About us
What we do – our mission
Peeple is an independent charity, dedicated to helping parents and carers support their child’s development and improve their life chances, by making the most of everyday learning opportunities at home and in the community. Our core purpose is to narrow the gap in attainment, particularly in less affluent areas, by supporting families in raising their babies and young children to reach their full potential.
We do this by:
- developing programmes which support parents as their children’s first educators
- training and supporting practitioners to use Peep programmes in their work with families
- helping parents to gain qualifications which can lead to further education or employment
- delivering services directly to families near the Peeple Centre
- contributing to research and policy development in early years education and family support.
A partnership approach
Working in partnership enables Peep programmes to reach families across the UK and far beyond. Here are some of the organisations and local authorities that we are proud to work with:
Developing programmes
Our Peep Programmes consist of child development information, ideas and activities that practitioners and parents share to maximise the learning and play opportunities present in everyday life. Research shows that the day-to-day conversations, play and interactions between children and their parents or carers – also known as the home learning environment – has a significant impact on narrowing the gap in children’s attainment. This applies whether or not a child attends
Over more than two decades, we have drawn on the expertise and experience of specialists, including professionals, academics, and parents, to develop our programmes. All our work is guided by the Peep principles (see below) and the ORIM framework (Opportunities, Recognition, Interaction, and Modelling).
Training and supporting practitioners
We’re proud to work with organisations and local authorities across the UK, Ireland, and beyond. Every year, we train and support over a thousand practitioners to use Peep programmes in their work with families. Playgroup Victoria is our trusted license holder for the Peep Programmes and Training in Australia.
Peep-trained practitioners come from a range of backgrounds, including family support, education and childcare, and health. Our case studies showcase the various ways organisations and local authorities implement Peep Programmes.
The Peep Learning Together Programme Training includes an optional Practitioner Accreditation unit to support quality assurance and professional development.
Peep parents can also earn credit-rated qualification units through our Peep Progression Pathway, enhancing their learning, employability, and social mobility.
Programme delivery with families
You can find Peep groups in many parts of the UK, Ireland, Australia and Kenya. They are delivered by a wide range of practitioners who have been Peep-trained but aren’t employed by Peeple. However, near our Peeple Centre in south Oxford we employ our own practitioners who work with local families in community venues and in our Little Peeple Nursery.
Why the earliest years are so important
Every baby is born with an astonishing 100 billion brain cells, but the real magic happens when these cells connect. The connections are shaped by the interactions, experiences and relationships a child has in their earliest days, months, and years. These early interactions influence a child’s learning, behaviour, and health for the rest of their lives.
At Peeple, we understand that all parents want the best for their children. However, parenting is not always easy, and – as the saying goes – babies don’t come with a manual. That’s why working in partnership and empowering parents and communities during this crucial period is essential.
Our vision is that every family makes the most of everyday learning opportunities, which improve life chances and help narrow the gap in attainment.
Peep principles
All our work is underpinned by our principles:
- We believe that relationships are at the heart of learning
- We believe in the potential of every parent, every carer and every child
- We recognise parents and carers for what they already do, and help them to do more
- We believe that lives can be transformed by building on everyday learning experiences
- We recognise the importance of reflecting on the world through the eyes of others
Find out more about what we do
Peeple Aims 2026-27
- Train and accredit more practitioners to support families with their young children’s learning
- Provide more support for trained practitioners to implement Peep programmes
- Accredit more parents with Peep Progression Pathway units
- Support more families in Oxfordshire
- Provide high quality early learning and childcare at Little Peeple Nursery
- Develop new interventions and extend the Learning Together Programme resources
- Share evidence and good practice with the early years sector, policy makers and researchers
- Ensure good governance, management and infrastructure