An evaluation of the government’s experts and mentors programme has found that it had a positive impact on practitioners’ confidence in supporting children’s development.

The government-funded Experts and Mentors programme, set up as part of the Department for Education’s Covid recovery scheme and delivered by Pen Green, offered free support to leaders and practitioners in eligible settings until July 2024. Experts provided advice and on the ground support on leadership to setting leaders as well as whole setting support. Mentors offered advice and guidance to practitioners, as well as supporting practitioners to complete online training.

The programme cost around £4.7 million to deliver, with an average estimated cost of £3,488.20 per setting and £75.33 per child. The evaluation found this offered good value for money.

The evaluation found a positive, statistically significant impact on practitioners’ confidence in supporting children’s personal, social and emotional development (PSED), and strong evidence that the programme had a positive impact on practitioners’ confidence in supporting children’s communication and language development.

The report found practitioners did not always fully understand the programme’s aims or the difference between experts, mentors and area leads, and that some found it difficult to find time to engage with online training,

Setting leaders and staff reported improved skills and knowledge and greater confidence. The programme did not seem to have any meaningful impact on practitioners’ self-reported likelihood of staying in the early years sector.

Felicity Dewsbery, deputy head at Pen Green Integrated Centre, said: “W e agree with the key findings from the report, and Pen Green was very proud to have been the delivery partner and contribute to the development of the programme as it evolved. We are particularly pleased to have seen the impact on practitioners confidence, skills and knowledge and professional development. We know that investment in the workforce is a key lever in improving early years quality and better outcomes for children, all of which are of great significance to us as an organisation.”