Evaluation of the Incredible Beginnings® Program Powys, Wales

Our friends at the Powys Teaching Health Board have shared with us their evaluation of the Incredible Years Incredible Beginnings® program, delivered remotely during 2021-2023. The Powys team evaluated 5 Incredible Years courses delivered remotely online with a total of 39 participants.

The programs were delivered by a variety of local agencies, including advisory teachers, specialist CAMHs staff and a specialist Children’s Team officer. Outcomes were evaluated using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Teacher/Childcare Provider Practices Inventory, and participant workshop satisfaction questionnaires.

Participants who completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire reported a statistically significant reduction in their perception of child difficulties (emotional problems, hyperactivity, conduct problems, and peer problems).

Participants who completed the Teacher/Childcare Provider Practices Inventory Checklist reported an increase in their use of positive teacher practices.

Highlights from the evaluation report:

Participants who completed the Incredible Beginnings Workshop Satisfaction Questionnaire highly rated their satisfaction with the program.

All staff reported that the teaching strategies and the techniques they had learned and put into practice were useful or extremely useful: ‘Some fantastic strategies and ideas to feed back to our setting and already have put in place.’

Specific areas of the programme were noted: ‘In my setting I found the managing separation anxiety, emotional coaching and use of distraction and ignoring most useful …’

‘One of the things that have been a huge help to myself is the distraction and ignoring technique.’

‘The most important part for me was definitely the strategies of how to get a child to calm and cool down as that is a big problem … that was very useful to me’. The ‘use of puppets to support emotional development’ was also mentioned.

Participants valued the focus on building positive relationships: ‘I think its helped me approach a child whose behaviour has been challenging in a different way. Giving a child the opportunity to talk through a problem.’

‘I also have used the building positive relationships with parents very helpful.’

‘I feel I have been able to use the tools provided in these sessions to build better relationships with the children but also the parents and have … a new found confidence …’

The programme was very helpful for new members of staff: ‘The programme was a huge success, from starting this course back in November with having not a huge amount of experience in childcare and not being qualified I have been able to take away a large amount of what I have learned.’

Powys County Council, in conjunction with Powys Teaching Health Board are now offering a rolling programme of Incredible Beginnings courses for childcare staff.

Read the evaluation: 2021-2023 Evaluation of the Incredible Beginnings Program Delivered Remotely in Powys

Visit our website to join us for Incredible Beginnings Program facilitator training – online!