The Solihull Approach is a parenting intervention for any family with a child aged between 0 and 18 years old. It is delivered by two child and family practitioners to groups of up to 12 parents over 10 weekly sessions. During these sessions, parents learn strategies that foster a deeper understanding of their child’s behaviour and improve their parenting practices.
The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
0 to 18 years old
Group
The Solihull Approach (Understanding Your Child’s Behaviour) is a parenting intervention for any parent with a child aged 0 to 18 years old.
It is delivered by two practitioners to groups of up to 12 families through 10 weekly two-hour sessions.
The intervention begins with a home visit where parents identify personal goals and strategies to achieve them. These goals form the basis for ongoing reflection and progress monitoring throughout the intervention. If necessary, parents may be signposted to more intensive interventions if they are better suited to meet the parents’ needs.
The Solihull Approach focuses on three key principles: containment (supporting parents in managing their emotional responses), reciprocity (enhancing the parent–child relationship through improved mutual understanding), and behaviour management (providing strategies for managing challenging behaviours effectively). Parents participate in activities that encourage reflection on their child’s behaviour and their relationship with their child. They monitor their progress against the personal goals identified during the initial home visit. Throughout the intervention, parents work collaboratively to develop strategies that foster a deeper understanding of their child’s behaviour and improve their parenting practices.
0 to 18 years old
All families with a child aged 0 to 18 years old.
Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
Science-based assumption
Sensitive parenting supports all aspects of children’s development
A lack of sensitive parenting and high levels of trauma in early childhood can place children’s development at risk.
Science-based assumption
Parental sensitivity is supported by:
Emotional containment, involving parents’ ability to understand their own emotions and the emotions of their child
Reciprocity involving parents’ ability to engage in mutually beneficial interactions with their child
Behaviour management, refers to parents’ ability to encourage positive child behaviours.
Science-based assumption
All parents can benefit from support aimed at increasing their understanding of emotional containment, reciprocity, and behaviour management.
Intervention
Parents learn strategies for:
Containing their own emotions and understanding the emotions of their child
Engaging in positive reciprocal parent–child interactions
Encouraging positive child behaviour
Discouraging challenging child behaviour through age-appropriate discipline.
Short-term
Parents are more sensitive to their children’s needs
Parents engage in more effective parenting strategies
The parent–child relationship improves.
Medium-term
Children are better able to manage their emotions and behaviour
Children experience greater self-confidence and emotional wellbeing.
Long-term
Children are at less risk of antisocial behaviour in later childhood
Children are more likely to engage positively with others
Children are engaged and happy at school.
The Solihull approach is for all families with a child between 0 and 18 years old.
The Solihull Approach is delivered in 10 sessions of two hours’ duration each by two practitioners, to groups of up to 12 parents.
The practitioners who deliver this intervention include one child and family practitioner with a master’s qualification or higher in a helping profession, as well as a family practitioner with less specified qualifications.
The practitioners have 21 hours of intervention training. Booster training is recommended.
It is recommended that practitioners are supervised by one host-agency supervisor, with 21 hours of intervention training.
Intervention fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
Email address:solihull.approach@uhb.nhs.uk
Websites: www.solihullapproachparenting.com
www.inourplace.co.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.
The Solihull Approach’s most rigorous evidence comes from two studies conducted in the United Kingdom consistent with Foundations’ Level 2 evidence strength criteria.
The first study observed pre–post intervention improvements in parents’ reports of their children’s behaviour and reductions in parental anxiety. There was no comparison group, however.
The second study compared parent reports of their children’s behaviour to parents not receiving the intervention without random assignment. The study observed statistically significant improvements in Solihull’s parents reports of their children’s conduct and prosocial behaviour compared to families not receiving the interventions. Solihull parents were also more likely to report greater closeness with their child and reductions in symptoms of depression and stress.
The Solihull Approach (Understanding Your Child’s Behaviour) has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome, but we cannot be confident that the intervention caused the improvement.
| Identified in search | 7 |
| Studies reviewed | 2 |
| Meeting the L2 threshold | 2 |
| Meeting the L3 threshold | 0 |
| Contributing to the L4 threshold | 0 |
| Ineligible | 5 |
| Study design | Pre–post study |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sample characteristics | 83 parents with a child aged four months to 14 years of age. |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities | Not reported |
| Population risk factors | Not reported |
| Timing | Baseline, post-intervention |
| Child outcomes | Improved child behaviour (parent report) |
| Other outcomes | Reduced parent anxiety (parent report) |
| Study rating | 2 |
| Citations | Bateson, K., Delaney, J. & Pybus, R. (2008) Meeting expectations: The pilot evaluation of the Solihull Approach Parenting Group. Community Practitioner. 81 (5), 28–31. |
| Study design | QED |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sample characteristics | 249 children and their families, with children aged 0 to 19 years, with most children aged under 11 years (79%) |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities | The ethnic composition of the sample was consistent with UK population estimates from the Office for National Statistics |
| Population risk factors | Not reported |
| Timing |
|
| Child outcomes |
|
| Other outcomes |
|
| Study rating | 2 |
| Citations | Douglas, H. & Johnson, R. (n.d.) A randomised controlled trial of the Solihull Approach ten-week group for parents: ‘Understanding your child’s behaviour’ (UYCB). Children. 5, 19. |
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.
Baladi, R., Johnson, R. & Law, G. (n.d.) A pre, post and follow-up evaluation of the Understanding Your Child’s Behaviour (UYCB) group: A parenting group intervention based on the Solihull Approach.
Bateson, K., Delaney, J. & Pybus, R. (2008) Meeting expectations: The pilot evaluation of the Solihull Approach Parenting Group. Community Practitioner. 81, 28–31.
Cabral, J. (2013) The value of evaluating parenting groups: A new researcher’s perspective on methods and results. Community Practitioner. 86, 30–33.
Smith, R. (2013) An uncontrolled, pre, post and follow-up evaluation of the Understanding Your Child’s Behaviour (UYCB) group: A parenting group intervention based on the Solihull Approach (Unpublished doctoral dissertation).
Wilson, H. & Johnson, R. (2012) Parents’ evaluation of ‘Understanding Your Child’s Behaviour’: A parenting group based on the Solihull Approach. Community Practitioner. 85, 29–33.
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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