Does mobilisation increase family engagement with an early childhood intervention programme? A randomised controlled trial

In this article we compare the effect of two methods of mobilisation - doorstep canvassing and postal appeals - on family attendance at early childhood Sure Start centres in England with a sample of 3,444 families. Families who were not already using Sure Start services were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a visit from an outreach worker providing information and encouragement; receipt of a leaflet about Sure Start; and a control group that received the usual service. We found no evidence of a significant difference in Sure Start attendance between the three groups: neither visits nor leaflets were effective in encouraging non-attenders to go to Sure Start. © The Policy Press, 2013.