This study is an upscaling of an existing intergenerational programme, ‘TOY to share, play to care’, which provides community-based inclusive informal early transition experiences for ethnic minority children to school in 7 European countries. Phase 1 of the project focused on the establishment of Play Hubs. The current phase, and this paper, are focusing on an impact evaluation of the project. This impact evaluation is drawing upon Fetterman’s (2012) theory of empowerment evaluation. It is an emerging framework that is responsive to local needs and uses cycles of reflection and action by the providers and service users themselves. An interpretative emergent paradigm with qualitative methodology using case study and focus groups will provide data on shared understandings of local impact. Service users (Local Action Teams) are defining the direction of the research and, through their self-evaluation, participating at every step of the study. Informed consent was sought through the provision of plain language statements. This impact evaluation is interrogating shared understandings of impact at a local level. The guiding question will be how concrete, diverse, and inevitably specific local experiences can be framed. Learning at systems level can occur, without losing the richness and diversity ‘on the ground’ to surface-level generalizability. Seen within a systemic perspective, the challenge for policy and governance at all levels is to abandon linear but simplistic understandings of implementation, and to enable circular processes instead. The project will have implications for policy and provide a global perspective on inclusive early childhood services through a local lens.