Early Start is an evidence-based, early intervention programme developed by Professor David Fergusson, from the Christchurch School of Medicine, in conjunction with local social service providers and the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services (CYF).
This evaluation report on Early Start was prepared by a team led by Professor Fergusson with input from the Ministry of Social Development and other social sector agencies. The report provides an account of the development, implementation and evaluation of the Early Start programme.
Nine year follow-up report: The Ministry of Social Development commissioned this report to the Early Start team led by Professor David Fergusson to provide a nine-year follow-up of the children and parents studied in the randomised controlled trial of the Early Start programme. It looks at the extent to which involvement in Early Start had benefits for the children and families enrolled in the programme. The report will sit alongside the other report that evaluated the Early Start trial since it began in the mid-1990s.
Purpose
This report provides an account of the development, implementation and evaluation of the Early Start programme.
The report is presented in a series of chapters that set the background to the development of the Early Start programme, the design of the randomised trial and the outcomes of the evaluation of the Early Start programme.