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A RCT evaluation of The Letterbox Club in Northern Ireland

A RCT evaluation of The Letterbox Club in Northern Ireland. Dr Karen Winter and Jennifer Mooney k.winter@qub.ac.uk jmooney06@qub.ac.uk. Context. Poor educational outcomes Measures: attendance rates; suspensions; exclusions; attainment in tests, exams and formal qualifications

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A RCT evaluation of The Letterbox Club in Northern Ireland

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  1. A RCT evaluation of The Letterbox Club in Northern Ireland Dr Karen Winter and Jennifer Mooney k.winter@qub.ac.uk jmooney06@qub.ac.uk

  2. Context • Poor educational outcomes • Measures: attendance rates; suspensions; exclusions; attainment in tests, exams and formal qualifications • Contributory factors: interplay of individual child; familial and care related characteristics • Disability; abuse; trauma; physical/emotional ill health; poor familial relationships; multiple transitions; poor attachment; stigma; labelling; lack of support for carers

  3. Initiatives • Legislation • Policy and practice initiatives • Macro level - structures and processes • Micro level – direct to child interventions • Concern with evidence, what works, cost effectiveness

  4. The Letterbox Club • Once monthly parcel for 6 months • May to October • Books, stationery, number games • Addressed to the child • Personalised letter • Interest level, not ability level • Aims • www.letterboxclub.org.uk

  5. Contents

  6. Available research • Letterbox Club began 2002 • 2003-2006 pilot work • 2007 – national pilot funded by government • 2008; 2010 evaluations by programme designers in England and Northern Ireland • Gains in reading and number skills • 2011 independent evaluation data in Northern Ireland – gains reported • www.qub.ac.uk/cee

  7. The gap Can the gains in reading and number skills be attributed directly to the Letterbox Club intervention?

  8. The gap Comparison using standardised scores - limits Importance of control group – identical, random allocation, evenly balanced, variations accounted for Essential if we are serious about addressing inequality Next slides consider 3 elements to study design: the RCT, logic model and the process evaluation.

  9. Mismatch between inputs and anticipated outcomes? Logic model • Does not account for previous research around reading • Assumes a linear movement • Hinges on feelings of ownership • Assumes children do not have access to materials • Middle class deficit view of children in care

  10. The RCT study Current study

  11. RCT study participants Flow chart

  12. Data collected Logic model Measures • Neale Analysis of reading ability • Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (Garfield) Other data • Age • Gender • Type of placement • Trust area • Placement moves • Carer information • Length of time in care • Siblings/ foster siblings • Letterbox fun days

  13. RCT challenges • Attitudes • Ethics • Collaborators • Fieldworkers • Results • Responses to results

  14. Process evaluation Logic model • Interviews foster children and their carers • Exploring: • what actually happens at time of receipt of the parcel; • engagement with parcels; • views on parcel content; • and ongoing support with the materials.

  15. The Future Logic model • Further Studies- nurture groups and school based interventions • Collaborations- with colleagues in Canada and REES centre (Oxford) • Development of the programme Many Thanks!

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