Sefton Council is celebrating the success of its PEEP Learning Together Programme, which continues to support parents and carers to be their child’s first and most important educator.

Celebrating Success

Four full cohorts of PEEP practitioners have now been trained in Sefton, with a fifth, fully booked course scheduled for next month. The training is part of the wider ‘School Readiness’ government initiative, led by the Early Years Team in close partnership with Early Help, Health, and local Early Years Providers.

The PEEP (Parents Early Education Partnership) Learning Together Programme is underpinned by research which shows that a child’s home learning environment and early exposure to language are key predictors of future success. Through PEEP, trained professionals from nurseries, schools, children’s social care, community learning, and Early Help are now equipped to deliver both group and one-to-one sessions. These sessions give parents and carers practical, low-cost ideas to support their child’s development at home in fun, accessible ways.

Bev Colford, Quality Improvement Officer and one of Sefton’s four accredited PEEP 'train the trainers’, said:

“It has been fantastic to watch the practitioners grow in confidence ready to deliver their PEEP sessions. It’s great to hear from professionals with different experience, it adds to the training and supports everyone to think ‘outside the box’ to engage parents. Most of all, it’s FUN!”

The training has been made possible through funding from the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership, recognising the importance of early support and intervention in improving children’s life chances and reducing the risk of future violent offending. Additional support has also come from the Stronger Practice Hub, which helped deliver a course at Southport College, equipping soon-to-be qualified Early Years practitioners with vital skills and confidence to engage with parents and carers. This also supports recruitment and retention across the Early Years sector, and feedback from the programme has been overwhelmingly positive.

Great Feedback 

Professionals who took part in the programme said:

“The training had a good mix of fun and professionalism; I’ve learned how to approach parents with more confidence.”

“I found a lot of the training and points of strands of learning are applicable to many other interventions that I deliver in my role already and found it very informative. It was also very well delivered, between Jo and Bev, there was nothing I didn't know about the subject. Very welcoming, well-informed and very professionally executed.”

Students at Southport College also praised the course, they said:

“It is an amazing opportunity to gain new knowledge and provide support to parents.”

As Sefton continues to invest in its youngest residents, the PEEP Learning Together Programme plays a vital role in empowering families and helping children get the best possible start in life. The programme has been recognised by Cabinet Members a positive and impactful programme in the borough.

Investing in the Next Generation 

Cllr Diane Roscoe, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families said:

“We are incredibly proud of the impact the PEEP Learning Together Programme is having here in Sefton. Supporting parents to play an active role in their child’s early development is one of the most powerful things we can do to improve educational outcomes and life chances. This programme is a brilliant example of partnership working at its best – empowering families, building professional confidence, and creating stronger, more resilient communities.”

With strong backing from Councillors and a growing network of passionate practitioners, the future of the PEEP Learning Together Programme in Sefton looks bright.