Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities (EPEC) is a parenting intervention for disadvantaged families with concerns about their child’s behaviour. It is delivered by trained and supported peer facilitators to groups of up to 12 families via eight two-hour sessions that occur on a weekly basis.
The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
2 to 11 years old
Group
Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities (EPEC) is a parenting intervention for disadvantaged parents who are experiencing difficulties with the behaviour of a child between 2 to 11 years old. EPEC helps parents to build positive parent–child relationships, encourage positive child behaviours, and increase parenting confidence and efficacy.
EPEC is delivered in small group settings, with each group accommodating up to 12 families. Sessions are led by two trained and supervised EPEC parent facilitators, who conduct eight weekly, two-hour sessions.
During the intervention, parents learn how to develop age-appropriate expectations of their child, facilitate non-directive play, support positive parent–child interaction, establish predictable family routines, and implement age-appropriate discipline.
These positive parenting strategies are promoted through a range of activities which include group discussions, demonstrations, role-play, and homework assignments. These interactive methods help parents acquire practical strategies to improve parent–child interactions and address behavior challenges effectively.
2 to 11 years old
Disadvantaged families with concerns about their child’s behaviour.
Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
Science-based assumption
Young children naturally exhibit challenging and non-compliant behaviours.
Challenging child behaviours during preschool and primary school increase the risk of behaviorual problems in adolescence.
Science-based assumption
Effective parenting behaviours help children learn how to regulate their own behaviour and reduce the risk of child behavioural problems persisting.
Ineffective parenting behaviours can increase the risk of child behavioural problems persisting becoming entrenched.
Science-based assumption
Higher levels of family stress and disadvantage can increase the risk of child behavioural problems occurring and persisting.
Intervention
Parents learn:
Age-appropriate expectations for their child
Strategies for establishing predictable family routines
Strategies for promoting positive parent–child interaction through non-directive play
Strategies for reinforcing positive child behaviour through labelled praise
Strategies discouraging challenging child behaviour through age- appropriate discipline.
Short-term
Parents implement effective parenting strategies in the home
Parents confidence increases
Parent-child interaction improves.
Medium-term
Children’s self-regulatory capabilities and behaviour improves.
Long-term
Children are at less risk of antisocial behaviour in adolescence
Children are more likely to engage positively with others.
Families with a child aged 2 to 11 years where the primary caregiver is seeking support for child behaviour management.
EPEC is delivered over eight sessions of two hours’ duration each by two EPEC parent facilitators to groups of 12 families.
Parents learn strategies for improving the quality of their interactions with their child, reducing negative child behaviour and increasing their efficacy and confidence in parenting. Sessions involve group discussions, demonstrations, role-play, and homework assignments.
EPEC is delivered by peer facilitators who have completed EPEC and have been trained in the EPEC model.
The practitioners have 60 hours of intervention training. Booster training of practitioners is recommended.
It is recommended that practitioners are supervised by one host agency supervisor) with 30 hours of intervention training.
Intervention fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
Contact person: Jo Nicoll
Organisation: EPEC Project
Email address: epecproject@slam.nhs.uk
Website: http://www.cpcs.org.uk
*Please note that this information may not be up to date. In this case, please visit the listed intervention website for up to date contact details.
Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities’ most rigorous evidence comes from a single RCT conducted in the UK that is consistent with Foundations’ Level 3 evidence strength threshold.
This study identified statistically significant reductions in the frequency of behaviour problems.
This means that EPEC can be described as evidence-based: it has evidence from at least one rigorously conducted RCT or QED demonstrating a statistically significant positive impact on at least one child outcome.
Reduced frequency of behaviour problems
Immediately after the intervention
Improvement index
Interpretation
Study
Reduced number of behaviour problems
Immediately after the intervention
Improvement index
Interpretation
Study
| Identified in search | 4 |
| Studies reviewed | 1 |
| Meeting the L2 threshold | 0 |
| Meeting the L3 threshold | 1 |
| Contributing to the L4 threshold | 0 |
| Ineligible | 3 |
| Study design | RCT |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sample characteristics | 116 children between the ages of 2 and 11 years old (average age 5 years) from an inner London borough |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities | 71% Black and other minoritised ethnic groups |
| Population risk factors | The intervention targeted families with increased risk factors due to socioeconomic disadvantage and existing behavioural concerns in children. |
| Timing | Baseline, post-intervention |
| Child outcomes |
|
| Other outcomes |
|
| Study rating | 3 |
| Citations | Day, C., Michelson, D., Thomson, S., Penney, C. & Draper, L. (2012) Evaluation of a peer led parenting intervention for disruptive behaviour problems in children: Community based randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 344, e1107. |
The following studies were identified for this intervention but did not count towards the intervention’s overall evidence rating. An intervention receives the same rating as its most robust study or studies.
Charalambides, M. (2013) An evaluation of peer-led parenting groups in routine practice. Service evaluation project submitted in partial fulfilment for the D.Clin.Psy. degree. King’s College London.
Day, C., Michelson, D., Thomson, S., Penny, C. & Draper, L. (2012) Evaluation of a peer led parenting intervention for disruptive behaviour problems in children: Community based randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 344, p. e1107.
Day, C., Michelson, D., Thomson, S., Penney, C. & Draper, L. (2010) Innovations in practice: Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities: A pilot evaluation of a peer-led parenting programme. Child and Adolescent Mental Health. 17, 52–57.
Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to Foundations’ terms of reference (or the Early Intervention Foundation's terms of reference), and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the intervention provider.
Rated 1: Set up and delivery is low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.
Rated 2: Set up and delivery is medium-low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £100–£499.
Rated 3: Set up and delivery is medium cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £500–£999.
Rated 4: Set up and delivery is medium-high cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £1,000–£2,000.
Rating 5: Set up and delivery is high cost. Equivalent to an estimated unit cost of more than £2,000.
Set up and delivery cost is not applicable, not available, or has not been calculated.
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Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing child maltreatment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Enhancing school achievement & employment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing substance abuse: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing risky sexual behaviour & teen pregnancy: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing obesity and promoting healthy physical development: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Rated 2: Has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome from a quantitative impact study, but there is not yet evidence of causal impact.
Rated 2+: Meets the level 2 rating and the best available evidence is based on a study which is more rigorous than a level 2 standard but does not meet the level 3 standard.
Rated 3: Has evidence of a short-term positive impact from at least one rigorous study.
Rated 3+: Meets the level 3 rating and has evidence from other studies with a comparison group at level 2 or higher.
Rated 4: Has evidence of a long-term positive impact through at least two rigorous studies.
Rated 4+: Meets the level 4 rating and has at least a third study contributing to the Level 4 rating, with at least one of the studies conducted independently of the intervention provider.
Rating has a *: The evidence base includes mixed findings i.e., studies suggesting positive impact alongside studies, which on balance, indicate no effect or negative impact.
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