Published paper on Cambridge Policy Challenge: How can we improve outcomes in areas of high deprivation? A focus on early years interventions.

November 2017 Erin Hawkins, Alexandra Ashcroft, & Julia Forman

Context of the Policy Challenge The policy challenge sought to address the question, “What actions would have the most impact on addressing deprivation inequalities in Cambridgeshire?”. Through discussions with the Council we recognised that a particularly beneficial area to focus on was early years interventions for boosting school readiness, because school readiness was a key area of difficulty for children growing up in areas of high deprivation. In parallel with this, it was of interest for us to understand how a particular literacy intervention in one such area, the Waterlees Literacy Project, was successful in improving school readiness. This report therefore provides an evidence review to address the relationship between deprivation, school readiness, and language development in children, with evidence-based recommendations for Cambridgeshire.