7th February 2025
Evidence published today by Foundations (1), in the new Parenting Through Adversity Practice Guide (for babies and children aged 0-10) finds that parenting support can help to reduce the risk of serious harm to children experiencing vulnerabilities, and strengthen the parenting skills of parents facing adversity, even those experiencing serious mental health issues (2).
The Guide, commissioned by the Department for Education, provides advice and guidance to local leaders in health and children’s social care about how evidence-based parenting support can help to transform the lives of families facing adversity.
The Guide marks the first major review of UK and international evidence on parenting support for families facing adversity (3). It supports delivery of the Children’s Social Care National Framework and provides a vital tool for social workers, family support practitioners, local authority leaders and health professionals (4).
The Guide draws on two comprehensive reviews, conducted by the Centre for Evidence and Implementation (CEI) in partnership with the Universities of Oxford, Amsterdam and Monash, and by Foundations, as well as insights from parents and practitioners (5). It addresses the critical challenges some families face, such as parental stress and weakened parenting skills, which increase the risks facing children and lead to poor outcomes.
The Guide shows that evidence-based parenting support can:
- Reduce the risk of more serious harm and abuse for children experiencing vulnerabilities (6);
- Improve child behaviour in both the short-term and long-term;
- Strengthen the parenting skills of parents facing adversity, including those with more serious mental health needs; and
- Improve the parent-child relationship in families facing adversity.
According to the latest statistics, parental mental health is the single biggest factor driving children’s social care activity, and further research published this week suggests that one in four children need social care services by the time they turn 18 (7).
Key recommendations in the Practice Guide include:
- Evidence-based parenting interventions should be made available to families as part of integrated strategies to reduce the risk of more serious harm to children
- To help keep children safe, targeted help for families on the edge of care or receiving Family Help should include more structured forms of parenting support
- Evidence-based parenting interventions should be made available to families to improve child behaviour and strengthen parenting practices, and reduce parenting stress
- Local leaders should reassure practitioners that parenting support for those with mental health needs can begin without waiting for specialist mental health treatment and still improve child and parenting outcomes
- Leaders should work together to co-ordinate an effective multi-agency system, a clearly communicated local parenting offer, and easy referral pathways
Donna Molloy, Deputy Chief Executive at Foundations and member of the Department for Education’s Children’s Social Care National Practice Group, said:
“Our latest Practice Guide marks a significant breakthrough in our understanding of the effectiveness of parenting support for families facing adversity. For the first time, we have robust evidence that parenting support can help to reduce serious harm to children experiencing vulnerabilities, improve children’s behaviour, and reduce parental stress.
“As councils struggle to cope with the costs of children’s social care, our evidence shows that proven models of parenting support can help to keep children safe with their families, improve their outcomes and alleviate pressure on an already overstretched system.
“The case for prioritising proven parenting interventions has never been stronger. Our Guide demonstrates that evidence-based parenting support is one of the most effective levers available to local leaders to create safe, stable and supportive family environments for children. It’s time to act on this evidence and together, work to transform the lives of families and children up and down the country.”
Emma Ford, North West Programme Director, Warrington Borough Council, said:
“The Parenting Practice Guide for 0-10s is a valuable resource, providing detailed, evidence-based insights into practices that effectively support children and families. It offers practical advice for multi-agency partners on how to ensure the right interventions are implemented effectively, creating new opportunities within the system to better meet the needs of communities.
“The priority now is to focus on supporting local areas in putting this guidance into action. This involves enabling the how — ensuring that implementation is practical and impactful—while avoiding additional strain on an already pressured system.”
Jane Lewis, Project Lead and Associate Director at Centre for Evidence and Implementation (CEI), said:
“Our systematic review conducted in partnership with the Universities of Oxford, Amsterdam and Monash provides a unique contribution to the literature with its explicit focus on rigorous evaluations of parenting interventions across the 0-10 age spectrum with parents facing adversity.
“Our findings provide a clear endorsement of the role of parenting interventions for parents experiencing complex and multiple needs, such as poor mental health, poverty or substance abuse. Parenting programmes can help to strengthen families’ resilience in the face of these challenges and can help families to provide the best start in life for their children.”
For further information, please contact Charlotte Kelsted, Senior Press Officer: 07922 147 222 / charlotte.kelsted@foundations.org.uk
Notes to editors
- Foundations is the What Works Centre for Children & Families. We believe all children should have the foundational relationships they need to thrive in life. We’re researching, generating, and translating evidence into practical solutions that shape better policy and practice and lead to more effective family support services.
- These adversities can include poverty, substance misuse, intimate partner violence, conflict in the couple’s relationship, and parent mental health challenges. The Parenting Through Adversity Practice Guide (0–10) can be accessed here. Commissioned by the Department for Education and produced by Foundations, Practice Guides offer evidence-based recommendations on approaches to supporting local authorities in achieving the outcomes set out in the Children’s Social Care National Framework. Guides are topical and more will be published as systematic reviews on each evidence base are completed. This is the first in a series of Practice Guides focusing on parenting. Foundations will be publishing separate future Practice Guides on: Parenting support for parents/carers of children and young people with disabilities or severe mental illness; Parenting interventions for families with multiple and complex needs with children aged 11 to 19 years; Interventions to support adoptive and foster parents/carers; Reunification interventions and practice.
- The Parenting Through Adversity Practice Guide (0-10) is based on two comprehensive systematic reviews of the evidence. The first systematic review was conducted by the Centre for Evidence and Implementation (CEI). CEI is a global, social-purpose organisation that helps governments, funders and the social sector improve the lives of people facing adversity. The review included findings from 131 reports, and was a collaboration/partnership with Professor Frances Gardner (University of Oxford), Professor Jane Barlow (University of Oxford), Dr Sophia Backhaus (University of Amsterdam) and Professor Aron Shlonsky (Monash University). It can be accessed here. The second systematic review was conducted by Foundations and focused on the experiences and perspectives of parents. It can be accessed here.
- This Practice Guide relates to all outcomes of the Children’s Social Care National Framework. The enablers of the National Framework (leadership, workforce, multi-agency working) have a role in supporting delivery of the Guide’s key principles and recommendations.
- See note 3.
- There is promising evidence to suggest that evidence-based parenting support can reduce the risk of more serious harm and abuse for children experiencing vulnerabilities when used as part of integrated strategies to support families.
- https://www.adcs.org.uk/safeguarding-pressures/ and https://ijpds.org/article/view/2454/
