ENGAGE: A Case Study in Scaling-Up Lifecourse Skills

The ENGAGE programme helps pre-school children to develop self-regulation skills through play.

In research studies, ENGAGE has led to significant gains in children’s self-regulation skills, and the programme is now being successfully rolled-out to 2,200 ECEs across Aotearoa, with $19.7m of government funding.

ENGAGE was created by Assoc Prof Dione Healey (University of Otago), and Jimmy McLauchlan has led the team responsible for the adaptation and implementation of the programme, starting with a small trial at a single ECE in 2017, through several phases of development, testing, research, and stakeholder engagement, to a large scale roll-out across the country from 2023.

The growth of ENGAGE was funded by The Tindall Foundation - who backed the programme over that six year period, funding critical research projects, resource development and capacity building - with a clear end goal of scaling the programme through a long-term partnership with government.

ENGAGE also benefited from the support of science advisors working in government policy - especially Professor Richie Poulton (whose research on self-regulation and lifecourse development at the Dunedin Study is world renowned) and Professor Stuart McNaughton, former Chief Science Advisor - Ministry of Education.

Aotearoa Lifecourse Fund is employing many of the approaches used in the successful scaling of ENGAGE, including a focus on supporting lifecourse skills in childhood, the use of implementation science to improve programme impacts, collaborating closely with subject matter experts and government policymakers, and using a strategic approach to transitioning from philanthropic to government funding.