Early learning and childcare funding: Primary 1 deferral pilot evaluation

Appendix 3: Discussion guides

P1 deferral pilots evaluation

Topic guide for parents V6

P1 Deferral Evaluation Discussion Guide (Parents)

Space for initial notes e.g. on what info we had from LA staff interviews and uptake data; if their child has ASN or falls in any other socio-economic category we are interested in

Introduction (2 mins)

Aim: To remind participant of key details about the research and obtain informed consent

Thank Participant For Taking Part & Introduce Yourself.

Explain:

The Scottish Government has asked Ipsos Scotland to get feedback from parents in local authorities who've been involved in piloting access to funded Early Learning and Childcare for children who defer Primary 1. We have already spoken to local authority staff and we're also going to speak to ELC staff about their experiences of the pilot. The aim of the research is to find out what went well and what could be improved in the future and to help when it is extended to include all local authorities. We are keen to hear from parents and carers to understand their perceptions of the new entitlement. Once we've spoken to everyone we'll write a report and that will be published by the Scottish Government. We are speaking to both parents who chose to defer their child and those who didn't.

• Remind participant that the interview will last about 45 minutes (to 1hr if paired)
• Remind participant that there are no right or wrong answers and they don't have to answer any questions they don't want to answer. They can decide to stop the interview at any point.
• Provide reassurances of anonymity and confidentiality. Explain that no identifying information about individuals or their families (e.g. names or contact details, or notes on their interview) will be passed on to anyone outwith the Ipsos research team. We won't be naming local authorities or individuals and any quotes we use will be anonymous.
• However, if participant is concerned that anything discussed in the interview will be identifiable, let us know – we will always respect requests to omit anything they'd rather wasn't shared.
• Check if participant has any questions. [If they want us to clarify what the new entitlement / pilot is: your local authority now provides ELC funding for an extra year – to any children with August-December birthdays. Previously, families with children born in those months had to apply and it was up to the local authority to assess the situation and decide whether they would fund the extra time at nursery – but now any parents or carers are automatically entitled to the funding, if they decide to defer.]
• [If they didn't defer and want to know if they should be taking part: as long as they knew there was ELC funding for Aug-Dec birthdays available, we want to speak to them. If they didn't defer, we will be asking them about how they became aware about the funding and any thoughts on it.]
• Request permission to record interview. Explain that this is for transcription and analysis purposes and that recordings will not be shared outside the research team at Ipsos.

That's recording us now. Could I quickly ask you to confirm for the recording that you are happy to take part based on the information we just discussed?

Section 1 – Family background and general awareness of deferral (4 mins / 6 overall)

Aim: to understand family circumstances and general awareness of deferral

To begin with, it would be great to hear a bit more about your life generally. Could you tell me a bit about yourself?

• Who they live with
• What a typical day looks like for them

Thanks, that's helpful to know.

Can you tell me what words spring to mind when you think about deferral of the start of primary school? (Probe For Reasons For Those)

We'll talk a lot more about your decision (not) to defer your child later, but I wanted to check what you knew about deferral of P1 in Scotland before you had to make the decision for your own child. Were you aware that deferral was possible in Scotland?

• What did you know about it? / Where have you heard about deferral in Scotland?
• What were your views about deferral in general?
• IF AWARE: when did you begin to think about it in relation to your child?

Section 2 – Communications and Awareness (10 mins / 16 overall)

Aim: To understand how the pilot was communicated to parents

When did you first become aware of the pilot? [clarify if needed: by pilot I mean your council agreeing to provide ELC funding for all Aug-Dec children if they defer P1]

• And how did you first hear about it?

And when did you become aware you would be eligible under the pilot [/for another funded year of ELC] if you chose to defer your child?

• And how did you first hear about it?

What other ways did you hear or read about it?

PROBES:

• from ELC staff
• from school/P1 staff
• websites (LA or national) (e.g. Parent Club)
• social media
• leaflets/flyers
• word of mouth / other parents

How clear was the information about the pilot?

How well informed did you feel about the following aspects?

• Whether your child was eligible for another funded ELC year if you chose to defer
• How you would go about requesting deferral
• When you needed to make the decision
  • And how this related to P1 transition activities
• The potential pros and cons of deferral
• What the P1 experience would be like in your child's school
• The experience they would have in a further ELC year
• The impact of deferral on school leaving age
• How to get support and advice in making the decision

What was the most useful information source/s about the pilot?

• Were some sources more useful for finding out about specific aspects of the new entitlement?

Is there anything you would have liked more information on regarding the pilot?

Do you think other families were aware of the pilot?

Was there any more that could have been done to make sure people knew about it?

Section 3 – Deciding about Deferral (10 mins / 26 overall)

Aim: to understand how they reached their decision

We'll now talk a bit about how you came to making the decision (not) to defer. What were the main things you were thinking about when making the decision? PROBE FULLY

I've got a few factors to ask you about now – please say what part these played (if any) in your decision to defer / not defer?

[Ask Those Not Covered Above. Capture Spontaneous Reaction To Each Question First And Prompt As Needed]

Your child and their potential experience of P1? – e.g:

• Social/emotional readiness for P1 / they seemed ready, emotionally / socially [Suggested Wording For Those That Did Not Defer]
• Readiness to learn
• Effects of Covid-19
• Child's peer group/friendships
• ASN [Additional Support Needs]

Practical considerations? – e.g:

• [IF DEFERRED] That we could get the ELC funding
• Financial considerations
• Childcare considerations (e.g., childcare arrangements easier with child in ELC than in school, or easier if in school?)
• Any other practical considerations – e.g. pick up time of siblings
• Whether you would get a place at your first choice setting if you chose to defer

You views of the school / the approach in P1? - e.g:

• The approach to P1 at your child's school
• The curriculum for P1s nowadays (generally)

Possible impacts in the future? [DON'T ASK THOSE THAT DID NOT DEFER] - e.g:

• What being the oldest or youngest in the class may mean for your child when they are older?
• The impact on secondary school and beyond (deferred children will legally be able to leave school at 16 with no qualifications if they wish to)

Any other thoughts about deferral more generally? – e.g:

• Your own experience of starting school (could include cultural norms)
• What you normally do in your family
• Wanting them to have another year of play

And which of these would you say was the main factor influencing your decision?

Did you do any research around deferral?

Who else was involved in making the decision or influenced your decision?

• Professionals
• Friends/family
• Other parents
• Did you speak to your child about what they wanted to do / what the options were?

What were their views?

• If Opposing Views: Did they try to get you to change your mind?
• Did you feel they had the best interests of your child in mind?
• How supported did you feel by ELC staff/other professionals in making the decision?
• How much of an influence did they have on your decision?

How soon before your child was due to start school did you make the decision?

Overall, how easy or difficult was it to make the decision?

• How much choice do you feel you had?
• Would anything else have helped you to make it?

If Chose To Defer: Would you have applied to defer your child had it not been guaranteed that you would receive funding for an extra year of ELC?

Section 3.1 – Process of Deferral and Support (5 mins)

Ask Only If Participant Did Defer

Aim: to understand how the process worked

Thinking now about the practical side of things, what did you have to do to request the deferral and the ELC funding for that year?

PROBE

• Complete form (online or hard copy) or just communicate to ELC setting?
• Send the form to the LA / to the ELC setting?
• Apply for a P1 place as well as requesting deferral?

How straightforward was the process? Were there any issues?

• Did you have a main point of contact who could help you with any issues?
• How supported did you feel throughout the process?

After starting the process to defer, did you have any second thoughts or did any other questions arise?

• How did you address them?

Can you think of anything that would improve the process of deferring and securing ELC funding for that academic year?

Section 4 – Impact on children (10 mins / 36 overall)

Aim: explore how children have been impacted by the deferral/P1 transition

We'll now move on to reflect on your decision (not) to defer your child, now that some time has passed.

Overall, how do you feel today about the decision you took? PROBE FULLY:

• Do you see the outcomes you anticipated for your child? (e.g. doing well in P1 / benefitting from more time in ELC) / Have things gone as you expected?
• What, if anything, has been different from your initial expectations?

Is there anything else you would like to tell me about your child's experience of their further year in ELC/their experience of transitioning to P1.

• Can you think of anything that would have improved their experience?

Would you make the same decision again now, having seen how it's gone for your child?

Section 5 – Overall feelings and Recommendations (2 minutes, 38 overall)

Overall, how would you sum up your experience of the new entitlement (i.e. that funded ELC is available to August-December born children if their parents choose to defer them)?

Can you think of anything that could have improved your experience of this change?

Probe (if not covered)

• Awareness / understanding
• Being able to make an informed decision
• IF DEFERRED: And the process of deferring and requesting the ELC funding?

Wrap up (2 mins, 40 overall – 45 overall if deferred)

Thank Participant & Stop Recording.

As I mentioned, we're offering you £30 to thank you for your time. Would you prefer to get it as:

• A BACS transfer? (Ask For Account Number And Sort Code)
• A Love2Shop e-code? (Double Check We Have Their Correct Email)
• An Amazon e-code? (Double Check We Have Their Correct Email)

[Please note that it is possible that thank you payments may impact on benefit payments or tax positions. If you are concerned about this please contact us or speak to your local Citizen's Advice Bureau for further advice.]

• For BACS: Collect sort code, account number, name on account.
• Should arrive in their account within a couple of weeks.
• For Voucher: Confirm email. Confirm Amazon or Love2Shop.

Should be able to send it to them within a couple of weeks.

P1 deferral pilots evaluation

Topic guide for ELC staff V5

P1 Deferral Evaluation Discussion Guide (ELC staff)

Space for initial notes e.g. LA, type of provider, number of deferrals

Introduction (2 mins)

Aim: To remind participant of key details about the research and obtain informed consent

Thank Participants For Taking Part & Introduce Yourself.

Explain:

The Scottish Government has asked Ipsos Scotland to get feedback from ELC staff in local authorities who've been involved in piloting access to funded Early Learning and Childcare access for children who defer Primary 1. We have already spoken to LA staff and parents about their experiences of the pilot. The aim of the research is to find out what went well and what could be improved in the future and to help inform national roll-out. Once we've spoken to everyone we'll write a report and that will be published by the Scottish Government.

• Remind participants that the session will last about 60 minutes (1 hr)
• Remind participants that there are no right or wrong answers and they don't have to answer any questions they don't want to answer. They can decide to leave at any point.
• Provide reassurances of anonymity and confidentiality. Explain that no identifying information about individuals or the ELC setting they work for (e.g. names or contact details) will be passed on to anyone outwith the Ipsos research team. We won't be naming ELC settings or individuals and any quotes we use will be anonymous.
• However, if participants are concerned that anything discussed in the session will be identifiable, let us know – we will always respect requests to omit anything they'd rather wasn't shared.
• Ask that participants respect this confidentiality and do not share any information that others bring up in the discussion group
• Check if participants have any questions.
• Request permission to record the session. Explain that this is for transcription and analysis purposes and that recordings will not be shared outside the research team at Ipsos.

That's recording us now. Could I quickly ask you to confirm for the recording that you are all happy to take part based on the information we just discussed?

Section 1 – Background (5 mins / 7 overall)

Aim: To build rapport and gain an understanding of their role

To start with, could we just go around the group and could you tell me your name, what local authority you work in and a bit about the setting you work in and what your role is?

How long have you worked in ELC? And in your current role?

We'll talk in much more detail about deferral in a moment but it would be helpful if you could give me a sense of whether, before the pilot, deferral was quite common in your setting/area or not?

Section 2 – Planning for implementation (7 mins / 14 overall)

Aim: To explore how the planning stage went, staff awareness and understanding of the pilot

Thinking back, can you remember when you first heard that the P1 deferral pilot would be happening in your LA?

• what information did you get and from whom?
• were you offered any training?
• what questions did you have about it?
• were they answered or was there anything you were still unclear about/needed any more info on?

What were your initial thoughts about it? Probe For Positives And Concerns

Before the pilot actually started, what impact, if any, did you think it would have on your work

Section 3 – Implementation: Supporting parents (20 mins / 34 overall)

Aim: to understand how ELC staff support parents in deciding about deferrals

As we go through the discussion, we will talk about any impacts of the pilot on different aspects of your practice. We'll start with communicating the change to parents and supporting them to make a decision on whether or not to defer their child.

What involvement, if any, did you have on communicating the change to parents?

• Was it publicised in your setting e.g. leaflets, posters?

What sense did you have of levels of awareness among parents at your setting?

• Any groups of parents where awareness was lower/higher?
• Do you think anything more need to be done to raise awareness among parents about the change?

What questions did parents have about it when they first heard?

• Were you able to answer them?
• Do you think parents are getting consistent messages about what the change means? (Probe Re Any Inconsistencies / Why)

Thinking now about how ELC settings support individual parents to make the decision as to whether or not to defer their child, how, if at all, has this changed since the implementation of the pilot?

• Do you still have the same discussions with parents about deferral?
• Has the advice you give parents changed at all now that you know they will be eligible for another year of funded ELC ?

How well equipped do you feel to support parents in making deferral decisions?

• Has this changed at all since the implementation of the pilot?
• Have you needed any support from management/other colleagues to do this?

Generally speaking, what considerations are driving parents' decisions on deferral? Probe Fully

• Has this changed at all since the implementation of the pilots?
• What impact does the guarantee of funding have?
• What about the fact there is no application process to go through?
• Have you seen any differences (in what is being considered regarding deferral) among different groups of parents?

List Of Potential Factors Influencing Parents Decisions [Probe On Some]

Their child and their potential experience of P1? – e.g:

• Social/emotional readiness for P1
• Readiness to learn
• Effects of Covid-19
• Child's peer group/friendships
• ASN

Practical considerations? – e.g:

• [If Deferred] That they could get the ELC funding
• Financial considerations
• Childcare considerations (e.g., childcare arrangements easier with child in ELC than in school, or easier if in school?)
• Any other practical considerations – e.g. pick up time of siblings
• Whether you would get a place at your first choice setting if you chose to defer

Parents' views of the school / the approach in P1? - e.g:

• The approach to P1 at your child's school
• The curriculum for P1s nowadays (generally)

Possible impacts in the future? - e.g:

• What being the oldest or youngest in the class may mean for their child when they are older?
• The impact on secondary school and beyond (deferred children will legally be able to leave school at 16 with no qualifications if they wish to)

Any other thoughts about deferral more generally? – e.g:

• Parents' own experience of starting school (could include cultural norms)
• What they normally do in their family
• Wanting them to have another year of play

How much of an influence do you feel ELC staff have on parents' decisions?

• Has this changed at all since the implementation of the pilots?

Are parents' decisions being influenced by others? For example, their wider family and friends, other parents?

One of the aims of the pilot is to ensure decision making is child-centred. To what extent do you feel this is the case?

• What, if anything, can get in the way of this?
• Would you say the pilot has increased or decreased child-centred decision making or has it had little impact?

Thinking now about the practical elements of the deferral process. How is the process for requesting deferral different to before the pilot in your LA area? PROBE FOR PROS AND CONS

What effect, if any, has this had on workloads for ELC staff?

What support, if any, do ELC staff provide to parents with the practical side of requesting deferral

Section 4 – Implementation: impact on settings, capacity and on children (14 mins / 48 overall)

Aim: to understand how deferrals and the change in entitlement impact the capacity and operation of settings

We'll now move on to think about how, if at all, the pilot has changed your way of working.

First of all, in your setting, have you experienced an increase in deferrals since the pilot began?

IF YES: And what effect has this had on capacity?

• Were you able to accommodate all requests for places for deferred children?
• Have there been any knock-on effects for younger children applying for places?
• And have there been any staffing challenges?

And has having a greater number of older children in your setting resulted in any changes in practice?

• Any benefits to the setting?
• Any challenges for the setting?

And thinking specifically about the children who deferred, how would you say the extra time in ELC has been for them?

• Benefits?
• Any concerns?

Has there been any impact on your workload as a result of the pilot?

Probe If Not Covered Above In Relation To Their Workload: Impacts re:

• discussions with parents about deferral and ELC funding
• their practice (including having more older children)
• admin

How well supported have you felt in implementing the pilot?

• What other training, support or information would you like?
• Do you feel your learning and development opportunities are adequate given the change in policy?
• Do you feel they are adequate given you may be working with more older children?

Section 5 – Looking back / Looking forward: Overview and Suggestions (10 minutes, 58 overall)

Aim: to gauge how the general experience of the pilot was for ELC staff and get suggestions to inform the full roll-out

Overall, how do you think the implementation of the pilot has gone? What has gone well? And what have been the main challenges for you?

What, if anything, would you do differently next year?

And what advice would you give to ELC staff in LAs who will be implementing it in the future?

Thinking ahead, do you have any concerns for the future? In what ways you could be supported with this by the LA/Scottish Government?

Wrap up

Thank Participants & Stop Recording.

P1 deferral pilots evaluation

Topic guide for ELC Heads V4

P1 Deferral Evaluation Discussion Guide (ELC heads)

Space for initial notes e.g. LA, type of provider, number of deferrals

Introduction (2 mins)

Aim: To remind participant of key details about the research and obtain informed consent

Thank Participants For Taking Part & Introduce Yourself.

Explain:

The Scottish Government has asked Ipsos Scotland to get feedback from ELC staff in local authorities who've been involved in piloting access to funded Early Learning and Childcare access for children who defer Primary 1. We have already spoken to LA staff and parents about their experiences of the pilot and are also speaking to ELC staff. The aim of the research is to find out what went well and what could be improved in the future and to help inform national roll-out. Once we've spoken to everyone we'll write a report and that will be published by the Scottish Government.

• Remind participants that the session will last about 60 minutes (1 hr)
• Remind participants that there are no right or wrong answers and they don't have to answer any questions they don't want to answer. They can decide to leave at any point.
• Provide reassurances of anonymity and confidentiality. Explain that no identifying information about individuals or the ELC setting they work for (e.g. names or contact details) will be passed on to anyone outwith the Ipsos research team. We won't be naming ELC settings or individuals and any quotes we use will be anonymous.
• However, if participants are concerned that anything discussed in the session will be identifiable, let us know – we will always respect requests to omit anything they'd rather wasn't shared.
• Ask that participants respect this confidentiality and do not share any information that others bring up in the discussion group
• Check if participants have any questions.
• Request permission to record the session. Explain that this is for transcription and analysis purposes and that recordings will not be shared outside the research team at Ipsos.

That's recording us now. Could I quickly ask you to confirm for the recording that you are all happy to take part based on the information we just discussed?

Section 1 – Background (5 mins / 7 overall)

Aim: To build rapport and gain an understanding of their role

To start with, could we just go around the group and could you tell me your name, what local authority you work in and a bit about the setting you work in and what your role is?

How long have you worked in ELC? And in your current role?

We'll talk in much more detail about deferral in a moment but it would be helpful if you could give me a sense of whether, before the pilot, deferral was quite common in your setting/area or not?

Section 2 – Planning for implementation (8 mins / 15 overall)

Aim: To explore challenges and opportunities around the preparation of the pilot for ELC leaders

Thinking back, can you remember when you first heard that the P1 deferral pilot would be happening in your LA?

• what information did you get and from whom?
• were you offered any training?
• what questions did you have about it?
• were they answered or was there anything you were still unclear about/needed any more info on?

What were your initial thoughts about it? Probe For Positives And Concerns

Before the pilot actually started, what impact, if any, did you think it would have on your work?

How much time did you have to prepare yourselves, the staff and the setting before implementing the policy?

And what, if anything, did you need to put in place in the initial stages in order to implement it?

• PROBES: communications / resources for staff or parents / admin / changing systems/ staff training
• How much time / resource did it take to prepare for the pilot

Section 3 – Informing and Supporting ELC staff (5 mins / 20 overall)

Aim: to understand how ELC Leaders supported parents in deciding about deferrals

How did you go about communicating the pilot to staff?

• What were the main points of information you focused on?
• How did they react?
• What kind of questions/concerns did they have?
• How well do you think this approach to communicating it worked?

Section 4 – Implementation: Supporting parents (20 mins / 40 overall)

Aim: to understand how ELC staff support parents in deciding about deferrals

As we go through the discussion, we will talk about any impacts of the pilot on different aspects of practice for both yourselves and those you manage. We'll start with communicating the change to parents and supporting them to make a decision on whether or not to defer their child.

What involvement, if any, did you have on communicating the change to parents at your setting?

• Was it publicised in your setting e.g. leaflets, posters?

What sense did you have of levels of awareness among parents?

• Any groups of parents where awareness was lower/higher?
• Do you think anything more need to be done to raise awareness among parents about the change?

What questions did parents have about it when they first heard?

• Were you able to answer them?

Thinking now about how ELC settings support individual parents to make the decision as to whether or not to defer their child.

Can I just check first of all - who is directly involved in conversations with parents or whether it's just the staff you manage who do this, or does that vary?

Note: Adapt Next Questions Accordingly

How, if at all, has this changed since the implementation of the pilot?

• Do you/staff still have the same discussions with parents about deferral?
• Has the advice you give parents changed at all now that you know they will be eligible for another year of funded ELC ?

How well equipped do you feel to support parents in making deferral decisions?

• Has this changed at all since the implementation of the pilot?

And how about the staff you manage?

• Have they requested any additional support in order to do this since the implementation of the pilot? On what kind of things?

Generally speaking, what considerations are driving parents' decisions on deferral? Probe Fully

• Has this changed at all since the implementation of the pilot?
• What impact does the guarantee of funding have?
• What about the fact there is no application process to go through?
• Have you seen any differences (in what is being considered regarding deferral) among different groups of parents?

List Of Potential Factors Influencing Parents Decisions [Probe On Some]

Their child and their potential experience of P1? – e.g:

• Social/emotional readiness for P1
• Readiness to learn
• Effects of Covid-19
• Child's peer group/friendships
• ASN

Practical considerations? – e.g:

• [If Deferred] That they could get the ELC funding
• Financial considerations
• Childcare considerations (e.g., childcare arrangements easier with child in ELC than in school, or easier if in school?)
• Any other practical considerations – e.g. pick up time of siblings
• Whether you would get a place at your first choice setting if you chose to defer

Parents' views of the school / the approach in P1? - e.g:

• The approach to P1 at your child's school
• The curriculum for P1s nowadays (generally)

Possible impacts in the future? - e.g:

• What being the oldest or youngest in the class may mean for their child when they are older?
• The impact on secondary school and beyond (deferred children will legally be able to leave school at 16 with no qualifications if they wish to)

Any other thoughts about deferral more generally? – e.g:

• Parents' own experience of starting school (could include cultural norms)
• What they normally do in their family
• Wanting them to have another year of play

How much of an influence do you feel ELC staff and heads have on parents' decisions?

• Has this changed at all since the implementation of the pilots?

Are parents' decisions being influenced by others? For example, their wider family and friends, other parents?

One of the aims of the pilot is to ensure decision making is child-centred. To what extent do you feel this is the case?

• What, if anything, can get in the way of this?
• Would you say the pilot has increased or decreased child-centred decision making or has it had little impact?

Thinking now about the practical elements of the deferral process. How is the process for requesting deferral different to before the pilot in your LA area? PROBE FOR PROS AND CONS

• What support, if any, have you had to provide to your staff on process changes?

What effect, if any, has this had on workloads for ELC staff and heads?

What support, if any, do you or your staff provide to parents with the practical side of requesting deferral?

Section 5 – Impacts for their practice (10 mins / 50 overall)

Aim: to understand how deferrals and the change in entitlement impact the capacity and operation of settings

We'll now move on to think about how, if at all, the pilot has changed the way of working within your setting.

First of all, in your setting have you experienced an increase in deferrals since the pilot began?

If Yes: And what effect has this had on capacity?

• Were you able to accommodate all requests for places for deferred children?
• Have there been any knock-on effects for younger children applying for places?
• And have there been any staffing challenges?

And has having a greater number of older children in your setting resulted in any changes in practice?

• Any benefits to the setting?
• Any challenges for the setting?
• Have staff required any support around this?

And thinking specifically about the children who deferred, how would you say the extra time in ELC has been for them?

• Benefits?
• Any concerns?

Has there been any impact on your workload as a result of the pilot? (PROBES: Communications for parents & staff / supporting parents; staff training; admin)

How well supported have you felt in implementing the pilot?

• What other training, support or information would you like

Section 6 – Looking back / Looking forward (10 minutes, 60 overall)

Overall, how do you think the implementation of the pilot has gone? What has gone well? And what have been the main challenges for you?

What, if anything, would you do differently next year?

And what advice would you give to ELC heads in LAs who will be implementing it in the future?

Thinking ahead, do you have any concerns for the future? In what ways you could be supported with this by the LA/Scottish Government?

Wrap up

Thank Participants & Stop Recording.