Blackpool Better Start
The Blackpool Super Six – How developing and sharing language development strategies is tackling inequalities
Blackpool Better Start is committed to supporting language development for children under 4. Using improvement science (Bartman T et al 2018) has enabled us to support parents, educators and the community to develop a shared understanding and ethical approach to supporting children’s language needs.
Our shared understanding and the focus on our ‘Super Six Strategies’ starts with partnership and professionals ‘saying the same things’ (Blackpool Parent 2023). It applies Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (1979), emphasising the important role communities have on language development and considers the ‘Balanced System’ (Gascoigne2018) to plan and deliver universal & targeted intervention so children have their needs met at the right time in the right place and with the right people Gross (2024). Using concepts of negotiation Nelken (2009) and co-production Bovaird et al (2017) with professionals and families as well as a common assessment tool (WellComm – GL Assessment 2024) has enabled us to focus on the six most effective strategies, ‘The Super Six’.
The study tests the effectiveness of co-developed language priorities, practice and provision, and learning, utilises methods including case studies and children’s outcomes measures to further test these strategies. Consent covered anonymity and right to withdraw. Pseudonyms are used in dissemination. Results show that these strategies are impactful on children’s outcomes and resources are useful for, parents, and the workforce, promoting collaboration. Learning demonstrates the impact of researching with, not doing to communities, supporting shared goals and capturing different perspective to establish impactful outcomes.