A pioneering project aimed at supporting Welsh primary pupils’ health and wellbeing has been such a success it has now been extended to include nursery-aged children.

Little HAPPEN builds on the success of HAPPEN Wales and will be working with schools across Wales to better understand child wellbeing and development in the early years.

HAPPEN – Health and Attainment of Pupils in Primary Education – led by Swansea University, provides primary schools with insights to support pupils’ physical, emotional and social development. So far, it has interacted with more than 40,000 children from over half the schools in Wales. 

At the heart of both projects is a survey, completed by pupils and parents, to gather information about play and learning, wellbeing and development, and family life.

Little Happen invites parents of nursery and reception pupils aged between three and five to complete a survey compiled by the researchers. It features questions such as:

• How much time your child spends on screen each day?
• Are there outdoor places in your area where children can play safely?
• Do you eat meals together with your child?
• Do you read with your child? 
• Are you happy with your child’s development?

The team has now received their first 500 survey responses and says they have revealed positive results about children’s social development, Health and and Well-being, as well as strong nursery engagement from families.

One parent who completed the survey is Louise Rengozzi who said: “Completing the survey gave me a good opportunity to reflect on my child’s progress. It was also really helpful to think about how different areas of their development can help with this.”

Schools who take part in Little HAPPEN will receive a summary report based on the survey findings, and useful wellbeing insights as well as opportunities to support early years engagement and understanding.

“At Ysgol Penygaer School, we have successfully used the HAPPEN Survey with our Year 3–6 pupils for several years, and the valuable insights it has provided have helped shape our curriculum and approach to health and wellbeing. Joining the Little HAPPEN Nursery Network is a natural next step, allowing us to gain a better understanding of the wellbeing needs of our youngest learners from the very beginning of their school journey.

The information gathered will enable us to make informed decisions based on evidence, tailor our curriculum and wellbeing provision to meet the needs of each cohort, strengthen our support for families, and identify priorities for early intervention. We are excited to use this data to evaluate the impact of our provision over time and continue developing a nurturing school community where every child has the opportunity to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.” 

Parents taking part in the project may also be invited to complete the Ages & Stages Questionnaire – a recognised developmental screening tool used to better understand children’s development between the ages of one month to five and a half.

Project academic lead Professor Sinead Brophy, from the University’s Medical School, said: “We are thrilled to get Little HAPPEN up and running. One of its main strengths is that the project builds on the trusted relationships with schools and families we have already established through HAPPEN Wales.

“Our findings are beneficial because they give us a better understanding of the issues facing families growing up in Wales and help identify the most important issues.

“As a result, our research can inform policy and practice to better direct support to improve the lives of families growing up in Wales.”