SCIE Report 21: Follow up work to support implementation of the NICE/SCIE guidance on parenting programmes

Published: June 2009

Evidence shows that parent education programmes can be very effective in supporting a wide and diverse range of parents in improving their family outcomes. By helping parents develop protective factors such as warm and responsive relationships, and strategies for reducing factors that increase risks, like harsh and inconsistent discipline, programmes can make a real difference to the lives of families and children.

To achieve this, programme providers must choose effective courses that will work for their target groups of parents. They must also find ways of attracting parents to sign up, such as outreach, and liaison with voluntary and community organisations, to maintain their attendance, such as support between sessions, and to ensure that they benefit, such as using methods to empower them to identify both their problems and their own solutions.

Context

This report describes the findings of a follow-up study to support the implementation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)/Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) guidance on parenting programmes (NICE/SCIE, 2006). The original guidance made recommendations for good practice in the delivery of programmes for parents of children aged 12 or younger with a conduct disorder.

The follow-up study involved carrying out a practice survey, talking to a wide range of frontline practitioners about their experience of providing a variety of parenting programmes.

SCIE Report 21a: Follow up work to support implementation of the NICE/SCIE guidance on parenting programmes

This part of the report is split into three sections. The first provides some background to the current study. This includes an outline of the recommendations made by the NICE/SCIE guidance and a brief review of what is already known about the factors that increase the likelihood of uptake and completion of parenting programmes. The second outlines the methods used. The third summarises, as far as possible in practitioners' own words, the issues that emerged from the interviews. This includes the recommendations made by practitioners on how to ensure that programmes were accessible and acceptable to all parents, as well as their views on the NICE/SCIE guidance.

SCIE Report 21b: Reaching parents: Improving take-up of parenting programmes

This part of the report provides specific guidance on improving take up of parenting programmes. See .

Purpose

The aim of this report is to address three major questions:

1. How are parenting programmes made accessible and acceptable to all parents?
2. How do programme facilitators check that their work is effective and that they are successful in engaging a wide range of parents?
3. What are the views of frontline practitioners on the standards set by NICE/SCIE guidance?

Audience

This report provide valuable guidance for facilitators of parenting programme, managers and frontline workers, as well as parents themselves.

Links

• Parent-training/education programmes in the management of children with conduct disorders