We undertook public and professional consultations, systematic qualitative and quantitative evidence reviews, and local qualitative research and NHS activity analysis, integrating the findings into an ‘ecocultural model’ of the problem, and collaboratively developed a peer support volunteer group intervention with logic model for NIHR cluster RCT feasibility study application.

The intervention aims to improve young refugee children’s development, well-being, and life chances, engaging families from before birth until the child is 2 years old.  Somali adults (‘peer supporters’) will be chosen and trained to support these families, by:

1) providing weekly group activities;

2) engaging, enabling and advocating for families’ strengths and needs;

3) supporting activities to improve the neighbourhood environment, working with local organisations. 

Wellbeing, relationships, attitudes and networks would be evaluated before and after, looking for potential to improve longer-term outcomes (including children’s language, learning and social communication), build communities and engage services.  We expect this to benefit children, families and communities, inform national health and early years education policy and practice, and save substantial future costs.