This chapter covers the case study of Zippy’s Friends, a school-based social and emotional learning programme for children aged 5‑7 years. The case study includes an assessment of Zippy’s Friends against the five best practice criteria, policy options to enhance performance and an assessment of its transferability to OECD and EU27 countries.
Mental Health Promotion and Prevention
Best Practices in Public Health
Abstract
Description: Zippy’s Friends is a school-based social and emotional learning programme for children aged 5‑7 years. The programme is structured around engaging stories and illustrations featuring the stick insect “Zippy” and his friends, which serves to teach children how to cope with everyday difficulties, expressing their feelings, and supporting others. The programme is spread across 24 sessions of 45‑60 minutes and aims to improve emotional literacy, resilience, social and coping skills to equip children with the tools needed to navigate challenges through adolescence and into adulthood.
Best practice assessment:
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Criteria |
Assessment |
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Effectiveness |
Zippy’s Friends has been shown to improve coping strategies and social-emotional skills in children, particularly increasing active coping strategies and reducing oppositional coping strategies (e.g. opposition and withdrawal behaviours reduced by 9% and 15% respectively). |
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Efficiency |
The cost of implementing the programme may include expenses for training and material, teacher time, supply teacher, additional activity materials, and transport and supervision for optional activities, however, a comprehensive cost evaluation is lacking. |
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Equity |
Zippy’s Friends can be delivered to pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and there is evidence of improvements in social and emotional skills for children from low socio-economic status backgrounds. |
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Evidence‑base |
A randomised controlled trial was used to assess the impact of Zippy’s Friends and the evidence was rated as strong in several areas. |
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Extent of coverage |
Zippy’s Friends operates in more than 30 countries and has reached more than 2.5 million children since its inception. |
Enhancement options: To enhance the effectiveness of Zippy’s Friends, emphasis should be placed on addressing time constraints and the engagement of school leadership, assessing the long-term impact of the programme, and creating a supportive environment for implementation while involving parents and communities. To enhance equity, emphasis should be placed on increasing inclusivity and ensuring that the programme is culturally sensitive and relevant to children from diverse backgrounds. To enhance the evidence‑base, there is a need for a longer-term monitoring and evaluation follow-up period, with additional outcomes.
Transferability: Zippy’s Friends is a global programme that has been transferred to over 30 countries around the world (including 17 OECD and EU countries). Partnership for Children is responsible for setting up the programme with new partner organisations and there are several steps involved in transferring the programme to a new country.
Conclusion: Zippy’s Friends has been implemented in more than 30 countries and has been shown to be effective in improving coping strategies and social-emotional skills in children, which underpin children’s mental health. It has also demonstrated improved social skills, emotional literacy and emotional recognition among children with special education needs and disabilities.
The Zippy’s Friends programme is a recognised mental health promotion programme for children aged between 5 to 7, established by Partnership for Children in several countries around the world. It was launched in London in 1996 as one of the Skills for Life programmes (see Box 13.1). Zippy’s Friends aims to develop social and coping skills for all children so that they can cope with everyday challenges and negative life events (Mishara and Ystgaard, 2006[1]). Zippy’s Friends is usually delivered in kindergartens, elementary schools or equivalent institutions as part of routine classroom teaching by a trained classroom teacher or education professional. It is typically carried out with whole classrooms of children. The training for teachers and education professionals is delivered through an online platform.
Zippy’s Friends is run by Partnership for Children, a UK registered charity that helps children to be mentally and emotionally healthy by providing a range of school-based programmes that help young children around the world cope with difficulties, communicate effectively and develop skills for life. Zippy’s Friends is made for 5‑7 years old children and is part of a series of evidence‑based programmes called Skills for Life. Other programmes in the Skills for Life series include:
Apple’s Friends (for ages 7‑9): Reinforces the skills learned in Zippy’s Friends for 5‑7 year‑olds children. However, Apple’s Friends is an independent programme and children do not need to have participated in Zippy’s Friends to take part. Apple’s Friends has been revised and updated in 2022 to reflect teacher feedback, to run the programme over two years with new activities.
Passport (for ages 9‑11): Based on the same theory as Zippy’s Friends and Apple’s Friends, but for older children. The programme teaches children positive strategies for dealing with problems through activities such as discussion role play, games and reading comic strips.
SPARK Resilience (for ages 10‑12): A universal school-based resilience‑promoting programme that focus on cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness and positive psychology. It aims to help children strengthen their skills in managing strong emotions and to reframe habitual ways of thinking.
Zippy’s Friends for Pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND): An adapted version of the mainstream Zippy’s Friend programme where teachers use a Special Needs Supplement alongside the mainstream programme. The supplement has been adapted with alternative and additional activities to include a range of children with SEND, to enhance their coping and social skills. The SEND version is designed for a wider age range, including primary and secondary school children, and has been successfully implemented with 6‑17 year‑olds.
Source: Partnership for Children (n.d.[2])”, “Our Skills for Life programmes”, https://www.partnershipforchildren.org.uk/what-we-do/programmes-for-schools/.
Zippy’s Friends aims to improve children’s social skills, coping skills, emotional literacy, class climate, and reduce bullying. Zippy’s Friends is composed of story-based illustrations which builds on a series of stories involving the character “Zippy”, a stick insect, and his group of friends. The curriculum is divided into six modules: Feelings, Communication, Friendship, Conflict, Change and Loss, and Moving forward. Each module has four sessions and each session is designed to last for 45‑60 minutes. Each session takes place once a week and 24 sessions are usually delivered over the course of an academic year (Clarke, Bunting and Barry, 2014[3]).
Zippy’s Friends uses engaging stories and illustrations to encourage children to think independently and manage everyday challenges, including expressing feelings and helping others with their problems. The programme aims to equip children with the skills to effectively handle problems and crises as they move into adolescence and adulthood. Each session builds upon the previous one, reinforcing the lessons learned. As a manualised structured programme, children interact and engage in dialogue through tasks and discussions. Children work with the materials and curriculum through drawing, performing, role playing, dialogue and play (Holen et al., 2012[4]). Zippy’s Friends is a flexible programme, that can be adjusted to suit different contexts, including the target age group, pace, and frequency of sessions.
This section analyses Zippy’s Friends against the five criteria within OECD’s Best Practice Identification Framework – Effectiveness, Efficiency, Equity, Evidence‑base and Extent of coverage (see Box 13.2 for a high-level assessment). Further details on the OECD Framework can be found in Annex A.
Effectiveness
Zippy’s Friends was effective in reducing oppositional coping strategies (e.g. opposition and withdrawal behaviours reduced by 9% and 15% respectively) (effect size measured by Cohen’s d = ‑0.380) and in increasing active coping strategies (Cohen’s d = 0.186), but no significant effects were found on the mental health subscales of Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire.
Compared to the control group, children who participated in Zippy’s Friends were significantly better at self-management, for instance managing school stress, postponing their needs, adapting to the school environment and maintaining order.
Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) receiving Zippy’s Friends showed significant improvements in teacher’s rating of social skills, emotional literacy and emotional recognition.
Efficiency
The cost of implementing the programme may include expenses for training and material, teacher time, supply teacher, additional activity materials, and transport and supervision for optional activities, however, a comprehensive cost evaluation is lacking.
The cost for teacher training and materials is around GBP 512 (EUR 325) per class.
Equity
Zippy’s Friends has a version for Pupils with SEND which includes visual aids and special widget symbols, which has been effective in improving numerous subscales of emotional and social skills.
Studies of Zippy’s Friends with children from low socio-economic status backgrounds have suggested improvements in social and emotional skills, specifically on emotional literacy, social-emotional competencies, and behavioural problems.
Evidence‑base
A randomised controlled trial was used to assess the impact of Zippy’s Friends and the evidence was rated as strong in the areas of study design, data collection methods, and withdrawals and dropouts.
Extent of coverage
The delivery of intervention is not part of compulsory education, however, some cases of implementation are funded by government authority.
Zippy’s Friends operates in more than 30 countries and has reached more than 2.5 million children since its inception.
Effectiveness
Several studies have examined the effectiveness of Zippy’s Friends across various outcomes. While the results have been mixed, the programme has had a positive impact on multiple aspects of children’s coping mechanisms and social and emotional skills (Box 13.3).
Social and emotional skills are a subset of an individual’s abilities, attributes and characteristics that are essential for social functioning. These skills encompass how individuals manage emotions, interact with others, and approach challenges. Key components of social and emotional skills include:
Emotional regulation
Co‑operation
Resilience
Self-efficacy
Empathy
Social and emotional skills are fundamental to the development of children and adolescents. When combined with cognitive abilities and academic achievement, they form a comprehensive set of competencies that are essential for success in school, work and later in life. Beyond enabling academic and cognitive growth, these skills are valuable developmental outcomes in their own right.
Source: OECD (2021[5]), “Beyond Academic Learning: First Results from the Survey of Social and Emotional Skills”, https://doi.org/10.1787/92a11084-en; OECD (2024[6]), “PISA 2022 Results (Volume V): Learning Strategies and Attitudes for Life”, https://doi.org/10.1787/c2e44201-en.
Coping strategies
One of the main objectives of Zippy’s Friends is to improve children’s coping skills for handling difficult emotions and reducing stress, and to prevent mental health problems by increasing their repertoire of coping strategies. A randomised controlled trial (RCT) by Holen and colleagues (2012[4]) in Norway investigated the effectiveness of Zippy’s Friends in improving coping strategies and mental health outcomes in children. Different coping strategies were assessed using the Kidcope checklist (Box 13.4). Results showed that children who received Zippy’s Friends intervention had a more pronounced effect in reducing oppositional and withdrawal strategies beyond the natural changes observed in the control group. A difference‑in-difference analysis, which adjusts for changes in the control group and over time, showed that the intervention led to an additional 0.036 unit decrease in oppositional strategies (corresponding to a 9% reduction) and a 0.028 unit decrease in withdrawal strategies (a 15% reduction) compared to the control group. Furthermore, the study showed significant reductions in oppositional strategies reported by the children (with an effect size of Cohen’s d = ‑0.380) and increases in active strategies reported by parents (Cohen’s d = 0.186). The study found no significant effects on the mental health subscales as measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) (Holen et al., 2012[4]).
The Kidcope Checklist was developed by Spirito, Stark and Williams (1988[7]) to assess coping strategies in children and adolescents. Based on the stress-coping theory of Lazarus and Folkman (1984[8]), the checklist evaluates how children respond to stressful situations.
In Holen et al. (2012[4]), which examined the effectiveness of Zippy’s Friends, a Norwegian version of the Kidcope was used. The checklist was modified so that children responded to a specific peer-related problem: “What are you likely to do if your best friend does not want to play with you during recess or lunch break, and you are socially excluded in the playground?”.
Two versions of the checklist were used:
Children’s version: responses were dichotomous (yes/no) to indicate whether they would use each coping strategy.
Parents’ version: parents rated their child’s use of each strategy on scale, ranging from “Not at all” to “Almost all the time”.
Three main types of coping strategies are identified and studied by Holen at al. (2012[4]):
Active strategies – e.g. trying to see the good side, calming oneself down, talking to others, or solving the problem.
Withdrawal strategies – e.g. stay on your own or keeping quiet about the problem.
Oppositional strategies – e.g. for example blaming others, shouting, screaming or getting angry.
Similar results are also reported in other studies. A 2015 study from the Netherlands by The Trimbos Institute found a significant programme effect on improved “adaptive coping” (problem-solving coping skills) among participants in the intervention group (The Trimbos Institute, 2016[9]). In a study conducted in Denmark and Lithuania, the participants receiving Zippy’s Friends used significantly more positive coping strategies and showed significant improvements in social skills, compared to the control groups (Mishara and Ystgaard, 2006[1]).
Social and emotional skills
A 2016 RCT study conducted in Czechia found that pupils receiving Zippy’s Friends had better self-management skills compared to the control group. After participating in Zippy’s Friends, children were better at managing school stress, delay immediate desires or impulses, adapting to the school environment and maintaining order (e.g. stay organised), compared to controls. They also scored higher in areas such as peer co‑operation, conflict resolution, accepting criticism and describing their feelings (Žufníček et al., 2016[10]). Similarly, in the Netherlands, children who participated in Zippy’s Friends scored significantly higher on emotional recognition – the ability to identify and understand emotions in oneself and others – than those in the control group. In addition, results from parent’s measures showed a significant improvement in social and emotional skills in the intervention group, particularly in emotional literacy (The Trimbos Institute, 2016[9]).
A study by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) from the United Kingdom found no evidence for an increase in emotional self-regulation or social skills (Sloan et al., 2018[11]). However, this finding may be subject to two limitations. Firstly, the control group received a range of social and emotional learning programmes and strategies at the same time as the intervention group, and secondly, the timing of the outcome measure (immediately after the end of the programme) may have affected the ability to detect any impact (Sloan et al., 2018[11]).
A UK study evaluated Zippy’s Friends in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) schools, focussing on children with disabilities. Significant progress was observed in social skills across subscales measuring co‑operation, communication, responsibility and assertion. However, no significant changes were noted in the subscales measuring empathy, self-control and engagement (Unwin, Stenfert Kroese and Blumson, 2018[12]). Similarly, a study of Zippy’s Friends with children in disadvantaged schools in Ireland reported significant positive increases in emotional literacy skills (including self-regulation, motivation, self-awareness and social skills), with evidence for sustained effect at the 12‑month follow-up (Clarke, Bunting and Barry, 2014[3]).
Efficiency
The cost of implementing Zippy’s Friends includes several expenses and may vary over time. Expenses include training and material, teacher time (approximatively 45‑60 minutes for delivery and 10‑25 minutes for preparation), supply teacher, additional activity materials, and transport and supervision for optional activities, such as class trip. Expenses related to training and material amount approximately GBP 512 (EUR 325) in the first year based on one class of 27 pupils. This includes an initial one‑day teacher training session and the purchase of programme materials for both teachers and students. The per-pupil cost decreases over time: GBP 19 (EUR 12) in the first year, GBP 13 (EUR 8.25) in the second year, and GBP 10 (EUR 6.35) in the third year (Sloan et al., 2018[11]).
Equity
Zippy’s Friends for Pupils with SEND was launched in 2013. This specific edition of the Zippy’s Friends programme includes visual aids and special widget symbols adapted for the pupils with SEND. While the programme aims to deliver 24 sessions in approximately one year, the schedule, target beneficiary profiles and activities have been adapted to the circumstances. The programme can be delivered at a slower pace with shorter sessions and more repetitions, and has been successfully implemented with 6‑to‑17‑year‑old SEND children. The effectiveness of this programme has been proven, with improvements across various subscales of emotional and social skills of SEND children as a results of the Zippy’s Friends intervention (Unwin, Stenfert Kroese and Blumson, 2018[12]).
A review of the Zippy’s Friends programme for children from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds indicated positive outcomes in social and emotional skills development. A UK study focussing on children from disadvantaged schools, found a significant positive impact on children’s emotional literacy comparing data from pre‑ and post-intervention (Clarke, Bunting and Barry, 2014[3]). Evidence also shows that children from low socio-economic backgrounds who participated in Zippy’s Friends were less likely to use oppositional strategies, such as blaming others or reacting aggressively, compared to those in the control group (Cohen’s d = ‑0.443) (Holen et al., 2012[4]), and improved social-emotional competencies and reduced behavioural problems (The Trimbos Institute, 2016[9]).
There is currently limited evidence available on the impact of Zippy’s Friends by sex. The Zippy’s Friends intervention was associated with a reduction in oppositional strategies among girls (Cohen’s d = ‑0.551) as well as an increase in active and support-seeking coping strategies (Cohen’s d = ‑0.443). This was not observed in boys. Teachers also reported that boys who participated in Zippy’s Friends experienced a smaller negative impact from mental health difficulties in daily life compared to boys in the control group (Cohen’s d = ‑0.224) (Holen et al., 2012[4]).
Evidence‑based
There are several studies that have evaluated Zippy’s Friends and many of these have used RCTs to assess impact. For the purposes of this case study, the study undertaken by Holen and colleagues (2012[4]) was used to assess the evidence‑base. This study was selected because it is a peer-reviewed journal article with an RCT design. It evaluates Zippy’s Friends in an OECD country (Norway) and is not limited to specific settings. Results suggest a significant positive impact of Zippy’s Friends on children’s mental health.
Using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies (Table 13.1), the design of the study evaluating Zippy’s Friends was rated as “strong” in several areas: study design, data collection methods, and withdrawals and dropouts. However, as with other evaluation studies of Zippy’s Friends or other social and emotional learning programmes, blinding of assessors or participants was difficult in practice because the informants for the study included parents, teachers, and even children.
Source: Effective Public Health Practice Project (1998[13]) “Quality assessment tool for quantitative studies”, https://www.nccmt.ca/knowledge-repositories/search/14; Holen et al. (2012[4]), “The effectiveness of a universal school-based programme on coping and mental health: a randomised, controlled study of Zippy’s Friends”, https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2012.686152.
Extent of coverage
Zippy’s Friends is not a compulsory part of the educational curriculum, and its implementation and roll-out rely on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individual educational institutions. However, there are examples of government funding for the implementation of the programme, such as in Ireland and Norway, suggesting the potential for scaling up the intervention at a national level (Holen et al., 2012[4]; Clarke, Bunting and Barry, 2014[3]).
Information on coverage of Zippy’s Friends is not publicly available at national or regional level. However, Partnership for Children, a UK-based NGO, collects information on coverage of the Skills for Life programmes from partner organisation in each country using the programme. In total, the programme is implemented in more than 30 countries (including 17 OECD and EU countries) and more than 2.5 million children have been enrolled in Zippy’s Friends since the launch of the programme. In the year of 2023, around 140 000 children were enrolled in the programme worldwide (Partnership for Children, 2025[14]).
Enhancing effectiveness
A review of evaluation studies of school-based mental health interventions has identified several factors associated with positive outcomes (see Box 13.5). By comparing these factors with the design and implementation of Zippy’s Friends, several policy options to enhance the effectiveness of the programme are outlined below.
This box lists pillars and factors related to the success of school-based preventive mental health interventions. This list is based on the joint work of WHO, UNESCO and UNICEF on the promotion and protection of mental health in schools and learning environments, however, it is not exhaustive (WHO/UNESCO/UNICEF, 2022[15]). It provides policy guidance for strengthening education systems to protect and promote the mental health and psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents.
Consideration of context: School environment varies depending on the factors such as student’s profile (e.g. age, gender, disabilities, language skills), teacher’s profile, nurturing environment, and cultural characteristics. To avoid differences in learnings between children, it is essential to implement an inclusive intervention, while taking into account various contextual factors.
Comprehensive and collaborative approach: Multilayered and multisectoral approach between the school, family, and the community is an essential component.
Sufficient support from schools and government: Both tangible and intangible support from learning institutions and government and their capacity is important. Support on educational workforce including the teacher’s well-being should be addressed.
Addressing time constraints and engaging school leadership
Time constraints were identified as a key barrier to the delivery of Zippy’s Friends, with teachers reporting difficulties in ensuring that sessions fit appropriately into the school timetable and that there is enough time to deliver the programme within the school day (Sloan et al., 2018[11]). To enhance the effectiveness of Zippy’s Friends, consideration should be given to ensuring that teachers have sufficient time to prepare and deliver sessions.
Senior management support was also identified as a barrier to delivery, with some teachers reporting a lack of awareness from school leadership (Sloan et al., 2018[11]). To address this, it is important to ensure that school leadership is well informed about the programme and the time commitment required from classroom teachers. Such awareness raising can ensure that teachers receive the support they need to deliver the programme effectively. Adopting a whole‑school approach, where there is awareness and support for the programme at all levels, can be an important step in this direction.
Assessing long-term impacts of social and emotional learning programmes
Sloan and colleagues (2018[11]) point out that measuring outcomes immediately after programme delivery may be too early to detect changes in outcomes. The impact of social and emotional learning programmes may take time to be reflected in academic outcomes. To better understand the delayed effects of social and emotional learning programmes, such as Zippy’s Friends, it is necessary with longitudinal follow-up assessment. As it is difficult to assess behavioural change in the target group for Zippy’s Friends, aged 5‑7 years, a longer-term evaluation can help to the capture lasting benefits of the programme.
Supportive environment for implementation
Effective implementation is crucial to achieving the desired outcomes of school-based mental health programmes such as Zippy’s Friends. This depends heavily on the commitment of teachers and their adherence to the training guidelines. Challenges such as insufficient school leadership and lack of awareness can hinder the programme’s successful implementation. Institutional support is particularly important as Zippy’s Friends is not part of the mandatory curriculum, and this support can also improve the outcomes of other school-based interventions for children. Integrating mental health interventions for children into the compulsory academic curriculum has shown significant improvements in school-based interventions, compared to curriculum-driven or separately operated interventions. This is consistent with the policy recommendation from the joint UN work emphasising school and government support (Box 13.5) (WHO/UNESCO/UNICEF, 2022[15]).
Involving parents and communities in which children live
Beyond school, the environment in which children live is important. The involvement of different parties, including children, parents, teachers, caregivers, and the community contributes to the continuum of care and education for children’s mental health. Engaging parents is important for reinforcing the lessons learned in school in the home environment. Interventions and programmes that foster collaboration among children, parents, and teachers tend to be the most effective (Unwin, Stenfert Kroese and Blumson, 2018[12]). Research indicates that when parents are actively involved, the effectiveness is increased for mental health promotion and emotional literacy interventions (Adi et al., 2007[16]).
Enhancing efficiency
Given the lack of cost-effectiveness evaluations of Zippy’s Friends, it is important for policymakers and administrators to focus on evaluating the programmes efficiency over time. A key challenge is to quantify the long-term impact of the programme, given that benefits in terms of students’ academic achievement and mental well-being may only become apparent after an extended period.
Enhancing equity
To avoid gaps in children’s learning, it is important that the intervention is inclusive and adapted to children’s characteristics. Characteristics such as age, gender and language skills can lead to different adaptations and effects. For example, a UK-based intervention focussing on children with SEND found that only younger children showed significant improvements in empathy, while older children did not show any improvement over time (Unwin, Stenfert Kroese and Blumson, 2018[12]). Evidence from an evaluation of the Zippy’s Friends programme in Norway suggests differences in coping strategies between boys and girls (Holen et al., 2012[4]). To enhance the equity of Zippy’s Friends and to ensure that all the children benefit equally, a multi-faceted approach is necessary. This includes cultural adaptation to make the programme culturally sensitive and relevant to children from diverse backgrounds and strengthening parental and community involvement to support children’s learning at home.
Enhancing the evidence‑base
Although most of existing evaluation studies are designed as RCTs, they still have limitations in terms of time and outcomes. Building evidence with a longer monitoring and evaluation follow-up period and additional outcomes would help to improve the quality of the evidence. First, longer follow-up studies would help to analyse the trajectory of the effectiveness of mental health prevention interventions, which could also contribute to find the right timing for delivering the interventions. Second, the outcomes of the existing evidence are mainly limited to coping, social and emotional skills. Additional measures such as clinical outcomes and academic attainment outcomes could help to size the intervention impact on the long term and could help policymakers link Zippy’s Friends intervention with other mental health prevention policies later in life, ensuring a continuous approach to care.
Enhancing extent of coverage
Information on participation rates in existing evaluation studies of Zippy’s Friends shows that they are mostly limited to specific administrative municipalities or school types. The extent of coverage for Zippy’s Friends can be enhanced at both school level and individual level. Although a high dropout rate for Zippy’s Friends has not been specifically identified, the reasons for withdrawal and dropout of individuals are mainly driven by parental consent. To reduce the risk of dropout, it is important to have a focus on raising awareness and improving communication strategies. Language, cultural challenges, or disabilities at the parental level may be reasons for withdrawal (e.g. in families with cultural and linguistic diverse backgrounds, parental consent may be more difficult to be obtained). At the school level, studies have not identified the reasons for withdrawal and dropout, but promoting the intervention to the public and school management institutions would reduce the risk of dropping out. To increase participation at both individual and school level, diversifying the tools used for recruitment, communication and monitoring could enhance the engagement. In addition, by expanding digital access through online platforms and mobile apps, which provide better opportunities for remote learning, could increase the reach of Zippy’s Friends.
This section explores the transferability of Zippy’s Friends and is broken into three components: 1) an examination of previous transfers; 2) a transferability assessment using publicly available data; and 3) additional considerations for policymakers interested in transferring Zippy’s Friends.
Previous transfers
Zippy’s Friends was originally developed by Partnership for Children (PfC), which was funded as a UK registered charity in 2001. Zippy’s Friends was launched internationally in 2002. Zippy’s Friends is part of the “Skills for Life” programmes which includes the other programmes Apple’s Friends, Passport, SPARK Resilience and Zippy’s Friends for SEND (Box 13.1). These programmes have been transferred to over 30 countries around the world and has reached more than 2.5 million children (Partnership for Children, n.d.[17]). PfC is in charge of setting up and implementing Zippy’s Friends in new countries (See Box 13.6). As of 2023, 17 OECD countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, France, Iceland, Ireland, Korea, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, the United Kingdom, and the United States) are running the Zippy’s Friends.
The UK-based organisation “Partnership for Children” (PfC) is responsible for setting up the programme with new partner organisations, and there are several steps involved in launching the programme in a new country. Zippy’s Friends and the other Skills for Life programmes are not provided to individual schools, but a licence agreement is signed with a partner agency to manage the programme in a region or country. Partner organisations vary in size and nature, from government departments to NGOs, voluntary organisations and academic institutions. Organisations willing to adopt the programme can apply to become a Partnership for Children International Licensed Partner.
After expressing interest, organisations contact PfC and provide the necessary documentation for review. PfC conducts due diligence by reviewing the organisation’s financial statements, senior staff curriculum vitae, and references. Once vetted, the partner appoints a co‑ordinator for school recruitment, training, and teacher communication. Both parties then discuss and sign a license agreement, which grants the partner the right to deliver the programmes for a specified period and in a specified area, with associated fees and royalties. PfC provides programme materials in English; the partner translates and prints them, or obtains English materials directly from PfC. PfC also delivers the initial training for trainers, after which the partner takes over responsibility for running future training sessions in their local language and context. As the programme is implemented, partners join PfC’s global network, participate in international meetings and contributes to the development of PfC initiatives.
Source: Partnership for Children (n.d.[18]), “Become an International Partner, https://www.partnershipforchildren.org.uk/get-involved/become-an-international-partner/
Transferability assessment
This section outlines the methodological framework to assess transferability followed by analysis results.
Methodological framework
A few indicators to assess the transferability of Zippy’s Friends were identified (see Table 13.2). Indicators were drawn from international databases and surveys to maximise coverage across OECD and non-OECD European countries. Please note, the assessment is intentionally high level given the availability of public data covering OECD and non-OECD European countries.
Results
The main findings of the transferability assessment are summarised below:
a) In Norway, the ratio of students to teaching staff is 11.40, which is below the median of 12.7 in OECD and EU countries. Countries with a lower ratio of students to teaching staff have better conditions for the transfer of Zippy’s Friends.
b) The teacher motivation in Norway is 0.89, which is below the OECD and EU median of 0.94. As most countries have higher levels of teacher’s motivation to engage enthusiastically with kids, they should have favourable conditions for the transfer of Zippy’s Friends.
c) As in Norway, the vast majority of countries (90%) have a strategy or action plan to guide the implementation of mental health policy. This suggests that Zippy’s Friends would be likely to receive political support in most potential transfer countries.
d) The vast majority of countries (90%) have policies and programmes to support and promote the mental health of children and adolescents, including Norway. Countries with established mental health policies for young people are better positioned to facilitate the transfer and implementation of Zippy’s Friends.
e) As in Norway, a large proportion (90%) of countries have policies and programmes in place to support mental health in educational settings. This indicates that a majority of countries have political support for the implementation of Zippy’s Friends.
f) Norway spends 6.57% of GDP on early childhood education and primary and secondary schools, which is above the OECD and EU median of 3.77%. Countries that invest a greater proportion of their GDP in education are more likely to have the economic resources to support the transfer of Zippy’s Friends.
g) Norway has a lower level of prevention spending as a percentage of GDP, compared to other countries (0.27% vs. 0.40% for the median in OECD and EU countries). Countries with higher spending on prevention would be more likely to have economic support for the transfer of Zippy’s Friends.
A darker shade indicates Zippy’s Friends is more suitable for transferral in that particular country
Note: n/a = no available data. The shades of blue represent the distance each country is from the country in which the intervention currently operates, with a darker shade indicating greater transfer potential based on that particular indicator (see Annex A for further methodological details). The full names and details of the indicators can be found in Table 13.2.
Source: OECD (2021[19]), Ratio of students to teaching staff, https://data-explorer.oecd.org/s/2xg; OECD (2021[20]), Teacher motivation, https://doi.org/10.1787/health-data-en (accessed on 16 April 2024); OECD (2025[24]), Education spending (indicator), https://doi.org/10.1787/ca274bac-en (accessed on 24 February 2025); OECD/WHO Regional Office for Europe (2023[21]), Mental Health Systems Capacity Questionnaire 2023 - Strategy or action plan that guide implementation of the mental health policy; OECD/WHO Regional Office for Europe (2023[22]), Mental Health Systems Capacity Questionnaire 2023 - Policies and programmes to support and promote mental health of children and adolescents; OECD/WHO Regional Office for Europe (2023[23]), Mental Health Systems Capacity Questionnaire 2023 - Policies and programmes to support mental health in educational settings; OECD (2024[25]), OECD Data Explorer - Prevention spending as a percentage of GDP, http://data-explorer.oecd.org/s/1nl (accessed on 7 April 2024).
To help consolidate findings from the transferability assessment above, countries have been clustered into one of three groups, based on indicators reported in Table 13.2. Countries in clusters with more positive values have the greatest transfer potential. While this analysis provides a high-level overview assuming some simplifications, it is important to note that countries in lower-scoring clusters may also have the capacity to adopt the intervention successfully. For further details on the methodological approach used, please refer to Annex A.
Key findings from each of the clusters are below with further details in Figure 13.1 and Table 13.4:
Countries in cluster one has sector-specific, political and economic arrangements in place to transfer Zippy’s Friends and therefore have the conditions to readily transfer the programme to their local context. Countries in this cluster are considered to be less likely to experience issues in implementing and operating Zippy’s Friends in their local context. This group includes 21 countries.
Countries in cluster two have the political and economic arrangements in place to transfer Zippy’s Friends. Before transferring the programme, these countries may wish to consider whether the conditions in schools are in place to facilitate its implementation. This group includes 16 countries.
Countries in cluster three have sector-specific arrangements that support the transfer of Zippy’s Friends. Countries in this cluster may wish to assess the feasibility of the programme within their political and economic context, to ensure that the programme is affordable and aligns with the political priorities. This group includes 4 countries.
Note: Bar charts show percentage difference between cluster mean and dataset mean, for each indicator.
Source: OECD analysis.
Note: Due to high levels of missing data, the following countries were omitted from the analysis: Cyprus and Malta.
Source: OECD analysis.
New indicators to assess transferability
Data from publicly available datasets alone is not ideal to assess the transferability of public health interventions. Box 13.7 outlines several new indicators policymakers could consider before transferring Zippy’s Friends.
In addition to the indicators within the transferability assessment, policymakers are encouraged to collect information for the following indicators:
Population context
What is the level of health literacy in the population?
What is the level of knowledge about social and emotional skills in children/parents?
What is the ethnicity and cultural diversity of the target population?
What is the level of parental engagement with schools and teachers?
Sector specific context (early childhood education)
What is the level of acceptability of Zippy’s Friends amongst teachers and school administration?
What is the level of (mental) health literacy amongst teachers? (e.g. how comfortable do teachers feel about delivering Zippy’s Friends?)
Political context
Has the intervention received political support from key decision makers?
Has the intervention received commitment from key decision makers?
Zippy’s Friends is a school-based social and emotional learning programme for children aged 5‑7 years. The programme aims to improve emotional literacy, resilience, social and coping skills so that children can cope with everyday challenges and negative life events. Zippy’s Friends is delivered in kindergartens, elementary schools or equivalent institutions and the programme is spread across 24 sessions of 45‑60 minutes.
Zippy’s Friends have been effective in reducing oppositional strategies and increasing active coping strategies. Children who participated in the programme were significantly better than controls at self-management skills social skills. The programme has also been adapted to students with special educational needs and disabilities showing significant improvements in social skills, emotional literacy and emotional recognition.
Zippy’s Friends is highly transferable to 21 OECD and EU countries and intermediately transferable to other 16 countries. Zippy’s Friends is widely used in over 30 countries around the world and the Skills for Life programmes have been given to more than 2.5 million children. Partnership for Children is responsible for setting up the programme with new partner organisations and help with transferring the programme to new countries and settings.
Box 13.8 outlines next steps for policymakers and funding agencies.
Next steps for policymakers and funding agencies to enhance Zippy’s Friends are listed below:
Support policy efforts to provide teachers with appropriate training on children’s mental health, for example, by including these topics in the curriculum to become a teacher.
Support policy efforts to boost population mental health literacy in order to motivate parental and community involvement to support children’s learning at home.
Ensure funding for future scale‑up and transfer efforts and consider government funding support for implementation.
Promote “lessons learnt” from countries and regions that have transferred Zippy’s Friends to their local setting.
References
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