Parenting support is at the forefront of Government thinking, and in January the Prime Minister announced a renewed commitment to strengthening parenting skills through universal parenting classes and the targeted Troubled Families scheme. For support to be effective, however, parenting programmes need to be evidence-based and implemented properly, particularly when working with more vulnerable families.
There is an extensive body of research showing the positive effect that evidence-based parenting courses can have on a wide range of outcomes for parents and children. There is also a range of evaluated parenting programmes available (see box), among them Mellow Parenting.
MELLOW PARENTING
Developed by a team of child psychologists and psychiatrists, Mellow Parenting’s work is founded on attachment theory and relationship-building. ‘Children’s development in the first two years of life is fundamental to their lifetime development, literally affecting the development of the brain,’ says Christine Puckering, programme director. ‘A lot of parenting programmes are about managing behaviour, but we precede that by developing a relationship between the parent and baby. If you get that right, a lot of things flow more easily for the parent and the child.’
Mellow Parenting’s Bumps and Dads-to-be programmes aim to promote relaxation and discussion among groups of parents over six weeks. ‘There is good evidence that stress in pregnancy affects babies,’ says Ms Puckering. ‘We help parents manage stress and ask them to think about sources of support, as well as talking about early interaction and why it matters.’
Other programmes, such as Mellow Babies and Mellow Toddlers, take place over 14 weeks, with each session lasting a full day. Children are looked after on-site and join the group for lunch and shared activities. In the mornings, parents are encouraged to reflect on their own childhood experiences, which might have led to difficulties in their lives and with their children. Special attention is paid to the development of a safe, supportive group in which to share feelings.
Parenting workshops take place in the afternoon. ‘We use video of parents with their babies, taken earlier, and that is one of the most powerful and effective tools,’ says Ms Puckering.
Although the programme is long, and aimed at the most troubled families, retention is 80 per cent. Many parents have had bad experiences at school, and some may have difficulty reading. Mellow Parenting avoids the use of an expert model of parenting, encouraging parents to problem-solve and come up with their own solutions. ‘We don’t use the term “classes” or “homework” – we call it Have A Go!,’ says Ms Puckering. ‘We don’t hand out sheaves of notes to read, it’s all done with discussion and video.’
The first meeting is usually at the parent’s home, to break the ice, and is followed by an informal coffee morning where children can meet the childcarers and any issues can be ironed out, such as existing hostile relationships between group members.
Evaluation of the programme is difficult, says Ms Puckering, as the organisation does not have the resources to carry out a random controlled trial. However, one evaluation (http://bit.ly/1syKTjk) found that positive changes were seen in maternal well-being, mother-child interaction and child development and behaviour, which were maintained or even magnified after a one-year follow-up.
The Mellow Parenting approach is used in countries including Iceland, Russia and Germany, as well as the UK. ‘Our programme’s training and resources are relatively inexpensive, but there are staff costs around delivery,’ says Ms Puckering. ‘There has to be a commissioner who is prepared to say “I will invest in this”.’
CHALLENGES AND FUNDING
The chances of running robust, evidence-based programmes, and implementing them effectively, are diminishing in the face of relentless budget cuts.
Research has found that the implementation of parenting programmes can be compromised by inadequate resources, poor training and planning, a lack of experience in the group leader, or a failure to follow the correct protocol and structure when delivering the course.
One clinical psychologist who spoke to Nursery World said he believed lack of money is forcing local authorities and children’s centres to opt for shorter, more behaviour-orientated courses rather than more intensive therapeutic programmes. Particularly vulnerable to cuts are courses that require childcare to be provided – a vital part of some programmes, including Mellow Parenting.
Witnessing the benefits of parenting programmes, and now experiencing the cuts at first hand, is Jeannie Gordon, principal of Essex-based parenting support organisation The Ministry of Parenting.
She has been involved in delivering a variety of parenting programmes including Mellow Parenting, Incredible Years and the STOP and FLASH programmes, for parents of teens.
‘I totally believe the parenting programmes I run work. Every term I see a difference in families taking part,’ she says. ‘They are also great for signposting parents on to the appropriate services.’
Among the courses she has run was a Mellow Parenting programme at The Mulberry Tree family centre in Colchester. ‘It is a fantastic programme,’ she says. ‘There are excellent parenting strategies within it, and it gives time where parents can explore in more depth their own experiences of parenting. You are with the parents all day, whereas with other programmes you see them for two and a half hours, and the groups are smaller.’
Despite it being ‘a very successful programme’, Ms Gordon adds, ‘We have not been able to run it again because we haven’t been able to get the funding.’ Other courses are similarly affected. Where previously she used to run two parenting courses a term, she now runs two a year, both of which are already over-subscribed.
Accessing what money is available is also challenging. ‘Funding is often targeted at new initiatives rather than existing programmes,’ Ms Gordon says. ‘There is also confusion about who the client is – it can be difficult to access early years funding, for example, as funders say the courses are for parents rather than children.’
EVIDENCE-BASED PARENTING PROGRAMMES
Mellow Parenting
A family of programmes to support parents and their children in making good relationships. Aimed at the most troubled and vulnerable parents, video feedback is an important tool.
Solihull Approach
http://solihullapproachparenting.com
The Solihull Approach, based on emotional health and well-being, was created in 1996 by a team of clinical psychologists and child psychotherapists. Initially designed to help health visitors work with families struggling with issues such as feeding, sleeping and behaviour, it evolved into the Understanding Your Child universal parenting course. Evaluations have found that parents’ anxiety and the severity of problems decreased, while children showed improved behaviour.
Incredible Years
The Incredible Years Parenting Programme was developed by Carolyn Webster-Stratton within the University of Washington Parenting Clinic. A range of ‘basic’ classes target key developmental stages, while targeted programmes include the Autism Spectrum and Language Delays Programme. The scheme is founded on social learning theory and consists of at least 12 weekly, two- to three-hour group sessions. The programmes have been evaluated, with findings including increases in positive parenting including child-directed play, coaching and praise and reduced use of criticism and negative commands. A University of York study (www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/projects/phr/139310) is currently researching the impact of the programme on the well-being of parents and their babies.
The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program
Developed at Australia’s University of Queensland, Triple P draws on social learning, cognitive behavioural and developmental theory as well as research into risk factors associated with the development of social and behavioural problems in children. It aims to equip parents with the skills and confidence they need to be self-sufficient and to be able to manage family issues without ongoing support. A multi-level system offers programmes of increasing intensity. Research findings show that the programme reduces problem behaviour in children and improves parents’ well-being and parenting skills.
Circle of Security
Developed in the US, Circle of Security is a relationship-based early intervention programme designed to enhance attachment security between parents and children. The eight-session programme is intended to help caregivers increase their awareness of children’s needs and whether their own responses meet those needs. Research has found the intervention significantly decreased insecure attachment between children and parents.
Rating parenting programmes
Parenting UK (http://bit.ly/1TwAuM9), a membership body for parenting support and information, awards the CANparent Quality Mark to members delivering universal parenting classes that can demonstrate they have met standards. Holders of the mark can advertise their classes on the Parenting UK website, and local authorities are increasingly asking for it in tendering processes.
The United Nations has compiled a list of 24 evidence-based family skills training programmes, whittled down from 150, to assist users in selecting the programme best suited to their needs. The programmes are listed in descending order of the level of scientific evidence on which they are based, with Triple P and Incredible Years at number one and two respectively. See http://bit.ly/25jzHc6.
The Early Intervention Foundation has a tool on its website that ranks programmes by the strength of the evidence behind them and allows users to search for programmes by desired outcome and age of child. See http://bit.ly/1ITkQ9r.
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