Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41884881›Full record

ArticlePrimary health care research & development2026

National pilot of innovative early years skill mix working in five Start for Life sites in England: study protocol.

Jane Barlow, Michael Fanner, Michelle Sleed, Laurie Day, Gabriella Conti, Gabriel Weber Costa

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Primary health care research & development, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jane BarlowDepartment of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxfordhttps://ror.org/052gg0110, Oxford, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-8418-4270
Michael FannerDepartment of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxfordhttps://ror.org/052gg0110, Oxford, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-4167-7582
Michelle SleedAnna Freud Centre, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-2321-2116
Laurie DayEcorys, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-6587-0697
Gabriella ContiDepartment of Economics, University College London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-4699-2490
Gabriel Weber CostaDepartment of Economics, University College London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9611-3995

Funding

Department of Health and Social Care NIHR206248
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEngland's Family Hubs and Start for Life (SfL) Programme Guidance recommends strengthening early years services by increasing workforce capacity and capability through innovative skill mix models. However, evidence regarding how different innovative early years skill mix workforce models operate, function, and influence outcomes remains limited. To address this gap, five local authorities in England that are existing SfL sites received funding from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to design and pilot innovative early years skill mix workforce models to enhance their Family Hub offers and better support families with children under two.

methodsThe evaluation is guided by each site's Theory of Change and uses a mixed-methods design. The study consists of five workstreams. First, pilot models will be mapped through documentary analysis, including content analysis of role descriptions and audits of workforce activities recorded in clinical diaries. Second, system-level mechanisms, facilitators, and barriers to implementation will be examined through reviews of service and management data and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Third, relational structures underpinning effective practice will be explored using 75 family-level case studies and Social Network Analysis to assess professional networks and their influence on family and practitioner experiences. Fourth, impacts will be estimated using Synthetic Control Methods to assess effects on Healthy Child Programme outcomes, alongside cost and cost-benefit analyses. Finally, the broader application of skill mix working will be explored through semi-structured interviews and case studies across additional local authorities.

Indexed as

Child Health ServicesEarly Intervention, EducationalChild, PreschoolEnglandHumansInfantPilot ProjectsProgram Evaluationearly yearshealthcare workforcehealth visitinginfant mental healthskill-mixstaffing

Identifiers

PMID41884881
PMCPMC13080531

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.