Incredible Years: An Evidence-Based Pathway Supporting the UK’s Best Start in Life
A comprehensive, evidence-based suite of early intervention programmes aligned with the UK’s Best Start in Life from infancy through primary school.
Best Start in Life – UK Initiative
The UK’s Best Start in Life agenda is focused on improving early childhood outcomes by strengthening family support, investing in evidence-based interventions, and ensuring children enter school ready to learn, thrive, and build positive relationships. Local authorities are increasingly seeking programmes that are commissioning-ready, scalable across multiple sites, and able to maintain high quality over time.
The Incredible Years (IY) offers a comprehensive suite of complementary, evidence-based programmes that support children (from infancy through primary school), their families, and their teachers. Incredible Years is designed to strengthen parent-child relationships, promote children’s social and emotional development, reduce behavioral difficulties, and build educators' confidence and skills. The structured training, implementation support, and fidelity tools make IY well-suited to Family Hubs, Early Help, education, and public health-led strategies.
Parenting Programs
- Parents and Babies Program – Ages 0–12 months
- Toddler Parenting Program (Basic) – Ages 1–3 years
- Preschool Parenting Program 2.0 (Basic) – Ages 3–6 years
- School Age Parenting Program (Basic) – Ages 6–12 years
- Advanced Parenting Program – Preschool & School Age (following Basic programs)
- Attentive Parenting Program – Ages 2–6 years
- Autism Spectrum & Language Delays Parenting Program – Ages 2–5 years
Child Programs
- Classroom Dinosaur Child Program (Prevention) – Ages 3–8 years
- Small Group Dinosaur Child Program (Treatment) – Ages 4–8 year
Teacher & Early Years Professional Programs
Frequently Asked Questions:
Has Incredible Years been implemented in the UK?
Yes. Incredible Years has been implemented across the UK since the early 2000s and has been widely adopted by local authorities, NHS services, schools, Family Hubs, and voluntary sector organizations. It continues to be actively delivered across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. See: Implementation Examples | Incredible Years
Is Incredible Years still up to date?
Yes. While the evidence base began in the 1980s, the programs are continually refined and updated. Most recently, the Preschool Parenting Program was fully updated and released as Preschool Parenting Program 2.0, reflecting current research, implementation learning, and modern family contexts.
What is the evidence base for Incredible Years, and is the research current?
Incredible Years is one of the most extensively researched early intervention programmes internationally. While the original research began in the early 1980s, the evidence base has continued to grow through ongoing and recent studies, including replications across different countries, service settings, and populations. See: Research | Evidence-based SEL | Early Interventions
Can the programs be tailored to local needs?
Yes. Incredible Years is designed to be collaborative rather than prescriptive. Parents set their own goals, and group leaders facilitate learning through discussion, reflection, and shared problem-solving. This allows programmes to be delivered with fidelity while remaining responsive to local community needs.
Are materials available in different languages?
Yes. Incredible Years materials, including parent handouts and selected resources, are available in multiple languages. Availability varies by programme and format, and we can help teams identify what is currently available for the specific programme they are planning to implement.
Who can deliver Incredible Years programmes?
Group leaders typically come from professions such as social work, psychology, education, nursing, or related fields. At least one facilitator should have strong child development knowledge and experience supporting families with complex needs.
Can Incredible Years be delivered through Family Hubs?
Yes. Incredible Years is frequently delivered through Family Hubs and integrated early help services. The programmes align well with a hub-and-spoke model and can be delivered across multiple sites while maintaining consistency and quality.
How long does it take to implement after commissioning?
Once staff are trained and materials are in place, programmes can typically begin within a predictable and manageable time frame aligned with local planning and workforce capacity.
What ongoing costs should be planned for after initial implementation?
In addition to initial training and curriculum materials, ongoing costs may include parent books, consultation for new or developing group leaders, and optional certification or accreditation to support long-term fidelity. Many local authorities plan for these costs as part of workforce development and programme sustainability. For UK customers, parent books can often be sourced locally through UK distributors to help manage costs.
How are outcomes measured and assessed?
Incredible Years includes built-in tools to support outcome measurement and quality assurance. These commonly include a Parent Practices Inventory administered before and after the programme, weekly parent evaluation forms, and end-of-programme satisfaction questionnaires. Many services use these tools for internal evaluation, commissioning assurance, and grant reporting to demonstrate impact for children and families.
Ready to Get Started?
All program pricing is listed under each individual program. For information about multi-user or multi-year discounts, please contact us.