Summary of Initial Findings
Fiona Himsworth/Mhairi Dunn
City of York Council, June 2015
26 local authorities took part. Between February and March 2015, we
interviewed a total of 274 respondents, selected at random from individuals
who completed courses in the past 2 years.
Questions were based on previous Family Learning Impact Funding work
around the effect of Family Learning courses on various areas of progression:
 within Family Learning
 other learning or training
 increased involvement in voluntary and community activities
 new or improved employment
 increased confidence and personal skills
 increased ability to support children's learning and development
 improvement in child/children's achievement at school
Personal information was in coded format to enable shared use of data whilst
participating authorities are able to pull on records for case studies, etc.
Did their courses
6-11 months ago 52%
12-17 months ago 36%
18+ months ago 12%
These mainly took place in schools and children’s centres
37% Wider Family Learning
63% Family English Maths & Language
For 59%, this had been their first Family Learning course.
Course Length
10-19 hrs - 50%
The Learners
20-39 hrs - 36%
40+ hrs - 14%
Male
93% female, 7% male (double last year’s survey)
Female
140
1 child
2 children
3 children
4 children
5-8 children
120
100
80
60
40
20
18%
45%
22%
10%
5%
Number of Families
(265 families)
0
Family Learning average 2.3 children!
80
70
60
50
40
No of Children
30
20
10
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Skills improved consistently include reading, writing, knowledge of
phonics, knowledge of maths, qualifications, computer courses,
helping children with their school work.
69% are still engaged in Family Learning, English and maths.
101 learners (38%) have gained qualifications, with 87 (33%) going
on to gain further qualifications since being on Family Learning
courses. These have involved other areas of training including:
Other community learning
Maths and English and ICT
ESOL
Teaching Assistant courses
Childcare qualifications
Teacher training
Food hygiene, make up and beauty and other college courses
GCSEs and applying for university

51 learners* have got a job since attending the FL course* (nearly 1 in 5
compared to 1 in 6 last year)

15 learners have got promotion or a better job since being on a course

80% of those who did maths courses feel more able to budget
*Of these, 35 went into jobs in a school or childcare setting.
For the second year running, a significant number of Family Learning learners
are going into voluntary work, work or training in childcare or education
settings.
“Volunteering in school let to me being offered a job in my children’s school.”
“I progressed from Family Learning to completing my GCSE and have recently
been offered a university place to start a nursing course in September 2015.”
“Family Learning has given me the confidence to do a management job in the UK”
“I found a part time job while I was on the Family Learning course. Within a year I
was promoted to a better post. I was handling and dealing with money. The Family
Learning courses have helped me a lot.”
“Family Learning gave me a boost to do a course at college which led to a carer’s
job.”
“It helped me in refreshing my maths skills and opened doors for me to work in a
school. It really boosted my confidence.”
“During our course, someone from Workplace-Stratford visited our group which led
to an interview at their office which then led to a job. Thank you Family Learning!”
“The course helped me to make new friends that I have kept ever since.”
“I feel less isolated and judged ...and more accepted in the way I do things.”
“It was good to sit for an hour or two without the pressures of family life, or home. If
you are at home you see the dishes need doing. In Family Learning classes the time
is focused with you and your child.”
“I met [another mum]. We are now good friends and our children are too!”
“I have met some lovely people through Family Learning and have
made a circle of amazing friends – all different but all have things in common.
“I am confident to help my peers within my study group. I have made many friends
within my group and at my work place.”
“Coming to the courses gives me the enthusiasm to get up in the mornings, get
dressed and just get out and meet people.”
“The teacher helped me
to engage with myself!”
“I was on anti depressants but I’m happier in myself now – how can I explain it –
it’s made me me again. I’m not just a mum, I’m me.
“It was good to sit for an hour or two without the pressures of family life, or home.
If you are at home you see the dishes need doing. In Family Learning classes the time is
focused with you and your child.”
“I am now eating healthier after the cooking course, I now have a family member with
food intolerance and can now read the labels properly to check it is ok for them to eat
thanks to the course.”
“I was a lover of fast food and was overweight but when I was on the course we had
topics of Healthy Eating and 5 a Day. We had presentations on how to make healthy
salads - quick and tasty ones. My diet has changed and I also started doing exercise,
going the park with friends for a walk and am happy as I am losing weight.”
“My family is much happier and stress level are reduced.”
“I feel good inside
and it shows
outside as well.”
Confidence
“Doing courses makes you feel
like somebody.”
“It really helps with confidence if like myself you have been a full time
parent and out of work for over 6 years.”
“Even my husband did not believe I could stick it!”
“It made me confident to join other courses in the future. I am able now
to have conversations in larger groups and feel my opinion and
comments are listened to and count.”
“Family Learning is really a blessing. It starts off with an informal
conversation but gradually you realise that it has been moulding you
and preparing you to become a confident, independent person.”
“It helped me
make choices.”
“Completing work for my portfolio has helped me get back into studying and writing.”
“Experiences that I have had on Family Learning courses have helped me to settle in
a new place and a new community.”
“I feel that attending family learning courses has helped me work out my career.”
“I had to drop out of college when I was younger. I would now consider going back
and working in a nursery, school or similar.”
“This course has had such an impact. I would not have considered going to University
before. It’s not just a course. It helped me a lot.”
“It has helped me manage my chronic disease.”
“It was a really good opportunity for me to talk to other parents I liked that there was
another dad in the class too.”
“So enlightening. I was “gob-smacked”! It was really interesting (I’m 60)”
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
The majority of learners
agreed with these
statements:
“I’m a better listener”
“I’m more confident”
“I’m better at expressing
myself”
“I have more ambition
for my children”
“I have more ambition
for me!”
“These courses bring you closer to your children when working with them.”
“My older children now talk to me about the maths they are doing at school.”
“[my children] remind me when it’s Family Learning day. I am not allowed to be sick!”
“I have helped my daughter with maths and English and she helps me in how she does
things in class – joint partnership!”
“Kids seem to be a lot happier (probably because they’re not being told off as much).”
“Learning different ways of how maths is taught in school has given me more confidence
to help her at home.”
“Everything has changed now. I can support my child much more and I can see that she
looks up to me now which is nice.”
“Me and my son, we read and learn together. We help each other.”
My children love my cooking and they eat vegetables.”
“We are able to sit down as a family
and do homework together.”
“I know how to
reach my children
better.”
Children’s Progress at School:
“This course has helped my children with concentration and self control in school and at
home.”
My eldest daughter improved so much that she has gone into top groups in all subjects.”
“My son has shot up three levels in his reading now that I read with him more.”
“Me and the grandchildren devised a ball game in the garden, they had fun learning their
times tables. It became quite competitive.”
“I have felt enough confidence to help my son to achieve the 11+ exam and have moved
to Chelmsford so that he can attend the Grammar school there.”
“I have been able to capture [my son’s] imagination. He is now very keen on writing.”
“The children's reading and writing is much improved.”
“The teacher is very happy
with my son's progress.”
“I now understand the terms that the teachers and children use so know what they are
talking about eg CVC words.”
“I have been able to explain my children’s needs to school so two way communication is
better. The class teacher has said my younger child’s attention and concentration have
improved.”
“School teacher said how she felt she could talk to this parent more easily. This led to
improvements in older child’s attainment and younger child’s behaviour.”
“I communicate with teachers and this has been helpful when there have been problems
... The school teacher confirmed this and said how she could talk to this parent more
easily. This led to improvement in the older child’s attainment and the younger child’s
behaviour.
“My children were struggling at school, Now after talking to staff and the course they are
doing very well.”
“I feel more confident to be involved in school life.”
“I speak to the
teacher more.”
“I am now a volunteer at the children’s centre and encourage many mums and dads
to attend the family learning courses.”
“I have done lots of activities to help the school, curtain making, upholstery and
making literacy resources for Reception class.”
“I am volunteering at my child’s school in order to help and support children and
parents who are facing similar issues I used to feel.”
“I have started working as a Police Support Volunteer in my community.”
I am now a dinner lady and volunteer 5 hours.”
“I now do more voluntary and charity
work as a result of attending Family
Learning courses.”
“It helped me to understand the different cultures.”
“When Thursday mornings finished we followed on by arranging our own coffee morning.”
“I am now a chairperson for a parenting committee for a local youth group since being on
these courses.”
“We talk about quite personal stuff in the class and we support each other. We have met
up outside school – with children – and as just adults.”
“I now bake and do collections for my local children’s centre. I am helping to set up
school’s PTA because of increased confidence and an after school knitting and sewing
club.”
“I was inspired by Family Learning and set up my own community learning class at the
local community centre teaching other parents how to cook.”
“Since doing the Family Learning course I have started running a skill sharing workshop
at my local library. I also volunteer 2 days a week at school.”
Multiple Impact
“I was very depressed being at home.
Coming on to this course, I made
friends and I learnt how to plan and
teach my child. Although he is autistic,
I wanted to learn more about how
I could support him.”
“I have had an illness for many years which
causes severe depression and loss of
memory, at times very tired. By coming on to
this course ...My stress levels went down
and I was gaining a lot of knowledge and
confidence. I felt good about myself and had
a better relationship with my children as
they saw me active.”
Single Intervention - Multiple impact:
“It improved family relationships as I
learned about parenting and sharing
experiences with each other. I would share
with my husband and tell him. The crèche
really helped my anxiety. I learnt so much
and it helped him settle in nursery.”
“It helped build my self esteem. I was very
shy. I am now able to understand my
children’s homework and am taking an
interest in what they are learning. I want to
volunteer and work at my children’s school
and this has helped me by taking that step
forward in life.”
Single Intervention - Multiple impact:
“It is definitely a nice 'break' for me in the
week, where I can share stories, concerns,
solutions with adults, without interruption.
The ideas about how to deal with children's
difficulties are frequently sources of ideas
on how to deal with my mum suffering from
dementia.”
“We enjoy going out on weekends when
the kids are off school, spend more time
together than we use to doing fun things.”
“I have a happier
mood for my family.”
“Do it – get yourself to a group. I didn’t think I’d get to where I am now.”
“ At first I thought it would be like going back to school – it’s not – it’s OK.”
“I would tell them to go for it as it is never too late to learn.”
“I like the way the tutor aimed to help us to achieve individual aims, rather than
teaching fixed topics. Don’t think – have a go. You will love it!”
“If someone lacks confidence and needs help with their child, it is a must!”
“The opportunities to be able to learn with the family Learning team are so positive
and worth going for.”
“Have a go. Try it. You only win after that.”
“The sky’s the limit!”
“Family Learning has been one
of the milestones in my life.”
... is a single, highly flexible intervention,
capable of far-reaching, long term and multiple
impact on individuals and families.
Pound for pound, Family Learning is terrific
value for money. Investment now in Family
Learning will give not just immediate impact
but also long term gain.