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

APPENDIX 9: DISCUSSION GUIDES FOR QUALITATIVE RESEARCH WITH PROFESSIONALS

Discussion Guide 9 (a)
Interviews with health visitors - Phase 1

Introduction

Introduce self and Ipsos MORI

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

Explain purpose of this discussion - the purpose of this interview is to get your views on the 'You First' pilot programme. Being so involved in the referral processes, we are particularly interested to hear how it's working from your point of you and any thoughts you have on how it could be improved. We are also talking to parents, the NHS Lothian lead, the programme facilitators and other key stakeholders.

Explain that, as the programme is only running in the Lothians and there are only a small number of health visitors involved, we cannot assure complete anonymity when reporting the findings. However, your name will not be used. Advise that if there are any comments which they would like to withdraw then to say so and we will not include them in the report.

Obtain permission to record discussion.

The role of Health Visitors in You First

Can you just tell me a bit about what your role involves?

And what is your role in relation to You First?

PROBE:

• Ho do you feel about your role in the programme?
• Were you involved in defining what your role should be?
• Would you like to be more or less involved in the programme?
• Are there any issues that impact on your involvement with the programme?

Has your role changed at all since the programme started?

Referral/retention

Can you tell me a bit about how the referral process works?

PROBE:

• What do you think of this process?
• What are the main benefits of this approach?
• Are there limitations to this approach?
• What other methods of referral or recruitment could be used?

Who do you see as being the target group for You First?

PROBE: Is it targeted enough or is the target group too broad?

Is the programme reaching those who would benefit most?

Do you feel that health visitors are the most appropriate professionals to refer people to the You First programme?

Do you feel you have been told enough about what You First involves to be able to discuss it in detail with parents when referring them to the programme?

PROBE: Are there any questions parents have that you can't answer?

Were there any teething problems you first started referring people to the programme?

Are you clear about the referral criteria for the programme?

PROBE: Is there ever any doubt in your mind as to whether or not someone meets the criteria for the programme - particularly whether you would describe them as 'engaged' with local universal and specialist services?

As far as I'm aware, initial contact with parents who have consented to being approached about the programme is sometimes done through a visit from Barnardo's staff only and is sometimes done through a joint visit from Barnardo's staff and the health visitor. Can you give me a rough indication of what the split is?

Which method do you think works best for engaging with the parent?

Are there any resource issues with you being involved in these visits?

Do you think the flyer is effective in explaining the programme and encouraging parents to take part?

What is it that most attracts parents to the programme?

PROBE IF NOT MENTIONED:

• Does the financial incentive help attract them?
• Does the qualification help attract them?

And what is it that keeps them going once they've started?

PROBE IF NOT MENTIONED:

• What about the financial incentive?
• What about the qualification?

What do you think are the reasons why some parents choose not to attend the programme at all?

PROBE:

• Are they practical barriers (e.g. time doesn't suit, travel arrangements, location etc) or is it more to do with a lack of engagement?
• Can you think of anything else that could be done to encourage them to attend?

And what do you think are the reasons why some parents attend but do not complete the programme?

PROBE:

• Are they practical barriers (e.g. time doesn't suit, travel arrangements, location etc) or is it more to do with a lack of engagement?

What happens if parents miss a session?

Have there been any parents who you did not initially think would engage with the programme but who have gone on to complete the programme?

Aims and objectives

What do you see as being the objectives of You First?

PROBE:

• Do you think success could be measured?
• Do you think that's achievable?

How would you personally define success for the programme?

Benefits to parents

What would you say are the main benefits of the You First programme for parents?

PROBE:

• Can these only be achieved through full participation in all sessions?
• What changes do you think these will have on participants' lives?
• Do you see the benefits being long-term?

Have you noticed any changes in the parents since they started the programme? Prompt if ness:

• Practical childcare skills?
• Knowledge of child development
• Practical life skills (e.g. financial)
• The relationship between the parent and child?
• Wellbeing/confidence/relationship and attachment to baby/other relationships
• Personal health and risk factors - smoking, drinking, drug use, healthy eating, exercise?
• Awareness of services and sources of advice and support - and confidence in using them
• Meeting others and developing own support networks

And have you seen any negative changes?

Have there been any unexpected changes or benefits?

Are there any changes that you hoped/expected to see in the parents that have not yet happened?

Do you think that any parents on the programmes are not benefiting greatly from the programme because they don't actually require this support?

What do you think are the main challenges parents face when trying to apply outside the programme what they have learned?

What else might be done to support them applying what they have learnt outside the programme?

Have you had any feedback from parents who have been on the programme?

What age of baby do you think is the best time for parents to start the programme?

What do you think about the idea of introducing them to the programme at the pregnancy stage?

We understand that all the participants so far have been mothers. What has the role of fathers been?

PROBE:

• Is there a demand/need for something similar for fathers?

Programme delivery

In the report from the test site, contact with health visitors was mentioned as an area that the programme facilitators wished to develop and it was suggested that facilitators and health visitors should have a minimum of two face to face meetings during the course of the programme. Has this happened?

PROBE:

• Do you think this is necessary?
• Were you clear about the purpose of these meetings?
• What has been the effect of doing so?

Is there anything else that you think would help to develop the relationship between You First facilitators and health visitors?

In your opinion, who would be the ideal facilitator for this programme?

PROBE on:

• Background, experience, skills, training necessary

Do you think that health visitors would be suitable facilitators of the You first programme?

PROBE:

• How would you, personally, feel about being a facilitator?
• Would you feel that you have the skills, experience and training to do this?
• Would you require any further training in order to do so?
• Would you have any concerns about doing this?
• What effect do you think it would have on your relationship with the parents you visit?
• Would it be better if parents had their own health visitor or a different one on the programme?

In general, should any other health professionals be involved in the management or delivery of You First?

Programme content

What do you think about the person centred ideals of You First?

Do you think parents should choose the topics they cover?

PROBE:

• Are there problems with this?
• Are important topics not being covered?

Did you get a chance to suggest topics that should be included in the programme?

Have you presented at a You First session?

PROBE:

• how did that come about?
• what was it about?
• how did you find it?
• how did the parents respond to your session?

Have you had any involvement in suggesting other external speakers who might present at a You First session?

PROBE: Do you know anyone who might be good?

Further support to parents

Do you know much about how parents who completed the test phases are getting on since the programme finished?

PROBE:

• Are they still in contact with others from the group?
• o what activities have they engaged in?
• Are they engaging with other local services?

What is your role in providing further support to parents after they have completed the programme?

PROBE: Do health visitors have the time/resources to provide the level and type of support that is required?

What other support do you think parents should be offered after the programme has ended?

Are there any formal links in place for them to go to other services after You First has finished?

PROBE: Are these NHS services?

You First in your area

How did you first hear about You First?

What was your initial reaction when you first heard it was to be piloted in your area?

PROBE: Did you have any concerns?

Do you think You First fits in with and links in with other services provided in your area?

PROBE:

• the Community Health Partnership?
• other similar programmes in the area?
• health services?
• education services?
• social work services?

And how does it fit in with any local targets or outcomes you are working towards?

PROBE:

• HEAT targets?
• Single Outcome Agreement?

What other programmes or services are available for young parents in this area?

What is different about You First compared to other programmes for young parents provided in this area?

PROBE:

• What is good?
• What is not so good?
• Do you think best practice is shared between these programmes?
  • Is this formal or informal?

Have there been any knock on benefits for you as a result of You First?

Have there been any knock on benefits for NHS services in your area as a result of You First?

Has You First created any problems for NHS services in your area?

Management and support structures

Who do you think has ownership of the You First programme?

Do you think all of the stakeholders and agencies worked together as well as they could have?

PROBE:

• have there been any differences in aims?
• have there been any barriers?
• anything that has helped?
• do you know if it's worked differently in other areas?

Can you suggest anything that would improve the way that the You First programme is managed?

Which organisation do you think should deliver You First in the long term?

Are you aware of the funding arrangements in place for You First?

PROBE: Does this have any impact on the way in which the programme is managed?

Roll out

Do you think that You First should be rolled out across Scotland?

What advice would you give to other NHS areas who wished to implement the You First programme?

What advice would you give to health visitors in an area that was implementing the You First programme?

Is there anything else that you'd like to say?

PROBE:

• Anything that you think has worked particularly well that we haven't discussed?
• Anything that you would like to change that we haven't discussed?

Thank and close.

Discussion Guide 9(b)
Interviews with health visitors - Phase 3

Introduction

Introduce self and Ipsos MORI

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

Explain purpose of this discussion - the purpose of this interview is to get your views on the 'You First' pilot programme. Being so involved in the referral processes, we are particularly interested to hear how it's working from your point of you and any thoughts you have on how it could be improved. During the interview, we'll talk about the referral process, the benefits to parents, the content and delivery of the programme, the support available to parents after they finish You First and plans for the future of You First. Acknowledge that they may already have completed a questionnaire for us but explain that we would like to discuss the issues in more detail.

We've also been talking to parents, the NHS Lothian lead, the programme facilitators and other key stakeholders.

Explain that, as the programme is only running in the Lothians and there are only a small number of health visitors involved, we cannot assure complete anonymity when reporting the findings. However, your name will not be used. Advise that if there are any comments which they would like to withdraw then to say so and we will not include them in the report.

Obtain permission to record discussion.

The role of Health Visitors in You First

The purpose of this section is to get a sense of their views about You First in general and to ascertain to what extent they are involved in it.

How did you first hear about You First?

What was your initial reaction when you first heard it was to be piloted in your area?

• Did you have any concerns?
• Did you feel there was a gap for a service like You First?
• How does it fit in with the other services available in your area?

How much would you say you know about You First?

And what is your role in relation to You First?

PROBE:

• How many You First pilots have you been involved with?
• Has your role been the same in each of the pilots?
• Would you like to be more or less involved in the programme?

Referral/retention

The purpose of this section is to explore how health visitors feel about the programme eligibility criteria, the referral process and the reasons why they think parents choose to attend/not attend the programme.

Can you tell me a bit more about how the referral process works?

• What do you think of this process?
• What are the main benefits of this approach?
• Are there limitations to this approach?

What do you understand to be the eligibility criteria for the programme?

• What do you think about the eligibility criteria?

Is the referral process effective in reaching those that are eligible?

• What other methods of referral or recruitment could be used?

Are there parents who do not meet the eligibility criteria who you think would benefit from attending You First?

PROBE AROUND WHY THEY ARE INELIGIBLE

• Age of parent: What should be the maximum age? Would you see any implications for younger parents of having older parents there?
• Age of child and having more than one child: What makes you say that these parents require this type of support? From a practical point of view, do you think the programme could work if parents had older children/more than one child there?
• Deprivation: How do you know whether someone lives in one of the 15% most deprived areas? (If they think it should be extended) what SIMD level should it cover?

Do you mention You First to all parents in your caseload who meet the eligibility criteria?

• How many has this tended to be?
• How long before a group starts do you mention it to parents?
• Have you ever had to make a choice as to which ones to mention it to because there were too many eligible parents?
• Or did you find that you were struggling to find sufficient numbers of parents who lived within a suitable distance of the group and met the eligibility criteria?

How many of those you mentioned You First to chose to have the home visit from You First facilitators?

What is it that most attracts parents to the programme?

PROBE IF NOT MENTIONED:

• Does the financial incentive help attract them?
• Does the qualification help attract them?

And what motivates them to carry on attending?

What do you think are the reasons why some parents choose not to attend the programme at all?

• Are they practical barriers (e.g. time doesn't suit, travel arrangements, location etc) or is it more to do with a lack of engagement/other things happening in their lives?
• Can you think of anything else that could be done to encourage them to attend?

Do you know of any parents who went to You First initially but did not complete it? What reasons did they have?

Do you feel you have been told enough about what You First involves to be able to discuss it in detail with parents when referring them to the programme?

• Are there any questions parents have that you can't answer?

Do you think the flyer is effective in explaining the programme and encouraging parents to take part?

Have you attended any of the initial home visits alongside the You First facilitators?

• Has that/would that encourage parents to have a home visit/encourage them to attend the programme?

What happens if parents miss a session?

• Have you been involved in trying to persuade them to return?

Have there been any parents who you did not initially think would engage with the programme but who have gone on to complete the programme?

What do you think about the idea of introducing the programme to parents at the antenatal stage?

We understand that all the participants so far have been mothers. Have you mentioned it to any fathers?

• Is there a demand/need for something similar for fathers?

Benefits to parents

The purpose of this section is to explore health visitors' views on the benefits of You First and the ways in which they can be sustained.

What would you say are the main benefits of the You First programme for parents?

• Do you see the benefits being long-term?

Have you noticed any changes in the parents since they started the programme? Prompt if necessary:

• Practical childcare skills?
• Knowledge of child development?
• The relationship between the parent and child?
• Other relationships?
• Financial capabilities?
• Wellbeing/confidence?
• Future planning?
• Personal health and risk factors - smoking, drinking, drug use, healthy eating, exercise?
• Awareness of services and sources of advice and support - and confidence in using them?
• Awareness of learning opportunities/careers advice - and confidence in using them?
• Meeting others and developing own support networks?

And have you seen any negative changes?

Have there been any unexpected changes or benefits?

Are there any changes that you hoped/expected to see in the parents that have not yet happened?

Do you think that any parents on the programmes are not benefiting greatly from the programme because they don't actually require this support?

What do you think are the main challenges parents face when trying to apply outside the programme what they have learned?

What else might be done to support them applying what they have learnt outside the programme?

Have you had any feedback from parents who have been on the programme?

Programme delivery/content

The purpose of this section is to explore health visitors' views on programme delivery and content, including: the level of involvement they've had, whether they could facilitate You First in future and the person centred ideals of the programme.

What level of contact have you had with the programme facilitators during the course of the programme?

• Do you think this appropriate?

If You First was to continue or be rolled out in other areas, is it something that health visitors could facilitate?

• How would you, personally, feel about being a facilitator?
• Would you feel that you have the skills, experience and training to do this?
• Would you require any further training in order to do so?
• Would you have any concerns about doing this?
• What effect do you think it would have on your relationship with the parents you visit?
• Would it be better if parents had their own health visitor or a different one on the programme?

What do you think about the person centred ideals of You First?

Do you think parents should choose the topics they cover?

• Are there problems with this?
• Are important topics not being covered?

Have you presented at a You First session?

• how did that come about?
• what was it about?
• how did you find it?
• how did the parents respond to your session?

Have you had any involvement in suggesting other external speakers who might present at a You First session?

• Do you know anyone who might be good?

Further support to parents

The purpose of this section is to explore how health visitors feel parents could/should be supported after they finish You First.

Do you know much about how parents who completed a phase one or two programme are getting on since the programme finished?

• Are they still in contact with others from the group?
• Are they engaging with other local services?
• Are they attending any clinics/groups you run?

What is your role in providing further support to parents after they have completed the programme?

What other supports or groups are available for them?

• Is You First linking in with all relevant services/groups?

We've been finding that You First increases parents' awareness of available services but that many parents don't actually attend anything else. Why do you think that is?

• What is it about You First that makes them happy to attend that but not to attend other things?
• What else could be done to encourage them to engage with other services?

What other support do you think parents should be offered after the programme has ended?

The future of You First

The purpose of this section is to elicit learning that could be applied should you First be expanded across other areas of Scotland.

Do you think that You First should be replicated across Scotland?

What advice would you give to other NHS areas who wished to implement the You First programme?

What advice would you give to health visitors in an area that was implementing the You First programme?

Is there anything else that you'd like to say?

• Anything that you think has worked particularly well that we haven't discussed?
• Anything that you would like to change that we haven't discussed?

Thank and close.

Discussion Guide 9 (c)
Interview with NHS Lothian Lead

Introduction

Introduce self and Ipsos MORI

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

Explain purpose of this discussion - the purpose of this interview is to get your thoughts on the 'You First' pilot programme. We are interviewing you today as the NHS Lothian Lead and we will also be interviewing health visitors to get their view on how it is working 'on the ground'.

Having an overview of the programme from the NHS side, your views are really important both in evaluating this pilot and in rolling out the programme in the future should other areas implement it. We know you will have your own views on the programme and we also understand that you are likely to have heard things from the health visitors as to how it is going. Both of these are valid so please feel free to give your own opinions as well as discussing what the health visitors have told you.

Explain that, as the programme is only running in the Lothians, we cannot assure anonymity when reporting the findings. However, your name will not be used. Advise that if there are any comments which they would like to withdraw then to say so and we will not include them in the report.

Obtain permission to record discussion.

Background

Can you just tell me a bit about what your role involves?

And what is your role in relation to You First?

Aims and objectives

What do you understand to be the objectives of You First?

PROBE:

• Are these outcomes measurable?
• Are the outcomes achievable?

Do you think that there is a shared understanding of these objectives between all key partners - Barnardo's, NHS Lothian, the Scottish Government and participating local authorities?

How would you define success for the programme?

You First and NHS Lothian

How did you first hear about You First?

What discussions took place about piloting it in the Lothians?

What was your reaction to it being piloted in the Lothians?

PROBE: Did you have any concerns about it at the start?

How was the set-up process?

PROBE:

• Were there any particular problems/barriers?
• Was there anything that particularly helped?

How does You First fit in with and link in with other services provided in the Lothians?

PROBE:

• individual Community Health Partnerships in each of the three local authorities?
• other similar programmes in the areas?
• health services?
• education services?
• social work services?

And how does it fit in with strategic targets and outcomes?

PROBE:

• HEAT targets?
• Single Outcome Agreements?

What other programmes or services are available for young parents in the Lothians?

What is different about You First compared to other programmes for young parents provided in the Lothians?

PROBE:

• What is good?
• What is not so good?
• Is best practice shared between these programmes?
  • Is this formal or informal?

Have there been any knock on benefits for any NHS services in the Lothians as a result of You First?

Has You First created any problems for NHS services in the Lothians?

The role of Health Visitors in You First

What has the role of health visitors been in You First to date?

PROBE:

• Were you involved in defining what their role should be?
• Are you happy with their role in the programme?
• Should they have more or less input?

Has their role changed or developed at all since the programme started?

In the report from the test site, contact with health visitors was mentioned as an area that the programme facilitators wished to develop and it was suggested that facilitators should have a minimum of two face to face meetings with them during the course of the programme. Do you know whether this has happened?

PROBE:

• Were you supportive of this?
• What has been the effect of doing so?

Do you think that health visitors would be suitable facilitators of the You first programme?

PROBE:

• Would you have any concerns about them doing this?
• Would they require any further training in order to do so?

In your opinion, who would be the ideal facilitator for this programme?

PROBE on:

• background, experience, skills, training necessary

In general, should any other health professionals be involved in the management or delivery of You First?

Referral/retention

Who do you see as being the target group for You First?

PROBE:

• Is it targeted enough or is the target group too broad?

Do you think it is reaching those who need it most?

Can you tell me a bit about how the referral process works?

PROBE:

• What do you think of this process?
• What are the main benefits of this approach?
• Are there limitations to this approach?
• What other methods of recruitment could be used?

From what you have heard, what is it that most attracts parents to the programme?

In your view, how important is the financial incentive in terms of getting parents to attend the programme in the first place?

How important is it in getting them to complete the programme?

And how important is the qualification in attracting them to attend in the first place and then completing it?

Do you know what reasons are given by those who choose not to attend the programme at all?

PROBE:

• Are they practical barriers (e.g. time doesn't suit, travel arrangements, location etc) or is it more to do with a lack of engagement?
• How do you find out this information?

Are there any other routes that people should be referred through?

Benefits to parents

What would you say are the main benefits of the You First programme for parents?

What do you think are the main challenges parents face when trying to apply outside the programme what they have learned?

PROBE:

• Being in unsupportive relationships
• Lack of support and encouragement from family/peers
• Financial/health/substance use problems

What else might be done to support them applying what they have learnt outside the programme?

Programme content

What do you think about the person centred ideals of You First?

How does the person-centred approach fit with other targets/outcomes?

What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of this parent centred approach to deciding on topics to be covered during the programme?

PROBE:

• Does it mean that, in your opinion, important topics are not being covered?

Did you get a chance to suggest topics that should be included in the programme?

Have you had any involvement in suggesting external contributors who might be involved in a You First session?

Further support to parents

Have you heard much about how parents who completed the test phases are getting on since the programme finished?

PROBE:

• Are they still in contact with others from the group?
  • what activities have they engaged in?
• Are they engaging with other local services?

What support do you think parents should be offered after the programme has ended?

Are there any formal links in place for them to go to other services after You First has finished?

What is the role of health visitors in providing further support to parents after they have completed the programme?

PROBE: Do they have the capacity to do provide the level and type of support that is required?

Management and support structures

Who has ownership of the You First programme?

Has there been buy in from all of the relevant agencies/individuals?

How have all of the stakeholders and agencies worked together?

PROBE:

• have there been any barriers?
• anything that has helped?
• have there been any differences between the three local authorities?

How effective is the management structure in place for the You first programme?

Which organisation is best placed to deliver You First in the long term?

Are you aware of the funding arrangements in place for You First?

PROBE: Does this have any impact on the way in which the programme is managed?

Roll out

Do you think that You First should be rolled out across Scotland?

What advice would you give to other NHS areas who wished to implement the You First programme?

Is there anything else that you'd like to say?

PROBE:

• Anything that you think has worked particularly well that we haven't discussed?
• Anything that you would like to change that we haven't discussed?

Thank and close.

Discussion Guide 9(d)
Interviews with other professionals

Introduction

Introduce self and Ipsos MORI

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

Explain purpose of this discussion - the purpose of this interview is to get your thoughts on the 'You First' pilot programme.

We are interviewing a range of professionals who have been involved in the 'You First' programme and we'd like to hear your views on the programme and how it fits in with other services in your local area. This will help us both to evaluate the programme and to provide recommendations for successful rollout of the programme should other areas implement it

Explain that, as the programme is only running in the Lothians, we cannot assure anonymity when reporting the findings. However, your name will not be used. Advise that if there are any comments which they would like to withdraw then to say so and we will not include them in the report.

Obtain permission to record discussion.

Background

Can you just tell me a bit about what your organisation does/what your role involves?

And how have you been involved with You First?

You First in Mid/East/West Lothian

How did you first hear about You First?

What do you understand to be the objectives of You First?

Do you feel you need any further information about any aspects of You First?

Were you involved in any discussions about piloting it in Mid/East/West Lothian?

What was your reaction to it being piloted in the Mid/East/West Lothian?

PROBE: Did you have any concerns about it at the start?

What did you think about the set-up process in Mid/East/West Lothian?

PROBE:

• Were there any particular problems/barriers?
• Was there anything that particularly helped?

What other programmes or services are available for young parents in the Mid/East/West Lothian?

How does You First fit in with and link in with these other services?

PROBE:

• Was there a gap for a service such as You First?
• Does it duplicate other services provided in the area?

Does You First also link in with other more universal services in the area that are not specifically aimed at young parents?

What is different about You First compared to other programmes for young parents provided in the Mid/East/West Lothian?

Is best practice shared between You First and other programmes?

PROBE:

• Is this formal or informal?
• Would it be useful for this to be done (more)?

Have there been any knock on benefits for your service, or any others services you know of, as a result of You First?

Has You First got the support of other organisations in your area?

Has You First created any problems for any other services in Mid/East/West Lothian?

Referral/retention

Who do you see as being the target group for You First?

PROBE:

• Is it targeted enough or is the target group too broad?

Do you think it is reaching those who need it most?

What do you think of the referral process?

• What other methods of recruitment could be used?

From what you have heard, what is it that most attracts parents to the programme?

What do you think about the financial incentive?

PROBE:

• How important is the financial incentive in terms of getting parents to attend the programme in the first place?

How important is it in getting them to complete the programme?

What do you think about the qualification aspect of the programme?

PROBE - Is it:

• Useful?
• Important?
• Attractive?

Do you think parents finish the course with an understanding of how they could build on their qualification?

Do you know why some parents choose not to attend the programme at all?

PROBE:

• Are there practical barriers (e.g. time doesn't suit, travel arrangements, location etc) or is it more to do with a lack of engagement?

Content and delivery

Do you think the programme delivery format is suitable for this group?

What are the most important skills required to be a facilitator for this programme?

PROBE on:

• background, experience, skills, training necessary

Have you presented a session at You First?

PROBE :

• How did that go?
• Is there any information that the facilitators could have given you that would have helped you prepare better?
• Is there anything that you would do differently if you did it again in the future?

What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of this parent centred approach to deciding on topics to be covered during the programme?

PROBE:

• Does it mean that, in your opinion, important topics are not being covered?

Did you get a chance to suggest topics that should be included in the programme?

Have you had any involvement in suggesting external contributors who might be involved in a You First session?

Do you know of any other services in the area that could be involved in You First?

Supporting parents

How would you define success for the programme?

What would you say are the main benefits of the You First programme for parents?

What do you think are the main challenges parents face when they try to apply what they have learned from the programme?

PROBE:

• Being in unsupportive relationships
• Lack of support and encouragement from family/peers
• Financial/health/substance use problems

What else might be done to support them applying what they have learnt outside the programme?

What involvement have you had with You First parents during or after the programme?

PROBE:

• In your opinion, have the people who have used your service needed it?

What more could be done to get others to engage with your service?

Do you know how they have been getting on since they finished the programme?

PROBE:

• Are they still in contact with others from the group?
• What activities have they engaged in?
• Are they engaging with other local services?

What support do you think parents should be offered after the programme has ended?

Can you think of anything else that could be done to maximise the potential benefits of You First for young people in your area?

Are there any formal links in place for them to go to other services after You First has finished?

Roll out

Do you think that You First should be rolled out across Scotland?

IF SO: How do you think this should be done?

What advice would you give to other local authorities who wished to implement the You First programme?

Is there anything else that you'd like to say?

PROBE:

• Anything that you think has worked particularly well that we haven't discussed?
• Anything that you would like to change that we haven't discussed?

Thank and close.

Discussion Guide 9 (e)
Evaluation of You First

Interview with Barnardo's Project Manager

Introduction

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

Explain purpose of this discussion - the purpose of this interview is to get your thoughts on the 'You First' pilot programme from a strategic perspective. We are interviewing you today as the project manager rather than a facilitator.

As you have had an overview of the development of the programme, your views are really important in evaluating this pilot and in rolling out You First in the future should other areas implement it.

Explain that, as we are interviewing only a small number of senior stakeholders, we cannot assure anonymity when reporting the findings. However, your name will not be used. Advise that if there are any comments which they would like to withdraw then to say so and we will not include them in the report.

Obtain permission to record discussion

Background

We know a lot about what you do as a facilitator but what do you do that comes under the project manager umbrella?

At what stage in the programme development did you become involved?

Development of the programme

How did the idea for You First initially come about?

Can you describe how the programme was developed?

Another of Barnardo's projects, Paisley Threads, has similarities to You First. Why was it decided that a new programme would be developed rather than rolling out Paisley Threads in new areas?

Why were the Lothians selected for the test and pilot?

PROBE:

• Who was involved in that decision?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of piloting in the Lothians?

Would you have done anything differently if another area had been selected?

Aims and objectives

I know we have talked about the aims of the programme before, but if you had to summarise, what would you say is the overall aim of the programme?

How would you define success for the programme?

And how do you think that should or could be measured?

You First and local provision

What makes You First different from the other programmes available to young parents in the Lothians?

Do you have buy-in and support locally?

What have been the challenges of working with other local service providers?

Who would you like to see have more involvement in the programme?

Management and support structures

Can you describe the management structure in place for the programme?

Is there anything you would change about it, if you could?

How supported do you feel in performing your role by senior staff at Barnardo's?

Although You First is delivered by Barnardo's, there are several other partners involved in the programme, the Scottish Government, the three local authorities and NHS Lothian. Does working with these groups have an effect on the design of You First?

PROBE:

• What about the delivery?
• What about the aims?

And how do you think the partnership is working?

PROBE:

• What has helped?
• What has hindered it?

How does the fact you are programme manager and programme facilitator affect things?

PROBE:

• What are the advantages?
• Are there any disadvantages?
• If the programme was rolled out, what would you advise on this front?

How is your time split between project management and planning for sessions?

How many sessions are manageable in a week?

How much office time does each session require?

How is You First funded?

PROBE: What effect does this have?

What do you think the funding options are in the longer term if the programme is rolled out?

Facilitators

How easy do you think it would be to replicate You First elsewhere?

Do you think the programme would be successful without someone like you who is very enthusiastic about it and has been involved from the start to drive it?

How do you feel about professionals who are not from Barnardo's facilitating the programme?

I know we talked about training in the previous interview but if the programme was rolled out, would you like to see specific You First training for those new to the role of facilitator?

Roll out

Earlier you spoke about [Go back to her measure of success], how far along are you in achieving this?

Thinking as the project manager, rather than a facilitator, what changes, if any, would you like to see to the programme if it were to be rolled out?

What are your views on rolling out the programme across Scotland?

Do you have any thoughts on how should it be rolled out?

PROBE:

• Who should roll it out?
• Who should manage it?
• Who should deliver it?
• Which areas?

Which aspects do you think are core to the programme and have to be rolled out?

And are there any aspects that could be more flexible?

What are the main barriers/challenges of a national roll out of the programme?

PROBE:

• Staffing?
• Funding?

Is there anything else that you'd like to say?

PROBE:

• Anything that you think has worked particularly well that we haven't discussed?
• Anything that you would like to change that we haven't discussed?

Thank and close.

Discussion Guide 9 (f)
Evaluation of You First

Paired depth with programme facilitators

Introduction

Introduce self and Ipsos MORI

Thank participants for taking part, should take about two hours.

Explain purpose of this discussion - the purpose of this interview is to get your initial thoughts on what is working well and what could be improved in relation to the You First programme. We are interviewing you today as programme facilitators. Explain that we will interview xxx separately in the role of programme manager.

Explain that, as they are the only facilitators involved in the programme, we cannot assure offer anonymity when reporting the findings. However, your names will not be used. Advise them that if there are any comments which they would like to withdraw then to say so and we will not include them in the report.

Being the two facilitators of the programme, we know you will have a great deal of knowledge about all aspects of the programme. Your views are really important both in evaluating this pilot and about rolling out the programme in the future when other people will be facilitating it. The answers to some questions may be based on your perceptions/impressions of what the parents think of the programme and some may be based on what they have actually told you or have recorded in their evaluations forms. Both of these are valid so please feel free to give your own opinions.

Finally, I think it would be useful it we could alternate which of you answers the questions first. The other will, of course, be free to add any further comments or to disagree.

Obtain permission to record discussion

Benefits to parents

What would you say are the main benefits of the You First programme for parents?

PROBE:

• can these only be achieved through full participation in all sessions?
• what changes do you think these will have on participants' lives?
• do you see the benefits being long-term?

Have you noticed any changes in the parents since they started the programme? PROBE:

• changes in how they are in the sessions
• with each other
• with their children

Are there any changes that you hoped/expected to see in the parents that have not yet happened?

Have there been any unexpected changes or benefits?

Prompt if ness:

• Practical skills with baby
• Practical life skills (e.g. financial)
• Awareness of services and sources of advice and support - and confidence in using them
• Knowledge of child development
• Wellbeing/confidence/relationship and attachment to baby/other relationships
• Meeting others and developing own support networks

And have you seen any negative changes?

At what point in the child's development is it best for parents to attend the programme in order that the benefits are maximised?

What do you think are the main challenges parents face when trying to apply outside the programme what they have learned?

PROBE:

• Being in unsupportive relationships
• Lack of support and encouragement from family/peers
• Financial/health/substance use problems

What else might be done to support them applying what they have learnt outside the programme?

Is the programme reaching those who would benefit most?

Do you think that any parents on the programmes are not benefiting greatly from the programme because they don't actually require this support?

We understand that all the participants so far have been mothers. What has the role of fathers been?

PROBE:

• Is there a demand/need for something similar for fathers?

Referral/retention

Is the referral process still the same as that described in the Operating Specification?

PROBE:

• What do you think of this process?
• What are the main benefits of this approach?
• Are there limitations to this approach?
• What other methods of recruitment could be used?

From what you can tell, what is it that most attracts parents to the programme?

In your view, how important is the financial incentive in terms of getting parents to attend the programme in the first place?

PROBE:

• How important is it in getting them to complete the programme?

Do you know what reasons are given by those who choose not to attend the programme at all?

PROBE:

• Are they practical barriers (e.g. time doesn't suit, travel arrangements, location etc) or is it more to do with a lack of engagement?
• How do you find out this information?

And what are the reasons why some parents have attended some sessions but have not completed the programme?

PROBE:

• Practical, personal reasons or not liking the programme?
• How do you find out this information?
• What is done to support them?
• Is there any way in which the programme could be changed to try and minimise discontinuation?

The test site report mentioned that attendance by some parents was sporadic and that for the pilot it would be made clear to them that the health visitor would be informed if they missed two consecutive sessions. Has this happened?

PROBE:

• What effect has this had?

Do you know whether any parents from the test sites have recommended other parents to the programme?

Have any parents asked whether they can bring friends along?

PROBE:

• Is there capacity for the programmes to take on any new participants?

Have any parents said that they would recommend the programme to someone in a similar position?

Content and delivery

How did you decide what topics to include in the subject choices offered to parents?

PROBE:

• Was there any pressure from stakeholders to include particular topics?
• To what extent did you consider existing provision in the local area?
  • to avoid duplication?
  • to create content that links in with other available provision so that parents can continue their learning?
  • to fit in with the local authority's plans/strategy?
• Were they adapted and/or expanded at the start of the pilot to reflect participant choices in the test sites?

What are the main topics that parents have chosen to cover?

Can you describe the process that you go through with parents in order to decide which topics will be covered?

PROBE:

• How likely is it that parents would feel confident enough to suggest something not on the menu?
• How able are they to identify and articulate other needs that are not on the menu?
• Do you think that parents might have issues that they would like to cover but are afraid to mention as they are ashamed or feel inadequate? For example, abuse, negative feelings towards child, smacking.
• What tips can you give for encouraging personal choice and openness?
• If parents don't agree on the topics they'd like, how do you decide which ones to cover? And how is this communicated to parents?
• Can parents ask for other topics to be covered once the programme has started if they change their mind/want more information on a topic?

What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of this parent centred approach to deciding on topics?

PROBE:

• Does it mean that, in your opinion, important topics are not being covered?
• How does the choice of topics compare with what topics you would have chosen?

Which sessions have gone particularly well?

PROBE:

• Was it the topic area, the learning/delivery method of the session that parents liked?
• Would you consider giving more time to this session in future?

And which have gone not so well?

PROBE:

• Was it the topic area, the format of the session?
• Have you any thoughts on how this session could be improved in future
• Has the programme been changed over time in response to what has worked and not worked?

How do you decide on the different formats in which to present different topics?

PROBE:

• Which formats seem to work best?

The test site report mentioned that it was difficult to retain a focus in the parent and child sessions. Can you tell me why that was?

PROBE:

• Has anything helped address this?

Do you think it is important to provide opportunities for parents to speak to a facilitator in private?

PROBE IF YES:

• How often would you say this has happened?
• For what sort of issues?
• How is this managed?

You mentioned that you offer parents the chance to contact you between sessions if they need to but that few have done so. Why do you think this is?

Do you document the calls texts that you do receive?

Facilitation

I now want to ask you about the facilitation of the sessions in a bit more detail. Can I just ask what your professional backgrounds are?

Did you receive any training specifically for delivering You First?

PROBE:

• How effective was it?
• Do you think there are any areas you need further training on?
• IF NOT HAD TRAINING: would training have been useful?

If you were to replace yourself, who would you recruit as a facilitator?

PROBE on:

• background, experience, skills, training necessary

Can you explain why it is necessary to have two facilitators at each session?

IF THEY DO SAY TWO IS NECESSARY - Given that two facilitators cover each programme, would you want them to have different backgrounds/skill sets?

PROBE:

• What would be the ideal combination?

How do you decide on which one of you facilitates each session?

How does the process of getting an external person/organisation to present work?

PROBE:

• How do you decide when it is appropriate to have an external person/organisation to present?
• How have you gone about identifying them?
• How do you encourage them to come along?
• How do you get the ethos of the programme across effectively so that their presentations fit in with the rest of the programme in terms of tone etc?

Which sessions involving external speakers have been most successful?

And which have not worked so well?

Do the external speakers talk to the parents about where they can go for more advice/support on the topic?

Does the flexibility of the person centred approach have any implications for the practicalities of finding suitable presenters?

Does the dynamic change when there are external speakers/facilitators?

How comfortable/confident are parents about asking questions/challenging things/sharing their experiences?

PROBE:

• Can you give me an idea of the number of questions asked per session, for example?
• Can you see a difference over he course of the programme?
• Is there anything you've found that helps/hinders this?

How do the groups differ in terms of their dynamics?

PROBE:

• Are there particular individuals who have caused problems/been challenging for the group dynamic?
• Are there particular types of situations/topics when individuals have caused problems?
  • how have you addressed this?

Can you tell me a bit more about the session recordings you make after each session?

PROBE:

• What do these entail?
• Is this a formal procedure put in place by Barnardo's or is this your own best practice?
• Once the programme was fully established would you still do these or is it just done as part of the pilot?

Thinking about the current structure of the programme - 1 day a week for 16 weeks with crèche in the morning and parent and child sessions in the afternoon - would you make any changes to this structure to improve the programme?

IF YES, PROBE:

• What would the ideal be?
• If resource was the same, would once a fortnight for 32 weeks be better?
• Or more intensive?

What is the ideal number of participants?

If there were resource issues, what would be the minimum amount of time that would be useful?

The qualification

Can you tell me a bit more about what the qualification involves?

PROBE:

• Does it incorporate any ICT?

Why was this particular qualification chosen?

• Were there alternatives that you considered?
• How does the qualification fit into the wider Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework (SCQF)?
• How do the topics covered in the qualification link into the wider learning context?
• Are there clear progression paths for participants to follow to continue their learning after completing the qualification?
  • how is this communicated to parents?

What is the relationship between the programme and the qualification?

PROBE:

• Is it necessary or could the programme function without it?

How does the qualification fit with the person centre ideals?

What proportion of time is spent doing work for the qualification?

PROBE:

• Is all of this work that would be useful for parents anyway or is time 'wasted' with administrative elements of the qualification?

How confident do you feel delivering it?

IF NOT MENTIONED ABOVE:

• have you had any training specifically on delivering the qualification?

In the test site report, the qualification was mentioned as an area for development - it seems that there was too much choice offered in terms of what they could do the project on. What sort of things did they choose?

What choices are they offered now?

PROBE:

• Has this made it easier for them to complete it during the programme?
• Does this compromise the person centred ideals?

In your view, how important is it to parents that they get a qualification from the programme?

PROBE:

• Does it act as an incentive or a barrier to their participation in the programme?
• How committed are participants to the qualification?
• How do you think participants will use the qualification?
  • What difference will it make to them?

In your view, has it changed their attitudes towards learning?

PROBE:

• Do they ask for information about what their qualification enables them to do?
• Do they ask for information on where they could go to complete further qualifications?
  • Are you able to advise them on how they can do this? - where to go, who to speak to, costs, support?

Facilities/practical issues

Can you tell me a bit about the venues you have used for hosting the programme?

PROBE:

• Which is best?
• Where would be ideal?

If someone else was rolling out the programme, what advice would you give to them in relation to choosing a venue?

PROBE:

• What are the key features needed?

Do you need any further equipment in order to enhance the programmes, e.g. to enable you to give practical demonstrations?

The test site report mentioned that you had an issue with people turning up at 11 instead of the 10.30 check in. Why was this?

PROBE:

• is 10.30 too early to get up and organised or is it just because in their mind the check in wasn't important and the real start time was 11?

The test site report also mentioned that it had been more difficult to manage the issue of smoking breaks when you were conducting activities outwith the main venue. Is this still the case or have you done anything which has addressed this issue?

Action planning session

How important are the individual action planning sessions at the end of the programme?

PROBE: What are the main benefits?

The test site report picked up on a couple of areas for development in relation to the action planning sessions - incorporating some of the work from the qualifications into the group sessions to cut down on the length of the action planning sessions and difficulties engaging with participants. Can you tell me what you have done to try and improve on the success of this part of the programme?

Further support to parents

At what point do you see your involvement with the parents ending?

Have you heard much about how parents who completed the test phases are getting on since the programme finished?

PROBE:

• Are they still in contact with others from the group?
  • what activities have they engaged in?
• Are they engaging with other local services?

What support do parents want after the programme has ended?

PROBE:

• Are you able to offer this?
• What else do you offer?

Are there any formal links in place for them to go to other services after You First has finished?

PROBE: Anywhere for them to continue their learning/take further qualifications?

The test report stated that some organisations and services who had offered ongoing support to parents did not follow through with what they had offered. Can you give me some examples?

PROBE:

• Did you find out the reasons for this?
• Can anything be done to try to ensure this does not happen in the pilot phase?

Links with other services

Your contact with health visitors was mentioned as an area to develop from the test sites and it was suggested that you have a minimum of two face to face meetings with them during the course of the programme. Have you been able to do this?

PROBE:

• What has been the effect of doing so?

Can you tell me a bit about the other services in the areas that you work with?

PROBE:

• How did you go about making these links?
• How does this joint working help maximise the benefits of You First?
• Does it hinder the programme in any way?
• To what extent do you share best practice or share resources with other organisations?

Do you have the support from local stakeholders that you need to run the programme effectively?

PROBE:

• Who are the key local stakeholders?
• Are there any aspects in which you would like more support?

What would happen if you had any child protection concerns about any of the participants?

PROBE:

• Is this communicated to parent?
• As far as you can tell, have parents' concerns about what might happen if they admit to particular problems/issues, affected their honesty or openness?

Summing up

If the programme was to be rolled out and you were to give three tips to future facilitators what would they be?

Is there anything else that you'd like to say?

PROBE:

• Anything that you think has worked particularly well that we haven't discussed?
• Anything that you would like to change that we haven't discussed?

Thank and close.

Discussion Guide 9 (g)
Interview with Barnardo's Senior Manager - Phase 1

Introduction

Introduce self and Ipsos MORI

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

Explain purpose of this discussion - the purpose of this interview is to get your initial thoughts on the 'You First' pilot programme. We are interviewing you today as the Senior Barnardo's Manager involved in the development of the programme.

As you have had a strategic overview of the development of the programme, your views are really important in evaluating this pilot and in rolling out You First in the future should other areas implement it.

Explain that, as we are interviewing only a small number of senior stakeholders, we cannot assure anonymity when reporting the findings. However, your name will not be used. Advise that if there are any comments which they would like to withdraw then to say so and we will not include them in the report.

Obtain permission to record discussion

Background

Can you just tell me a bit about what your role at Barnardo's involves?

And what is your role in the You First programme?

What was your involvement in the development of You First?

Development of the programme

How did the idea for You First initially come about?

Can you describe how the programme was developed?

Another of Barnardo's projects, Paisley Threads, has similarities to You First. Why was it decided that a new programme would be developed rather than rolling out Paisley Threads in new areas?

Why were the Lothians selected for the test and pilot?

PROBE:

• Who was involved in that decision?
• Do you think the Lothians are a good area to pilot You First?

Would you have done anything differently if another area had been selected?

Aims and objectives

I know there is a list of project objectives but, if you had to summarise, what would you say is the overall aim of the programme?

How would you define success for the programme?

And how do you think that should/could be measured?

You First, Barnardo's and their partners

Could you tell me a bit about the scoping exercise that was carried out before the test?

To what extent do you think the programme fits in with strategic outcomes and local planning in the three local authorities involved in the pilot?

How does the programme link into other initiatives/services in the area?

PROBE:

• How formal are the links in place?
• Is there scope to share best practice?

What makes You First different from the other programmes available to young parents in the Lothians?

Are there any potential challenges with the person-centred approach?

PROBE:

• Stakeholders thinking particular things should be covered?
• Do you think there's a risk of missing out aspects that parents would benefit from?

Have you got buy-in and support locally?

PROBE:

• What has helped?
• What barriers have there been?

Who would you like to see have more involvement in the programme?

Management and support structures

Can you describe the management structure in place for the programme?

Is there anything you would change about it, if you could?

Although You First is delivered by Barnardo's, there are several other partners involved in the programme, the Scottish Government, the three local authorities and NHS Lothian. Does working with these groups have an effect on the design of You First?

PROBE:

• What about the delivery?
• What about the aims?

And how do you think the partnership is working?

PROBE:

• What has helped?
• What has hindered this?

What impact does xxx's dual role as programme manager and programme facilitator have on You First?

PROBE:

• What are the advantages?
• What are the disadvantages?

How is You First funded?

PROBE: What effect does this have?

What do you think the funding options are in the longer term if the programme is rolled out?

Facilitators

How easy do you think it would be to replicate You First elsewhere?

Do you think the programme would be successful without an "[name of programme manager" to drive it?

In your opinion, who would be the ideal facilitator for this programme?

PROBE on:

• background, experience, skills

How do you feel about professionals who are not from Barnardo's facilitating the programme?

What training do you think facilitators would need?

Roll out

What have been the main benefits of You First?

What have been the main challenges?

Earlier you spoke about [Go back to his measure of success], how far along are you in achieving this?

What changes, if any, would you like to see to the programme?

What are your views on rolling out the programme across Scotland?

Do you have any thoughts on how should it be rolled out?

PROBE:

• Who should roll it out?
• Who should manage it?
• Who should deliver it?

Which aspects do you think are core to the programme and have to be rolled out?

And are there any aspects that could be more flexible?

What are the main barriers/challenges of a national roll out of the programme?

PROBE:

• Staffing?
• Funding?

Is there anything else that you'd like to say?

PROBE:

• Anything that you think has worked particularly well that we haven't discussed?
• Anything that you would like to change that we haven't discussed?

Thank and close.

Discussion Guide 9 (h)
Interview with Barnardo's Senior Manager - Phase 3

Introduction

Introduce self and Ipsos MORI

Thanks participant for taking part, should take about an hour

Explain purpose of this discussion - the purpose is to get your views on the 'You First' programme and how the pilot has worked. As you have a strategic overview of the programme your views are really important.

Explain that as we are interviewing only a small number of senior stakeholders we cannot assure anonymity when reporting the findings. However, your name will not be used. Advise that if there are any comments which they would like to withdraw then to say so and we will not include them in the report.

Obtain permission to record.

Overall impressions

The purpose of this section is to get an overall picture of how the respondent feels the You First pilot has gone.

Could you just tell me in your own words how you think the 'You First' pilot has gone?

• Has it been a success?
• What makes the programme successful/unsuccessful?
• How do you measure the success of the programme?
• Has this changed throughout the duration of the pilot?

What impact, if any, has the person-centred approach had on the success of the programme?

What have been the main achievements of the programme?

• What aspects of the programme have made this possible?
• Is this unique to You First?
• Could it be applied to other services/groups?

What have been the main challenges?

• How, if at all, were they overcome?
• Are there any lessons that could be shared to help avoid these in the future?

Have you been able to do everything you wanted to do with the programme?

• IF NO - What would you do differently?
• What were the barriers that prevented you?
• Would anything have been different about the group programme if you had managed to implement these things?

Have some of the pilot groups worked better than others?

• Why do you think this is?

How has the day to day management of the programme worked?

• How much involvement do you have?
• How important is it to have senior Barnardo's support?

Referral and attendance

The purpose of this section is to explore respondent views on how the You First referral processes are working and what changes, if any, could be made to improve attendance rates.

How do you feel the referral processes are working?

• What has worked well?
• What have the problems been?

Is it reaching those who need it most?

What could be done to further improve referral?

Are there parents who do not meet the eligibility criteria who you think would benefit from attending You First?

• Could the criteria be more flexible?
• Would the programme still work?
• Which of the criteria would you be most willing to relax?
• And least?
• Have there been enough parents within the criteria to make up the programmes?

What is the ideal number of parents to have at a programme?

• How does this compare to the actual numbers who have attended each of the pilot programmes?

Are you pleased with the programme attendance rates?

• How do they compare with those of other programmes you've been involved in?
• What could be done to improve attendance?

What impact, if any, does the person-centred approach have on the referral process and attendance at You First?

Benefits to parents

The purpose of this section is to explore views on how the programme has benefited parents and how these benefits can be sustained.

What has been the main benefit to parents?

• Was this what you expected?
• What was it about the programme that made an impact on this?
• Is it unique to You First?
• Could it be applied to other service/groups?

What other benefits have there been?

Do you think some parents have benefited more than others?

• Why do you think this is?
• How could this be improved?

Do you see the benefits of the programme being long-term?

• How can they be sustained?

Are there any changes that you hoped/expected to see in the parents that have not happened?

• Why was this?
• Do you think there is potential for You First to have an impact on this?
• Have you any thoughts on how to improve on this?

Have there been any unexpected changes or benefits?

Programme content

The purpose of this section is to explore views on specific aspects of the content of the You First sessions.

As you know, we've found that parents tend to enjoy the budgeting element of the programme but that this has not always translated in to them making changes to the way they manage their money. In your view, how important, if at all, is the budgeting part of the You First programme?

• What would you like parents to take from the budgeting sessions?
• Do you think this is happening?
• Would you change anything about the way in which it is delivered?

How important, if at all, is the qualification part of You First?

• What would you like parents to take from completing the qualification?
• Do you think this is happening?
• Would you change anything about the way in which it is delivered?

What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of this parent centred approach to deciding on topics?

PROBE:

• Does it mean that, in your opinion, important topics are not being covered?
• How does the choice of topics compare with what topics you would have chosen?

Engagement with local services

The purpose of this section is to explore the parents' future paths and how successful You First has been in linking them to other local services.

Do you know much about how parents who completed the pilot phases are getting on since the programme finished?

• Are they still in contact with others from the group?
• Are they engaging with other local services?
• Have you seen signs of them gaining (mention whatever discussed in benefits section)?

How important is it that parents leave You First with a clear future path/action plan/goals?

Do you think this is happening?

What do you see as Barnardo's role in providing further support to parents after they have completed the programme?

How important is it that they continue to engage with other services?

As you know, we've been finding that You First increases parents' awareness of available services but that many parents don't actually attend anything else. Why do you think that is?

• What is it about You First that makes them happy to attend that but not to attend other things?
• Are there suitable things for them to attend?
• What else could be done to encourage them to engage with other services?
• Is You First linking in with all relevant services/groups?

Joint working

The purpose of this section is to explore how the You First Programme interacts with other groups/organisation in the area and what impact this has had on early years provision in the three pilot areas.

To what extent do you think the programme fits in with strategic outcomes and local planning in the three local authorities involved in the pilot?

• How important is that?

How does the programme link into other initiatives/services in the area?

PROBE:

• How formal are the links in place?
• Is there scope to share best practice?

Have you had buy-in and support locally?

PROBE:

• What has helped?
• What barriers have there been?
• Are there other local stakeholders you'd like to see involved in You First?

What impact has 'You First' had on the provision/uptake of early years services in the pilot areas?

To what extent do you share best practice or share resources with other organisations?

Future development of You First

The purpose of this section is to look at the respondent's view of the future development of You First

What would be your ideal picture for the future of You First?

What do you see as Barnardo's role in the future of You First?

Is Barnardo's still fully supportive of the programme?

What are your views on replicating You First in other areas of Scotland?

How easy do you think it would be to replicate You First elsewhere?

Do you have any thoughts on how You First could be expanded?

• Who should manage it?
• Who should deliver it?

In any local area, which organisations/professionals would need to be involved for it to work?

Which aspects do you think are core to the programme and have to be replicated?

And are there any aspects that could be more flexible?

In your opinion, who would be the ideal facilitator for this programme?

• background, experience, skills

How do you feel about professionals who are not from Barnardo's facilitating the programme?

What training do you think facilitators would need?

What mechanisms are in place for self-evaluation of the programme in the future?

• How effective do you think they are?
• Would it be easy to replicate these mechanisms?

Is there anything else you like to add that we have not discussed already?

Thank and close