disagree' or 'neither'.

Cards will be randomly sorted but have:

My baby feeds better
My baby sleeps better
My baby cries less
My baby is happier
My baby is better behaved
I have more fun playing with my baby
I am more confident about doing things to help my baby learn things
I know more about where I can go for advice and support with my baby
I feel a more confident mother
I have a healthier lifestyle now

I have made good friends
I feel more confident
I feel happier
I feel less stressed
I have a clearer idea about what I want to do in the future
I feel more in control of my money
I didn't learn very much

I wish I had never gone to you First
I would go to something like You First again

The money was one of the best things
I didn't like leaving my baby in the crèche

POTENTIAL PROBES:

Tell me more about that
Why do you say that?
Why do you think that is?
Is that because of You First or something else?
What's different? What's changed?
What used to happen? What happens now?

Has anything else changed?
Have there been any other benefits?
Were there any other things you didn't like?

Looking to the future

Did you discuss what you wanted to do in the future when you were at You First?

• What kind of things did you talk about?

Did the facilitators come to visit you after the programme had finished?

• What kind of things did you discuss?
• Was it helpful?

Did you complete the Self Assessment form (show copy) again at this point?

• Did you think you'd made progress from the first two times you'd completed it?
• Did you discuss your progress with the facilitators?

Did you come up with an action plan?

• What was in it?
• Are you happy with it?
• Do you think you'll be able to follow it?
• Does it include going to any other programmes, groups or services?
• Does it include any doing any further qualifications?
• Does it include anything about getting a job or getting a new job?

What do you think should happen when people finish the You First programme?

Do you know if you will be getting any help or support with looking after your baby now that You First has finished?

Is there anything else that wasn't covered in your action plan that you'd like to happen now that you've finished You First?

Did you make any plans to see the facilitators again?

Summing up

How do you feel about having taken part in You First?

What was the main thing, if anything, that you gained from it?

Would you go to something like You First again?

If a friend said they were thinking of going to You First, what would you say to them?

What would you change about it to make it better?

Is there anything else you want to say about it that we haven't covered?

• Good things?
• Bad things?

Thank and close.

Discussion Guide 7 (c)
Follow up interviews with parents

Introduction

Introduce self and Ipsos MORI.

Thank participant(s) for taking part in the evaluation again, should take about an hour.

Remind them that we've been asked to see what is good about You First and what might be improved about it to make it better for people who go to it in the future. Explain that we are catching up with a few parents who went to You First to see how they have been getting on since it finished.

As with any research we do, everything you say will be completely confidential. We'll write a report for the Scottish Government but we won't use your name or write anything that could identify you. And we won't tell anyone from You First, or your Health Visitor, or social work, or anyone else what you, as an individual, said.

Obtain permission to record discussion.

NOTE: where parents have been interviewed before, we will review previous interview and add specific things to follow up on (e.g. if said they were thinking of going to Rhyme Time, we'll ask if they did).

Background

How have things been going since I last saw you?

How old is [name of baby] now?

Are you working or studying at all just now?

• Was this a job/course you were doing before having your baby or is it a new job/course?
• IF NEW: How did you find the job/course?

It's been a few months now since you finished You First. Looking back now, what was the main thing, if anything, that you gained from going to it?

IF SAY MEETING OTHER MUMS, AND BABIES MEETING OTHER BABIES PROBE ON WHY THEY THINK IT IS GOOD FOR THEIR BABIES TO MEET OTHER BABIES e.g. WHAT DO BABIES GAIN FROM THAT?

Do you miss it?

The reunion

Did you attend the You First reunion a few weeks ago?

IF NO: Did you not really fancy it?

Would you go if there was another one in a few months?

IF YES: How was it?

Can you tell me what happened at it?

• Where did you meet?
• How many people were there?
• What did you talk about?
• Did you enjoy it?
• Did you do the self assessment again?
  • Did you think you'd made progress from the first three times you'd completed it?
  • Did you discuss your progress with the facilitators?
  • Do you think it was useful to do that?

Before you went to the reunion, had you been in touch with other people from the You First group since it finished?

• Had you seen them or had you kept in contact in other ways e.g. texting or Facebook?
• How many of them?
• How often?
• Did the whole group ever meet up?

And since the reunion have you been in touch with anyone that you hadn't seen since the group finished?

• Have you seen them or have you kept in contact in other ways e.g. texting or Facebook?
• How many of them?
• How often?
• IF NO: do you think you will be in touch with them at all in the future?

Before the reunion, had you been in touch with the facilitators at all?

At the reunion, did you make any plans to see the facilitators again?

Do you think it was the right time to have the reunion or would you have it if it was a bit sooner? Or a bit longer after the group?

Using what they learnt at You First

Were there things that you learned about at You First that you have been doing at home?

• What kind of things?
• How has that been going?

What sort of things have you been doing with your baby recently?

• Have the things that you are able to do with your baby changed as s/he has got older?
• How confident are you at knowing what you can do with him/her as s/he gets older?
• Can you remember the kind of things you learnt at You First about how your baby's brain develops as he/she gets older?
  • Is there anything that particularly sticks in your mind or that you thought was particularly interesting?
  • Is there anything that surprised you?
• I know that you went to the park a few times at You First. Have you been to the park at all since you finished You First?

I know you talked a lot about budgeting at You First. How have you been getting on with that?

• Do you think you are doing better with your money than you were before you went to You First?

Is there anything that you've been finding difficult that you now wish you'd spent more time on at You First?

Accessing services

Have you been to any other groups since you finished You First?

• IFSO: how did you find out about these other groups?

IF NO: Would you like to go to other groups of mums and babies? do you know if there are other groups you could go to? What are the reasons why you have chosen not to go to them? Why did you go to You First? What was different about You First? What made it easier to go to You First?

How confident do you feel now about going to another group of mums and babies/toddlers?

• What would make you more confident about going?
• What if someone who had already been to the other group came to You First to tell you about it and then went with you the first time?
• What if you were put in touch with someone else who was around your age and had also been wanting to go to the group for a while and you were able to meet up beforehand?

How did you feel the first time you went to You First?

• would either of the things we just discussed have made it easier for you to go?

What kind of group would you like to go to?

• Something where you do things like playing, singing, painting with your baby?
• Something where go somewhere, for example, the zoo with your baby and other mums and babies?
• Something that has a crèche for your baby and allows you to spend time with other mums, for example, going shopping, bowling or to the cinema together?

Have you used a crèche at all since You First?

• Have you seen crèches anywhere else?
• Where do you think would be a good place to have a crèche?

Have you used any of the services that you found out about at You First?

Have you gone to any other services?

• how did you find out about that?

Have you looked for any other services?

Have you had any help or support with looking after your baby now that You First has finished?

Have you felt that you have needed any support?

What have you done when you needed advice about something to do with your child?

• What was the last thing that you weren't sure about or [name of baby] was having a problem with or being difficult about?
• What happened?
• What did you do?
• And can you think of anything else you've had problems with?

What do you think should happen when people finish the You First programme?

Qualification

Did you complete the qualification you did at You First?

• IF NOT: why not?

How do you feel about having done that?

• Was it worthwhile?
• Are you pleased you got it?

Have you given any more thought to doing some other qualifications in the future?

Looking to the future

Have you been thinking much about what you would like to do in the future?

• Have you been to any careers services or other services to talk to someone about what you might do?

Have you been looking at the action plan that you made at the end of You First?

• What was in it?
• Have you been following it?
• Do you think you will try to follow it in the future?

IF NO/NOT MUCH: Do you think it's a useful thing to do at the end of You First?

• Can you think of any way of making it more useful?

What have been the main reasons that you haven't really followed it?

Is there anything that would have helped you follow it more?

Summing up

How do you feel about having taken part in You First?

• What difference has it made to you and your baby?

Would you go to something like You First again?

If a friend said they were thinking of going to You First, what would you say to them?

Imagine that you hadn't been to You First. Would [name of baby] be any different? Would you be any different?

What would you change about it to make it better?

• Some people have suggested that it might have been better to have it twice a week for 8 weeks instead of once a week for 16 weeks. What do you think about that idea?
• Some people have suggested that you could have had more text reminders from the facilitators when you were at You First. So, as well as getting a reminder that You First was on tomorrow, you could have reminders that Rhymetime is on tomorrow or reminders to read a story at bedtime. How would you feel about that? Would it be useful or would you feel like you were being hassled?
• What about Facebook? How was that used? Would it have been good if that had been used for reminders or to give you details of other groups that were on?

Looking back, are there any topics you would add to it or spend more time on?

Is there anything else you want to say?

Thank and close.

Discussion Guide 7 (d)
Interviews with Parents who discontinued

Introduction

Introduce self and Ipsos MORI.

Thank participant for taking part, should take about an hour.

Explain that Ipsos MORI is a research company. Because You First is a new type of programme, we've been asked to look at it and see whether it's something that should be set up in other parts of Scotland, and if so, things that are good about it and things that could be improved.

We're talking to lots of different people who have been involved with You First, and we're talking to other parents like yourself who have had a bit of involvement with the programme at the start but not gone on to the end of it.

As with any research we do, everything you say will be completely confidential. We'll write a report for the Scottish Government but we won't use your name or write anything that could identify you. And we won't tell anyone from You First, or your Health Visitor, or social work, or anyone else what you, as an individual, said.

Obtain permission to record discussion.

Just to stress, I've not had anything to do with the design of You First or the running of it, so if there were things about it that you didn't like, please tell me about them. Because if there was something you didn't like about it, it's very probable that some other parents wouldn't like it either, so it's really useful for us to know the bad things as well as the good things.

Background

(Brief chat if this hasn't already happened:

Tell me about your baby - what's his/her name? how old is he/she now?

How long have you lived in this area?

And how long have you been in this house/flat?

And who do you live with?)

Apart from your baby, who do you spend time with these days?

• Do you have family nearby that you see?
• Do you have any friends with a young baby?

How have things changed since you've had the baby - do you see less of some people? Is there anyone you see more of?

Can you just tell me a bit about You First? What did it involve?

• Which bits did you like best?
• Which bits did you like least?

Initial reactions and aims

How did you first hear about You First?

• Who told you about it?
• Do you remember what they said about it?
• Did someone from You First come and talk to you about it?

Can you remember what you thought about it at that point?

• Did you like the sound of it or did you think it wouldn't be very good?

Why did you think you were being invited to it?

What did you think it would be like?

• What did you hope it would be like?
• What was different to what you expected?
• Was anything better than you expected?
• Was anything worse than you expected?

Which sessions did you go to?

What did you hope to get out of it?

• And did you?

At the beginning, did you get to choose what things you wanted to do?

• How did that work?
• Did you find it easy to choose?
• Were there many things you wanted to do?
• Was there anything that wasn't on the list that you thought might be good?

Practical aspects

Tell me about the place where the group met.

What was it like?

• Was it a nice place to be?
• Was it a good place to hold the group?
• Was it comfortable?
• Did it have the right facilities and equipment?

How easy was it to get to?

What was the lunch like?

What about the start and finish time?

• Was the day too short or too long?
• What time would you have preferred it to start? and finish?

What day of the week was it?

• Was that ok for you or would another day have been easier?

What about the fact that it was one day a week for 16 weeks?

• Is that too often or not often enough?
• If you'd carried on going, do you think 16 weeks would have been too long or not long enough?

Content of the sessions (will adapt depending on how many sessions they went to)

Tell me more about the different days that you went to, what did you learn about each day? (Will try to get list of their group did each session and will use that as a prompt if necessary)

What were the main things you remember about that day?

Was there anything you found useful or interesting that day?

Were there any bad bits that day?

Who decided what you did each day?

Did you feel you got to cover the things that you wanted to cover?

Which was the best day?

Which was the worst day?

Which bit of the day did you like best?

• Morning/lunch/afternoon?

Was there anything you were expected to do that you didn't like? Or didn't agree with?

How did you feel during the sessions?

What was it like when people from different outside agencies came to talk to you?

• How did they make you feel?

These days, some mothers say they feel they are constantly being criticised and people are always telling them what they should be doing. Did you ever feel like that?

• Was there any time in particular?

Trying things at home

Were there things that you learned about at You First that you tried at home?

• How did that go?

Was it harder to do some things at home than others?

Were there things that you didn't try?

Did you talk to anyone else about things that you found out about at You First?

• family/partner/friends?
• How did they react?
• Did you give anyone else tips and advice that you had picked up?

Is there anything that would make it easier to try things at home?

Group dynamics

Tell me about the other people in the group?

• Who were they?/What sort of people went?
• What were they like?
• Were they older or younger than you?
• Did you feel you had much in common with them?
• How did they make you feel?

Did you know any of them before?

Did some of them already know each other?

Were they friendly?

Was there anyone you particularly liked? What was it about her that made you like her?

And was there anyone that you didn't particularly like or get on with ? Why do you think that was?

When you were at the group, did it feel like other situations you have been in?

• Did it feel like school?
• Did it feel like you were out with a group of friends?

Would you have preferred it if it was a smaller group? or a bigger group?

Did you feel comfortable asking questions in front of them?

Did you feel comfortable talking about any problems you were having?

What were the other babies like?

• Were they older or younger than your baby?
• Does it matter that there's a spread of ages?
• Would you have rather gone when your baby was younger or older?

Facilitators

Check - was it xxx and xxx who were the facilitators?

What were they like?

• How would you describe them to someone who hadn't met them?
• How did they make you feel?

What were the good things that they did?

What were the things they did that you didn't like/found annoying?

Did you feel like you got on ok with them?

Did you ever talk to them privately about anything?

• Did you feel you could have if you'd needed to?

Discontinuation

Tell me about the last session that you went to?

What happened after that?

How did you feel about going back?

What stopped you going back?

Did anyone try and get you to go back?

• Do you think they wanted you to go back?
• Did you feel you were being nagged at to go back?

What might have helped you to go back?

After you'd missed a few sessions, did you feel you could go back if you had wanted to?

Had you missed any sessions before that?

• What happened when you missed a session?
• How did you feel about going to the next session, after you'd missed one?

The sessions that you did go to, why did you go to those?

How did you feel about the text reminders that you got before each session?

• Were they useful or annoying?

Financial incentive

Did you think about the money you would lose if you didn't go?

• Had you chosen to defer the money till the end or did you get it after each session?
• Did the money encourage you to go to the sessions you did go to?
• What did you do with the money you got?

Qualification

Tell me about the qualification that you were working towards?

• Did you enjoy that aspect of You First?
• Was that something that attracted you to going in the first place?
• How did you feel about not getting it when you stopped going?

Potential benefits

Card sorting exercise

I'm going to give you a pile of cards. On each card is something that You First might - or might not - make a difference to. For each one, put it in the pile for 'agree, 'disagree' or 'neither'. Just to stress - there are no right or wrong answers - we want you to tell it how it is!

Cards will be randomly sorted but have:

My baby feeds better
My baby sleeps better
My baby cries less
My baby is better behaved
I have more fun playing with my baby
I am more confident about doing things to help my baby learn things
I know more about where I can go for advice and support with my baby
I feel a more confident mother
I have made good friends
I feel more confident
I feel happier
I feel less stressed
I have a clearer idea about what I want to do in the future
I feel more in control of my money
I didn't learn very much

I wish I had never gone to you First
I wish I had kept going to You First

I would go to something like You First again

The money was one of the best things
I didn't like leaving my baby in the crèche

POTENTIAL PROBES:

Tell me more about that
Why do you say that?
Why do you think that is?
Is that because of You First or something else?
What's different? What's changed?
What used to happen? What happens now?

Has anything else changed?
Have there been any other benefits?
Were there any other things you didn't like?

Looking back

Looking back, do you wish you had gone back?

Do you wish you'd never gone in the first place?

Do you remember doing the Self Assessment form (show copy)?

• How often did you do it?
• Did you think you'd made progress?

Sometimes, when people start on something new, they learn a bit about something and then almost feel like they are going backwards, because they realise there is so much to learn. Did you feel like that at all?

Is there anything that you miss about it?

Are you still in touch with anyone from the group?

Would you go to something like You First again?

If a friend said they were thinking of going to You First, what would you say to them?

What sort of person do you think would get most out of it?

What do was the main thing, if anything, that you gained from it?

What would you change about it to make it better?

Is there anything else you want to say about it that we haven't covered?

• Good things?
• Bad things?

Thank and close.