Engaging parents effectively: evaluation of the PEN Home Learning Project

The results from this small-scale evaluation indicate promising effects of the PEN Home Learning Project specifically on the supportive home environment. Primarily, scores on the parent-reported Home Learning Environment Index significantly increased in the intervention group compared with the control group. In addition, the teacher-rated Family Support subscale from the BESSI also showed an improvement (approaching statistical significance) in the intervention group. Taken together, the significant impact on Home Learning Environment scores and the near significant trend on the Family Support subscale suggest that the PEN programme positively influenced parental behaviours at home. The two findings are closely linked, with the HLE focusing on parent report on the type and frequency of cognitive learning activities they support their child with at home (e.g., reading, counting, and nursery rhymes), and the Family Support subscale tapping into the more general support offered at home, according to the child’s teacher. Items on the Family Support subscale include: ‘this child rarely misses a day at school’, and ‘this child talks about fun, shared activities at home’.