Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which settings working with children and young people is Investors in Families appropriate for?

Schools of all phases, types and sizes, children’s centres, nurseries, PRU’s. Its suitable for any setting working with 0-19 year olds.


2. What benefits are there for these settings?
The reason why schools, etc., might find IiF valuable are

• It applies directly to their core business because

i) all evidence they put forward to gain IiF goes into their SEF and
ii) the evidence that parental involvement in their children’s learning enhances achievement, attendance and behaviour is unarguable


• IiF allows them to hold up a mirror to examine how they currently work with parents, to identify what’s going well and where the challenges remain, thus allowing them to choose what new initiatives they take on and in a considered timescale
• The process enables them to develop partnership working with parents and other adults in their community
• It’s a development tool for the organisation and an opportunity for professional development for the SMT and other school staff


3. Isn’t it just additional work?
The first time is an audit of activity. The re-assessment on a two-yearly cycle ought to be more about selecting the evidence from that already within the SEF. Involving parents and establishing a working group led, say, by a parent governor is an investment in relationships without unduly adding to workloads.


4. How is it organised locally?
   
Either the whole local authority takes responsibility for organising Investors in Families locally (usually the Children’s Services Department or sometimes Lifelong and Family Learning if its separate) or a large cluster of units working together e.g., an extended schools cluster.


5. How many schools, children’s centres, etc have gained the award?

Approaching 50 with well over 100 working towards putting themselves forward for assessment. 11 local authority areas now have accredited schools and children’s centres.


6. Are schools and other settings compared with each other?

No. Investors in Families is about every individual setting improving their own performance over time. Investors in Families is a development tool and the development plan is an important facet of what is required.


7. Who can be assessors?

It varies. In some places being an assessor is seen as a professional development opportunity for senior staff who then assess each other’s schools, etc. In others a range of people take on the role of assessor; for example, advisers, extended schools coordinators, parenting support coordinators, parents, governors, colleagues from other agencies and the voluntary sector.


8. How long does assessment take?

About a day, including writing it up.


9. What does assessor training include?

Roughly 4 hours understanding the programme and applying its culture to visiting settings for a professional dialogue about their work.


10. How do schools put the evidence together?

The process of evidence collection is the starting point for ensuring quality in the award. Organisations preparing for Investors in Families ideally put together a small group of people including parents to decide what evidence best portrays their work and they liaise with the head (or equivalent). This ensures a wider ownership and is itself an investment in working with families.


11. Can the evidence framework be changed in specific localities to meet local priorities?

There are two types of evidence that are required – generic and activity specific. It is possible to negotiate adding an extra piece of generic evidence or to stipulate that in a specific area one of the 5 pieces of activity related evidence against each of the 5 Outcomes of Every Child Matters has to illustrate work of a particular kind (e.g., work with dads).


12. How long does the award last?

Two years in England and three in Wales.


13. Where is IiF being rolled out?

Buckinghamshire, Luton, Bradford, West Berkshire, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Norfolk, Dorset, London Borough of Ealing, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire; Vale of Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Bridgend, Caerphilly


14. Can I speak to someone already organising Investors in Families? Or a school that has gained the award?

Of course. Please email john.grainger@investorsinfamilies.org.uk


15. Is it different in Wales?

It is structured around the 7 Core Aims of Rights to Action but the process is essentially the same.

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