Evaluation of Parents, Childcare and Employment (PaCE) project: experiences and outcomes

The unique role played by PaCE in supporting participants

Many individuals felt they were unlikely to have found work without the support of PaCE. They felt the support and encouragement which their advisers had provided as something particularly valuable.

Advice on how to find, organise or pay for childcare whilst participants undertook training or worked was welcomed. More so for men as they may lack social networks.

Smaller numbers of participants received help with training, qualifications and placements. However, those who did found that the confidence and skills they developed invaluable

Nature of jobs taken

A majority of interviewees who were in work held jobs which were low paid. Those who had changed job had done so due to issues often associated with insecure work.

The individuals working in those roles generally enjoyed them and they provided some income. The jobs also offered flexibility and provided social benefits.

Childcare

A majority of participants had taken part-time jobs to fit with childcare. However, for those with school aged children, holidays presented issues for childcare. These issues were exacerbated for those without close networks around them.

Ongoing performance against headline outcomes

38% of all participants in PaCE had progressed into work at the time of the research, exceeding initial targets.  

In most locations there were less PaCE participants from BAME backgrounds, as compared with the national breakdown. Cardiff was the exception to this.  

Women made up 95% of participants, partly reflecting higher economic inactivity among women and the fact that a lower proportion of women with dependent children work.

3% of all participants in PaCE had achieved a qualification. This is fewer than initially expected and may be due to participant’s wishing to quickly enter the workforce.

Further information

The next report in the series will explore the unique impact of PaCE on participants and the value for money of the programme.