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Peep offers an engaging, strengths-based way to work with parents and carers, supporting early intervention work in any context.

> foster carers group in Oxford

A multi-age group for foster carers and their children, incorporating a NOCN qualification unit. 

> children's social care and community support: a city-wide approach in Aberdeen

Aberdeen City Council use Peep as a multi-agency approach to working with families, led by Social Care. It is used in both universal and targeted work, including with parents whose children are looked after, kinship carers, foster carers, parents moving on from domestic abuse or experiencing postnatal depression, young parents and parent volunteers. 

Peep Progression Pathway qualifications for fathers (and their partners) - working with Highland Peep, Highland Council, CALA and HMP Inverness

“I gained useful skills through the Peep programme that will help me day-to-day when I’ve been released from prison. It gave me a better understanding of parenting and what can help my child.”

Staff: Two Peep-trained practitioners, Gillian Forbes from Highland Council and Mairianne Nairn from Care & Learning Alliance (CALA); the project built on CALA’s Prison Service work with remand prisoners and their families, and on Highland Council’s Peep delivery in local communities over the past decade.

Project overview (from the practitioners):

‘The course consists of 13 weekly hour-long sessions with the families, followed by an additional 30 minutes for the fathers to work on their portfolios. Each course has been run with two or three dads (who are in custody), their baby or young child and their partner. The first course went really well, and the families were really appreciative. We've now run it a few times at the request of the Prison Governor. We’ve seen all the dads grow in confidence and get really involved within the sessions. There were obviously challenges: the prison is fairly small but over-crowded, with many prisoners being either short-term or moving to another prison, and for some mums it was too far or difficult to bring their baby or child each week.

From the start, we were keen that the fathers would have the opportunity to gain an SCQF-credit-rated unit (level 3, 4 or 5), from the Peep Progression Pathway.  This is based on the parents’ own learning and reflections on an aspect of child development, linked to play and learning activities that they do with their child during the session, then record in a portfolio. The children can be any age from 0-5 years, so the courses have used the mixed-age ‘Early Child Development’ unit.  This includes Learning Together Programme topics such as Helping children feel good about themselves, Play and language, Sharing books with babies/young children, Maths in everyday routines and Food for life.

Completing the qualification unit also guarantees the fathers an interview at the local college when they leave, if they wish to do further training. The dads have all worked really hard on their credit-rated portfolios. For one dad it was his first recognised qualification, and this time one of the mums is completing a portfolio too. The dads have told us that it’s the highlight of their week – and we’ve found that it is for us too.’

Feedback from Dads involved:

• “Peep’s had a massive impact on me and my family – without it I wouldn’t have had that opportunity to bond with my baby.”
• “I’ve really enjoyed the course, it’s made me feel more confident in being a first time dad and I have discovered lots of activities me and my son can do together.”
• “The Peep course has emphasised things, why we do activities and how it helps my child’s development. I didn’t realise the impact reading a story had on my child.”
• “It’s helped me exist, I feel more like a father. Even getting to stand up with my daughter makes a huge difference, in a normal visit session we can’t get off our seats.”

Feedback from a Mum:

“I feel that - although the circumstances in which we attend Peep aren’t the best - it has had such a great impact on us.  Initially I felt it was going to be condescending, but after attending the first session I soon realised the benefit of it.  I’ve seen how much it helps my partner interact with our son.  The activities and tasks that fathers often don’t take part in, like crafts and messy play, he has been able to experience. I’ve also learnt from it, the in‑depth details of children’s learning is really interesting. Most of all it has helped keep a bond between father and son, giving them both time to play, learn and interact, and I feel this will be very beneficial for when he comes home.”

Feedback from Inverness Prison Governor, Stephen Coyle:

“The Peep course has given the fathers in our care the skills and confidence to shape play in a way which is fun yet maximises the benefits to their children, whilst strengthening the bonds in the wider family group. We are delighted this work will be ongoing.”

Feedback from a Prison Officer:

“This Peep project is also about preventing future victims.”

Visit from Maree Todd, former Scottish Minister for Children and Young People:

When Maree Todd visited one of the Peep sessions she was very positive about the encouragement, praise, nurture and strong relationships that she saw. She was also impressed by the emotional literacy displayed in the fathers’ written portfolios, and about the likely lasting benefit for the families.

Sustainability - training Prison staff to deliver the Peep programme:

The prison's recognition of the benefits of the Peep sessions for families is further highlighted by their decision to train some of their own staff to deliver the programme, in autumn 2024. The training will be funded through the Families Learning Together project, part of Scotgov's Whole Family Well-being Funding. Having their own Peep-trained staff will increase their flexibility and sustainability in how they can support family relationships in the future. 

“Really can’t describe how good it’s been to spend time with my family in this learning environment. Having this time has made me feel like a dad, as we can do fun family stuff together.”

Thanks to the Perth and Kinross Peep practitioners for this overview:

A multi-agency approach to providing rolling family learning in Perth Prison 

The project has been running for nine years, since being piloted by Perth and Kinross Council Parenting and Family Learning Team, Fife College and the Scottish Prison Service in 2015. The feedback from the families and Family Contact Officers was very positive. We started by delivering two 6-week blocks per year of family learning activities within the prison's learning centre, targeting Perth and Kinross families. 

After the programme's evaluation it became evident there was a larger need than we could support. Therefore we looked at what local partners could be involved in the delivery of the programme that would enhance the delivery frequency and impact for families. Since 2017 PKC has led a partnership of 4 local authorities (Perth & Kinross, Dundee, Angus and Fife), the Scottish Prison Service, Fife College and third sector organisations, to deliver a rolling programme of family learning in HMP Perth. 

A range of different family learning programmes are delivered through the year. Sometimes it is Peep Learning Together, or it could be a block of cooking sessions or Playing on Pedals, teaching young children to ride a balance bike.  This has enabled some of the most disadvantaged families to improve family bonding and parenting skills.

Peep project overview:

For the last few years we have included blocks of Peep in HMP Perth's family learning delivery schedule, which have targeted different ages of pre-school families. During these sessions, staff support families to take part in the Peep programme including singing, stories and activities that support their child’s development. All families make two keepsake books, one that can be kept by Dad, and one that can be taken home. The Peep staff develop positive relationships with families, and signpost them to support and family learning activities in their local communities.

Staffing:  Each block is supported by two staff from the local authorities, at least one is Peep-trained. The sessions are also supported by staff from the prison's learning centre, which is managed by Fife College.  

Feedback from families:

“It’s made kids be able to get closer to their dad and put that spring back in their steps. I’d like to thank all the staff for letting us be part of it.”

“These bonding sessions have been absolutely brilliant for the prisoners, partners and kids.  We've all really enjoyed them. We have really enjoyed making stuff, decorating stuff and keeping a book of what they have done.”

“It was great having some quality family time, we enjoyed when we met other families and 1:1 family time.”    

“Really can’t describe how good it’s been to spend time with my family in this learning environment. Having this time has made me feel like a dad, as we can do fun family stuff together.”

“Benefits of this group has been truly great as my son has more time to spend with his daddy and he even got to give him his first bath.”

Feedback from staff:

“This partnership assists in my role as family support coordinator for Tayside, including encouraging families to engage in family learning, and being able to feed back to the group directly from families their experiences and how it has benefitted them.” (Families Outside)

“The work of the partnership is a great development which is unlike other prisons in Scotland, working together to feed into the Child and Family agenda.” (HMP Perth)

Local Peep families, with guests Nigel Clarke and Baby Bear from CBeebies' The Baby Club, in the Nursery garden

Our Little Peeple Nursery in Littlemore, Oxford was officially opened by our local MP Anneliese Dodds, on Saturday 11 May. In her words: "I am delighted to have been invited to the official opening of Little Peeple Nursery. I'm pleased to see that Peeple works collaboratively with other agencies, including childminders and the local children and family centres, to provide much-needed support for young families in Littlemore and the Leys."

Thanks to all the local families and friends of Peeple who came (and brought the sun!), including Nigel from CBeebies' The Baby Club, and special guest Baby Bear.

Cutting the ribbon - left to right: Peeple CEO Sally Smith, Chair of Trustees Mark Harris, MP Anneliese Dodds and Childcare Manager Lindsey Hart

Little Peeple is a 44-place day nursery and pre-school providing early education and care for babies and young children from 6 months to four years. It's a new, purpose-built setting on the site of The Oxford Academy, built as a joint project between the school, the County Council and Peeple. It is run by Peeple, a charity which has been providing support for families with young children in The Leys, Rose Hill and Littlemore since 1995.

Lindsey Hart manages the nursery: “We are here to support parents, carers and children to learn together by valuing and building on the wonderful job that parents already do. Whether you are returning to work, preparing your child for school or want your child to socialise with other children, we are here to work with you to meet the needs of you and your child.”

Dr Sally Smith, Peeple CEO: “We want Little Peeple to offer children a home from home. We are open to all families from the community and to staff at the Oxford Academy. We are particularly pleased to provide opportunities for the students to gain work experience with us – they are the parents of the future!”

Please get in touch if you'd like to visit another time or arrange a place for your child to attend: t 01865 397972  or e littlepeeplenursery@peeple.org.uk.  Little Peeple Nursery, Northfield Close, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 4NH.

Here are a couple of examples of how Peep-trained practitioners have used the Peep Learning Together Programme to support their work with fathers in prison.

The projects' broad aims have been to help families maintain their relationships during and after custody, by:

• supporting families visiting the prison,
• developing new and expectant dads’ skills and understanding about the importance of their role as a father,
• supporting positive transitions back into family life for young children whose parent is due for release.

> HM Prison Inverness

> HM Prison Perth

We’re delighted to be sponsored by Best Years, the ethical toy company, as their chosen charity for 2019. They have donated some of their beautiful knitted toys to us, for our local practitioners to use with families in Peep groups and in our Peep Pre-school and Little Peeple Nursery. We are also giving some away to Peep practitioners and families more widely, so keep an eye on our social media pages for opportunities to win them!

In the picture you can see the Best Years dinosaur that was won by Kaylee at Tattershall Children's Centre in Lincolnshire. The children in her Peep Learning Together Toddlers group have named him Harry, and he's been making lots of new friends.  

Best Years not only specialise in tactile knitted toys that support the sensory development of babies and young children, but spend time developing relationships with the people who make their toys. You’ll see more of their toys on our pages in the coming months, and you can find out more about Best Years on their Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages and on their blog.

Peep was identified by the Educational Psychology Service in Stirling as a strong evidence-based programme which contributes to securing better outcomes for young children through increased parental engagement in their child’s learning. The Educational Psychology Service currently leads on the implementation of Peep in Stirling, working collaboratively with early years establishments and partners.

A number of practitioners have been trained to deliver Peep approaches across Stirling Council. They include family support workers in Health and Education, Early Years’ Educators from nurseries, as well as practitioners from Homestart and the Learning & Employability team.

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