Parenting Support – A New Policy Domain in Northern Ireland and Elsewhere

1. Parenting Support – A New Policy Domain in Northern Ireland and Elsewhere Professor Mary Daly School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work Queen’s University Belfast

2. Parenting Support – What is it? • Parenting support refers to a range of information, support, education, training, counselling and other measures or services that focus on influencing how parents understand and carry out their parenting role • Mainly takes the form of advice and information, one-to-one counselling and parenting programmes • Started to become popular in the 2000s especially School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast

3. Where Did it Come From (1)? • 1. Child-related research and developments • - health and welfare (child protection; child poverty) • - children’s rights • - early child care and education (performance of children, social investment in children) • 2. Family Functioning • - problem families • - social order/social control • 3. Parental Well-being/Parental Employment (top-down and bottom-up) School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast

4. Where Did it Come From? (2) • International Policy • The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child • Council of Europe also important • Especially Recommendation (2006) 19 on positive parenting which identifies the types of action that are desirable: • awareness raising, removal of barriers and the provision of a range of supports School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast

5. Where Did it Come from? (3) • Some national governments (e.g., New Labour in UK, Merkel in Germany) strongly in favour • Commercial developments – the programmes are all marketised • 5 main programmes in the England • Triple P, Incredible Years, Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast

6. An Example • Triple P (5 levels) • 1. a universal parenting information strategy; • 2. brief (one or two session) primary health care intervention for mild behavioural difficulties or a three session large group seminar series on positive parenting; • 3. A session of interventions for mild to moderate difficulties including parent skills training; or a one-off brief 2 hour discussion group (multiple topics available); • 4. An intensive 8-10 session programme which is individual, group or self directed (with telephone support) for more severe problems; • 5. Intensive behavioural family intervention where parenting problems occur in the context of other family difficulties (e.g., conflict, depression). School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast

7. What’s New about it? • Parenting support is not completely new – in most settings it’s a development and extension of older ideas • However there are (at least 2) novel phenomena involved: • (1) the putting in place of measures oriented to influencing how parents manage and rear their children which at its most developed involves three moves: • a) from a passive to an active cast • b) towards universal provision • c) moving beyond parents of infants/young children. • (2) greater engagement on the part of the state with socially desirable forms of parenting School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast

8. England • Trajectory is from national level down • Under New Labour put in place the most elaborate architecture anywhere for parenting support: • A national network of Children’s Centres • A national roll-out of education programmes for parents • Parenting Commissioners in each LA • Evidence-based guidance for LAs in commissioning • A national programme focusing on the education/support of young mothers • A national academy for practitioners and a national institute for family and parenting (FPI) • Training programme and Council for the Development of the Childcare Workforce • A series of family intervention projects around parenting School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast

9. Northern Ireland • More demand- and voluntary sector led • Main providers are ParentingNI and the Lifestart Foundation • Information, education programmes, a Parenting Forum School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast

10. Different Models/Emphases in Different Countries France bottom up, more support than education or training, no parenting programmes Main form – REAAP (Parental Support and Guidance Networks) offering peer support and educational activities to parents on a universal basis • Germany • Family education/education for family life a strong root - 1,000 open access information and counselling centres • Also some parenting programmes but for parents of younger children and those experiencing difficulties School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast

11. Impact/Pros and Cons • Known effects: • Can makes parenting a less stressful and more enjoyable role; • Can reduce the risks of emotional and physical harm to children; • Can improve children’s well-being and development • However it is not known whether these effects endure and there are risks involved (for example): • Parental overload • Too much intrusion in family life • Increased anxiety for parents School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast

12. What Works Best? • Programmes with more than one method of delivery • Programmes with measureable concrete objectives • Programmes with a strong underlying theory and model of how they will improve outcomes for children and parents • Programmes that are aware of and seek to meet families’ other needs as well • Effective multi-agency working • ‘Joined up’ services • The blanket application of a particular type of programme can be counterproductive • Services that allow multiple routes in for families (i.e., have a variety of entry or referral routes) School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast